By novice
 Dalsy David
Novice from India

My experience in fisher folk was a beautiful and memorable one, which I have experienced first time in my life staying with the unknown. When I went to my foster family I felt the warm welcome. It was a family with seven member’s four brothers, one sister, my foster mother and my foster father was working in abroad. My first day with the family was trying to bond with them. My foster mother Joe was sharing her past experience how they survived during the typhoons. I was touched by her sharing of life. Even though I did not get the chance for fishing I helped my foster mother to do housework’s like washing vessels, cloths and fish, cleaning house, caring water and taking care of the pigs. I was interested in doing these works than staying simply. My immersion brought me to look at the mirror of the reality of life during my immersion. Because in the house sometime I found poverty, no proper connection for electricity and no facility for water but I tried my best to adjust well. I was disturbed with the smell of the pigs while cleaning its place but I saw my siblings enjoying while doing it. Seeing them I encouraged myself to give food for the pigs and to take care of them. I never imagined that I would be able to sleep with the whole family, since I prefer sleeping alone. But it was a good feeling as I felt it was my own family. The first day I was challenged to call my foster mother Mama because I never called anyone Mama, but later on I found delightful to call her. The most significant experience I had was about God’s gift of friendship with the people.

I connect my experience with our founders St. Montfort and blessed Marie Louise ‘If you don’t take risk for God, you will do nothing great for him. ‘So this experience for me was unimaginable as well as risking but following the footsteps of St. Louise Montfort I found myself encouraged spending my meaningful immersion. I found myself challenged in communicating with the people because of the language, but the love of God made the people to understand my willingness to bond my relationship with them. My experience gave me new learning’s to be generous and helpful with my talents and strengths. And lot of insightful encounters, which I made with that area people, their love for me was something special which came from God to deepen my love and relationship for him. I never thought that this people will give me more than that I can give to them. For me it was a life turning experience because I realized that experience will lead me to the path, where my soul finds rest. My immersion enlightened me to understand why God feels for the the simple people. I also realized that God’s love dwells everywhere even to the unfamiliar places and people. So my immersion teaches me that in life I have my own struggles to face but I just have to trust and hope that all things will be well in God’s great design. So the simple word sustains my mind that “God is for all”.

My name is Sister Florence Manja, Daughter of Wisdom. I was born a twin at Saint Andrews, a small Christian Community of Ntenje Parish in the Archdiocese of Blantyre. That is situated in the Southern part of Malawi, Central Africa.

I grew up in Ntenje Village and I spent half of my life around that area. I witnessed a real life of struggles as a typical Malawian youth. It was life of poverty at home and even more poverty at school.

My parents were subsistence farmers and my mother, Cecilia, brewed local beer and sold it as a means to earn a living.

The most interesting thing is that regardless of their poverty, my parents were strong Catholics. My father Mr. Daniel Manja reflected on the word of God daily using the Bible and could comment it. My parents were the greatest mentors of my life.

Being identical twins, my father facilitated our ambitions. He wanted one to become a nurse and one to enter religious life and serve as a teacher. When I was selected to go to Secondary School, I really wanted to serve God’s People as a religious.

During holidays I met a Sister called Mary Mkwangwanya, who belongs to the Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a local Congregation formed by the Daughters of Wisdom. She enlightened me, on how I can become a religious Sister. She even gave me details of several Congregations with their different charisms and spiritualties. And then, with the support of my family, I made up my mind to join the Daughters of Wisdom. I visited the Daughters of Wisdom at Lunzu {Provincial House) in the archdiocese of Blantyre. Sister Stella Joachim, the vocation promoter, welcomed me and assisted me.

That was the beginning of my journey with the Daughters of Wisdom. Each annual school holiday I used to go and attend the “come and see” sessions. During such sessions, I was initiated to the Charism and Spirituality of the Daughters of Wisdom and the different fields of their apostolate. I felt really attracted to this, so much so that I felt my life will be fulfilled by being a Sister in the Congregation of the Daughters of Wisdom.

After finishing Secondary School, I joined that Congregation, where I learned and experienced their spirituality: seeking and contemplating Christ Wisdom, knowing him, sharing my experience with all people and depending on God Alone in all things. As Saint Louis-Marie de Montfort, our Founder said: “No cross, what a cross.”  This really inspired me to forge ahead in searching intensely for the love of God in wounded humanity and to continue widening the space of my tent (Isaiah 54: 2)

As a Daughter of Wisdom, I witness the love of God in two ways:  First, through health care services as a nurse;