Sr. Lucia Mahupe (SMIC)

Life is like a river that passes through waterfalls, rapids and mountains. Consequently, the water gets purified day by day, more and more and the journey goes on and on.  Many people sit by and watch the water moving while others flow with the water and thereby change the flow of the water and ultimately  leave a footprint on the sand of destiny. To the pessimistic, life is hard and boring. To the cynic, the world is out there to get you. For Christians, there is a divine purpose in every event, good or bad. It all fits well in God's plan.

Back in my home, my ancestor's life was characterized by singing, dancing, poetry and drinking (only when need be). People beat drums, danced, and parted time again. However, when the last dance was done, the best poem given, the best song sung, the best drum beaten, and the last word said-that brought the curtain down and heralded the end of one epoch and called for one to take a jump into the uncharted waters and entrust oneself to the winds of the spirit in the void. The greatest art a person can learn in life is to know when to shake old soil off growing feet and consequently close a chapter-often in pain and tears.

Reflecting on what had happened during this past five years I would like to take time by acknowledging people who have helped me to accomplish my goal. With no doubt, God was the center of this game, and He will be the center of my life for life internal. I give Him thanks and praise for the marvelous deed He has done for me. I couldn’t do much or less without His hand on my shoulders. My special thanks goes to the former general coordinator Sr. Corona and her team as well as our present general coordinator Sr. Veronica Lee for supporting my province to regain the strengths and hopes we lost when the raging water turned against us. Gratitude to Sr. Elizabeth, and her successor, the late Sr. Lucia Bekeur for their support and for the big risk they took by entrusting me with this big task.  I also thank my Congregation at large for giving me such an opportunity and for its prayerful support especially my sisters in the USA Province who have helped me to grow both physically and spiritually. My deepest thanks to goes Srs. Rose Claire, Cecilia, Sheila, Kate, lovely provincial, Patricia, Divina, Emmanuel, Rebecca, Vania, Roseli, Camilla, Jessica, Johanna, and Gleisiania, Odilia, Lucivane, and  Michelle.  Thank you for your support, care and even the misunderstanding which helped us to know each other even better: you’re the mirror in my life.   In the name of my congregation, I wish to express my deep appreciation to the Felician sisters and faculty members for their generosity and thoughtfulness for the full scholarship which helped to further my education. I am pleased with the education I have received as well as the invaluable learning experiences this institution has made available to me that have expanded and strengthened my education.

Life in America was certainly a blend of delight, struggle, and growth. The news about going to America puzzled me, and I was afraid of the unknown zone as well as my personal weakness which caused me to have fear of failure. I heard about America from many people and it sounded like the lifestyle in America seems to turn people upside down due to its richness and unlimited freedom to all things.   Some people told me that I would never make it, and that I certainly would never return to Namibia as a nun.  Not knowing about whether I could be the same person no matter good or bad, I plucked my strength and accepted the offer entrusting everything in the hands of the almighty. I knew God had a special plan for me, and I trusted that He would never leave me to face my parish alone. After five years, I am returning back to my country with many more unforgettable memories. America is a country like any country.  I have seen different things which people in Namibia never thought about.  The American people work harder in order to get money. There are many poor people in America just like in other countries.

As I have stated, life in America was a mix of happiness, struggle, and growth.  There were moments I felt like I was being lifted higher on the mountains and there were some days when I felt the uncertainty of my journey. Studies, culture shock, and language barriers were my biggest challenges. Each subject I took was a challenge for me, for this reasons I spent hours and energy in order to reach the requirements of the institution. Every semester was a torture of body and mind. Although it was hard from the beginning to understand the culture, a few months later I realized and embraced the beauty of being in an international congregation. These were the real changes in my life; changes of getting to know and see my sisters from different continents not merely by reading about them, but seeing them and talking to them face to face.  America doesn’t turn people upside-down but right side up. It teaches a person not only how to contemplate the diverse culture and language, but also how to learn to be a hard working person.  Remember the words of Epictetus, “Things themselves don’t hurt or change or hinder us. Nor do other people or country. How we view these things is another matter. It is our attitudes and reactions that gives trouble.” 

The second problem I encountered was communication. It wasn’t easy to be far away from family and not communicating with them. Due to lack of communication in my home town, many times I missed having contact with my family. There are times I didn’t hear my parents’, sisters’ and brothers’ voices for at least two to three months. These were the moments of pain, loneliness and anger.  The hardest moments were when the other sisters shared about their families. I remember the joy I had when I heard that my sister and brother got phones. My heart leapt for joy like a baby which sees a mother after being left for six hours.

 I hope that my experience will help to decrease unnecessary doubts and anxiety. Remember the USA, in fact, is not a country of rich, lazy people who have freedom of everything as I imagined. Instead, the USA, according to my observation, is one filled with generous, hard working people, patient, peaceful people, even poor people; it is also the center of diversity. The USA is the most receptive country which welcomes all people from all over the world. Although I was only in the USA, my experience seems like I visited many different countries. I have met many people from different continents.  I am really proud to have had such an opportunity. Living in a different country for five years had widened my horizons in many ways. I have learned how to view and deal with things from different angles and, this experience helped strengthen a positive interaction between two provinces well as the countries

 It was a joy to know not only our USA sisters but also our Brazilian, German, and Asian ones.

Thank you all for your support and love.