CatholicMom offers this lovely testament to the Maryknoll Sisters, written by Dr. Carolyn Woo, who was taught by them when she was a child in China.
The most valuable gift I received from the sisters, though, was faith. We had catechism lessons, but, more importantly, we saw faith in action. Somewhere along the line, I concluded that God must be very real for the sisters. Otherwise, why would they leave home, family and security to go to some foreign land to live in hardship, speak a new language, adjust to a new culture, face such risks? Why would they choose to serve us girls when they did not even know us? How did they know they would succeed? They not only did this, but they exuded so much joy and humor, grace and adventure.
“Can’t be done” was not part of their vocabulary. By their examples, I learned to fight and to love—two sides of the same coin when it comes to serving poor and marginalized people. I learned to trust God because they did.
Do read it all. While many of us will not travel to distant lands as missionaries, remember the impact your steady, joyful faith can have even here in your own community, your own family. Stability and hope are very much needed at present, and women can easily build their lives around them -- and don't think they won't be noticed by a world careening towards darkness. Believe, love, smile!
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