By Fr Charles Duster

Fr Duster, from the USA, has worked in Japan and Fiji. During a visit to the Philippines in 1967 he and another Columban were to have traveled on a flight from Bacolod to Cebu on 6 July. Although slightly delayed because they had visited another Columban in hospital, they were still on time for checking in but they weren't allowed on board. The plane left early and crashed, all 21 on board being killed.

The ways of Providence are unusual and wonderful.

It started with a simple question over the dinner table at the Columban House on the north side of Chicago, ‘Rafa, what was your first contact with the Columban Fathers?’

Rafael (Rafa) Ramirez is a Columban seminarian from Chile who was completing a ten-month English language study program at De Paul University and returned to Chile in January 2010. He is continuing his theological studies at Catholic University, Santiago, in preparation for his first missionary assignment next year as a Columban missionary.

Rafa, age 32, was staying with us for two weeks while on pastoral experience working with the homeless at a food kitchen and shelter. His response was a fascinating story of amazing ‘coincidences’ which could fill a chapter of a book. Let me share with you the opening pages.

L to R: Rafael, John, Jorge, Gonzalo, Fr John Boles.

‘Six years ago, some companions and I were on a short holiday in Puerto Saavedra on the southern coast of Chile. One of our group, Angelica Soldado, had previously spent time with the Franciscan Sisters on the nearby island of Wapi where the Sisters worked with the indigenous Mapuche people. While there, she met two Columban lay missionaries from Fiji, Lusi Lutua and Monika Lewatikana who were also working with the Mapuche on the island.’

Rafa continued, ‘Angelica and I were strolling down the main street in Puerto Saavedra on our way to buy bread and some groceries for lunch when a bus came along heading for Wapi Island. Angelica spotted the Fijian girls riding in the bus and they spotted her. They started waving frantically at each other. At the next corner, the bus stopped and the two girls got off and ran toward us.

‘There were big hugs and kisses, Chilean style, and greetings like they were long lost sisters. I couldn’t get over the scene - those two tall Fijian girls so friendly, so warm, animated and enthusiastic getting off their bus to greet my friend. They even started all singing together some opening bars from a Fijian song they had taught Angelica earlier “Tulu tulu lu…” all this on the main street in the middle of Puerto Saavedra.

Monika Lewatikana

‘I was totally amazed and taken aback. The next moment the bus driver blew the horn and the two girls ran back and boarded the bus to continue back to the mission on the island. It was over in a few minutes, but what an encounter.

‘Afterwards, Angelica told me more about the two girls, how she had met them, something about their personalities, and how they happened to be living, working and obviously enjoying life as Columban lay missionaries so far from home. That was the first time I heard the name “Columban”’, Rafa concluded. ‘It stuck in my mind. When I got back to Temuco, I went on line and Googled it to find out more about these people.’

The rest, as they say, is history. Rafael spent several months finding out more about the Columbans, who first went to Chile in 1952. I was mesmerized by his account of how many ‘coincidences’ occurred which led him five years ago to join the Columban formation program for priesthood. I’m no expert but it seemed obvious to me that the Holy Spirit was involved.

Fiji, Southern Chile, Chicago, lots of miles between them but they all seemed to come together that evening at our dinner table.

We are Fiji

For six years I was the Coordinator of the Columban Lay Missionary Program in Fiji. During that time, Lusi and Monika were recruited, trained and missioned to Chile. I saw them off at Nadi Airport and was privileged to visit them in their mission in Wapi. Little did they dream that their just being themselves, being Fijian and getting off the bus, the most natural thing in the world for them to do, would be an instrument in a Chilean joining the Columbans.

Monika Lewatikana with Chilean youth.

Can anyone doubt that the Lord is in control? Indeed, the rings formed by the pebble dropped in Fiji extended many miles.

Fr Charles Duster is currently working in Chicago, Il, USA. You may email him at cduster@columban.org