By Sister Angelica Cruz ICM

How does one define the meaning of being a missionary? Not in the number of ‘converts’ made or the baptisms performed. Certainly not in the amount of money spent on projects, nor the size of the buildings constructed. For me it is from the stories they tell.

I’ve heard some of these stories from Sr Marieke, a fellow ICM sister. She is a native of Belgium and has been a missionary to the Philippines since the 1960s, with years in between out of the country for temporary assignments to Rome and Belguim. She has been involved in several ministries. Currently she is involved in Tahanang Walang Hagdan. Sr Marieke is a quiet person in the community. But with a little prodding, she comes alive when she talks of the people who have touched her life.

To be free like a bird

She told me of a little boy in Tahanang Walang Hagdan who, at the age of 8, was abandoned by his parents. One day, while they were sitting in the balcony, the boy remarked, ‘I wish I were a bird like that big bird over there. He’s not stuck in a chair like me.’ The boy has muscular dystrophy, a genetic disease characterized by progressive weakness and degeneration of the skeletal or voluntary muscles which control movement. She quietly carried him up from his wheelchair and placed him on her lap. Together they sat in silence.

Lessons from the young

Then the story of a blind boy who reprimanded her by saying how much she still has to learn because she failed to return the trash can to its original place after sweeping the floor. And the two children who told her that she mustn’t look stern and anxious because they didn’t like to see her that way. Another was the story of the children who asked her why she didn’t have a hat when she needed one when working in the garden. They gave her one. Marieke still has it.

Armless painter

Finally, there was Amado who needed tips on courting. Who better to advise him than a nun? Of course, he got the girl! Amado is an artist. He was born armless. He paints with his foot. Sr Marieke saw this talent in young Amado and encouraged him. She accompanied him to the University of the Philippines and helped him to apply in the College of Fine Arts. He ranked third among the applicants who made it. After several days of commuting with him to UP, he told her one day that he could already manage on his own. Sr Marieke was just waiting for that moment. He finished his degree in between the dating tips. He sends his paintings to Switzerland and receives his salary in dollars! Amado is now married and his eldest daughter is already in college.

Stories yet untold

These stories showed me what being a missionary is all about –– the ability to see and appreciate the beauty of each individual despite their disabilities.

If you happen to meet them along your way, stop for a while and listen to their stories. They may be just the stories you need to hear.