It began in 1981, when the sisters came to my village in Lwanga to provide health care and work for the advancement of mothers and children. I used to help them greet patients. Since that time, I have joined them in Koungheul, which was the start of a long journey.
Fascinated by their dedication, courage, and commitment to serving the poor through healthcare, education, and the advancement of women, their lifestyle inspired me to be with them until the day I retired.
To tell the truth, I did not want to stay in health service, I wanted to join the army, but the Lord recruited me into his army to serve Christ in poor and suffering humanity.
At the beginning, I worked with the American sisters, the pioneers for whom I have a lot of admiration and respect. With them, I learned to resist fatigue and endurance in the work. We went out into the villages to meet people and give them care and advice about their well-being. I remember well that in the beginning we were the only ones to give vaccinations and provide care in the whole area.
Malaria and measles were ravaging children ages 0 to 5. The government at the time had not yet built the health centers that it has today. Over the years, we administered vaccines, and I noticed that our work has borne fruit, as all these diseases have become rare. I salute the efforts made by the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor. They have taught me many things, such as compassion, rigor, and a sense of respect and human dignity.
When I think of Sr. Mary Maloney and Sr. Diane Moroney, I have tears in my eyes, because I lived through some difficult times with them for the good of the poor. How many times we got stuck in the mud with our car, a Renault 4, which could not handle this kind of terrain!
When we arrived in a village, we transformed a house into a clinic, and the huts were our treatment rooms—ah, those good old days! Working in such conditions for the cause of the sick deserves to be praised. The advice and demands of the sisters enabled me to develop my skills and knowledge, and for that I am very grateful to them and I would like to say a big thank you from the bottom of my heart.
The arrival of the Italian sisters strengthened my attachment to their founder and love of the charism, which motivated me to join the charismatic family as an associate in 1998 with my wife.
The arrival of the African sisters was also a period of relief for me.
We could speak and understand each other. They did not need an interpreter, which made the tasks easier and the work quicker.
They taught me more about the life of St. Francis of Assisi and Blessed Frances Schervier through our regular meetings as associates.
I do not regret having known the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor because they passed priceless values on to me. I can admit without a doubt that through this noble work, we can meet God through people in need.
I pray that God will increase Franciscan vocations to serve the poor. Amen.
Etienne Ndong, SFP Associate
