'I am, among all, most richly blessed.'

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Our guest writer this week, Agnes Samosir, a sister in the Society of Sisters, Faithful Companions of Jesus (FCJ), lives in Myanmar. In this reflection, she shares her "journey of being faithful ...of sharing companionship...of being a space holder especially in the midst of suffering, violence and fear".

Agnes (middle) with some of the women she journeys with in Myanmar.
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I was born in Banjarbaru (South Borneo) on January 30th, 1969. I was the third child of five children of Mr. Victor Samosir and Mrs. Mariani Marpaung. The seed of my vocation began to appear when I joined an altar girl group, an organist group and "Ascensio" children's choir under Fr. A. Soetanta, SJ, at Fransiscus Xaverius Parish, Tanjung. Priok, North Jakarta. The seed grew more and more when I was at Ursula High School, studied at Sanata Dharma Teacher Training Institute (now a university) and was involved in Christian Life Community (CLC). This precious experience encouraged me to join the FCJ Society, which name was still foreign at that time.

During the time of postulancy, novitiate, and temporary profession, I passed through a curving road which brought me to an understanding of life as expressed in Henry Viscardi's reflection:

I asked God for strength, that I might achieve.
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey.

I asked for health, that I might do greater things.
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.

I asked for riches, that I might be happy.
I was given poverty, that I might be wise.

I asked for power, that I might have the praise of others.
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.

I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life.
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.

I got nothing that I asked for, but everything I hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.

I am, among all, most richly blessed.

It is this understanding of life which encouraged me to be courageous enough to say "YES" with all my heart and mind to the call to be a faithful companion of Jesus for my lifetime.

I continued saying “Yes” when I was asked to go to Myanmar. In 2009, together with two fcJs: Sr. Marion Dooley and Fransisca Arti Setiati (Sisca), we started a community in Yangon. Being in Myanmar, I have been blessed and privileged to experience the country transition to democracy.

As part of the local Church here, the FCJs focus their mission on education, human and spiritual development. I am mainly involved in education. I have been teaching part time at the Indonesian International School Yangon (IISY) since 2010. Every year in April, the FCJs organise a summer program for parishes especially poorer ones in Yangon Diocese. Our program focuses on character building, and on developing creative and reflective skills through painting, dancing, ecological awareness, reading and dramas. Since 16th May 2017, in collaboration with the Servite Sisters (OSM) and the Diocesan Education Commission of Yangon, we started a pre-school project in Dalla Parish This is the first ever pre-school not only in the parish but the first parish-based Catholic preschool in the whole Yangon region.

The pre-school project in Dalla Parish.

As a Chinese proverb says: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”, I find that what I have done here in this Buddhist country is an early step of a thousand-mile journey. And yet the most important part of this journey is not the destination but the journey itself. It is a journey of being faithful ...of sharing companionship...of being a space holder especially in the midst of suffering, violence and fear.

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