Indian nun’s missionary experience in Algeria

By Lucy D’Mello

Mascara, Sept 24, 2020: As a missionary, I had always expressed my willingness for the mission “Ad Extra” (towards the outside).

I had almost given up the hope when on my 50th birthday the Lord gifted me the mission of Algeria, the largest Muslim country in North Africa, surrounded by the Mediterranean coast.

Our God is a God of surprises and reveals Himself in a thousand ways to those open to His presence and action in the world.

On August 27, 2014, I arrived in Oran, one of the four dioceses in Algeria. Along with Sisters Serena De Stefani and Marta Arosio, we started a community in Mascara, a town some 390 km northwest of the national capital of Alger.

We are part of a centre called “El Amel” (the hope) run by an elderly French priest.

I am a nurse by profession and we have a small dispensary where the elderly and women prefer to frequent. This has helped me to develop relationships that gave me easy access to families.

I had the opportunity to assist Miloud, Meriam, Kaddur, Zuleika and many others in their sickness who now have gone to their heavenly abode. But my relationship with the family continues as a member.

Many are very happy to invite us to participate in celebrations of marriage, new birth and anniversaries. We also visit them in painful moments of sickness or loss of a dear one in the family.

The people are hospitable, warm-hearted, and generous and the religious culture is very visible.

Some of the expressions like ‘Inch-Allah’ (if God wants it), ‘Hamou-Allah’ (praise be to God) are frequently used by the majority of the people.

The call for prayer five times a day helps me to raise my heart and mind to God, the Father of us all.

I appreciate the fraternity we live here beyond the barriers of language and culture. In February 2017, when I received the news of the death of my nun sister, many women came to express their condolence bringing the special bread and dates, which is part of the culture.

During the sacred month of Ramadan, they invite us for “l’ftour” (breaking the fast). Even this year when it was not possible due to Covid-19 some of them brought the meal to us.

I cannot forget the first day of Ramadan in 2018 with Khadija who had lost her husband a year ago and lives with her only daughter. Moved with emotions she told me, “Lucy, what an experience to break my fast with an Indian Catholic sister.”

Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth is the icon of the tiny church in Algeria which acts like salt and yeast in the local population.

The Christians consist of mostly students from other African countries, priests, religious men and women, expatriates and a few locals.

Various activities for women like tailoring, knitting, cooking, aerobic and yoga are carried out in the center. There are library and language classes for the students.

We have activities for children with autism and a small group of preschool children.

Along with one of the animators of the center once a week two of us go to a village nearby. I visit the sick and the others teach crafts to a group of women who cannot come to the center to learn. It always ends with tea and snacks.

Once a month a small group of Muslims and we three nuns and a priest — the only Christians in Mascara — gather together to share our lived faith experiences.

Recently, I have started to visit the prison along with our parish priest. We visit mainly Christians and Muslims from neighboring African countries.

As mentioned in the third Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Francis, “Gaudate et Exultate”, (Rejoice and Be Glad, 2018) we cannot forget that “Life does not have a mission but it is a mission.”

Also says our foundress Mother Giuseppina Dones, no place, no situation can diminish the passionate thirst of the apostolate of the MSI, who everywhere and always, with the life, the word and charity tries to communicate Christ and His values.

And today in this present difficult situation of Covid-19, more than ever I am convinced of my call to be a prophetic witness of God’s love and mercy to all my brothers and sisters irrespective of caste, color, and religion.

[Sister Lucy D’Mello belongs to the congregation of ‘Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate’ (MSI), also known as the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions or PIME. She is a missionary in Algeria, North Africa]