Sion Charism Stories

Sylvia's Story

What has drawn me to mission beyond my own country and culture is both an inner call from God and an invitation during our 2004 Chapter to come and live/work with Sion in Nicaragua or El Salvador. At this time in my life, there is a strong readiness to support and to share hope with people who are very poor and in hidden places. It is like I am invited to work with them and live among them with the sisters in that country. I know Jesus is already present there in the sacred ground of their lives and I am on a journey to experience this anew.

I was also drawn to Central America to join in solidarity with my Sion family, to work for justice and peace with them. I need to learn other ways than the first world way. I need to learn from within their lives and situations what justice means and how to live the Gospel.

For 15 years, I worked in my own country with the poor, the marginalized and first nation's peoples as an adult literacy practitioner This included development work with "The Gathering Place" with a variety of programs and social outreach to the poor. Theodore Ratisbonne, founder of the Sisters of Sion, always told us to have hearts, larger than the world. And so I go within the embrace of God to try to live more fully, the Kingdom of God.

My team work in Nicaragua is with the Women's Bank. It is a full time team job and in Spanish which is a challenge for me. There are 5 groups of 25 women and there are weekly meetings with each group. I also make home visits which is a good way to get to know them individually and help them with concerns, challanges and hopes. My "new" name is "Sylvia Nica". Just click on my blog for more.

Sister Sylvia's Blog: http://sylvianica.blogspot.com