Missionary experience in Salaverry, Peru

July 22, 2015

In August 2011 the Our Lady of Aparecida Province, responding to the desire of the Sisters to open a mission ad gentes in Latin America, began a missionary project in Salaverry, Peru. Inspired by a missionary spirit our Sisters Maria Roselaine, Miriam Teresinha and Maria Loreni gave their Yes to the challenge of serving the Church of Trujillo. They took over the coordination of the Pastoral of Children, Catechesis, and the coordination of the Pontific Missionary Work.

The ND mission in Salaverry had a very poor beginning in the midst of the poorest people. The integration into the local and ecclesial reality was challenging, but the sisters responded to this challenge with prophetic courage and trust in God´s goodness and His provident care. The difficulty to adapt to a new culture, different customs, ways of acting and the learning of a new language needed to be overcome. The dream of the mission ad gentes is a reality today.

In the beginning of the mission, the good God presented us with a Peruvian candidate, Sharon, today Sister Maria Sharon, who made her first vows on May 3^rd, 2015.

Today the mission in Peru ceases to be a project and is a mission area with new challenges and new possibilities. We are called to sow the ND seed and bring to life the Charism of the Congregation in the Peruvian Church and culture. The Sisters coordinate the Pastoral of Children in the Archdiocese of Trujillo and in the Diocese of Chiclayo where they minister to 16 parishes with 60 volunteer leaders who attend 700 children from zero to six years, and twenty pregnant mothers. Besides the Pastoral of Children, one Sister coordinates at the Archdiocese level, the Pontific Missionary Work and advises a group of catechists. They attend75 parishes and 130 private and public schools and some state ones.

The continuity and fertility of our mission in Peru are in our hands and in the answer we give to the ever new call of the Lord.