Quarantine Creativity: A Renewed “Yes”

By Kelsey B.

Greetings from Romania, where we have entered into a strict quarantine, in communion with so many of you. Thus, we stopped visiting our friends in their homes, but continued to welcome children into ours. The gift of beautiful weather together with the presence of children at our home all day, permitted us to practically live a week of summer camp with our little friends. This joyful time carries us now through this time of desert. A desert without visits and without Mass, but one in which God’s grace surely abounds.

I could talk about the girls’ creative projects, their hours spent working contemplatively in the garden, how they faithfully call their friends, or help children with homework over the phone, or go buy groceries for grandmothers who can’t leave their home, about the virtual come and see we had with five interested volunteers; however, I think the most remarkable thing is the immense gratuity present in the community. Perhaps it is because each of the four girls has said Yes to the mission anew, or perhaps it is the fruit of more time of prayer, but there is a renewed and deep desire to live our charism during this time and a palpable joy in the community.

One of the girls shared, “During this time, I find myself falling in love even more with our charism. I discover even more now that I am with Con-solatio, all that I have and all that I am lights up. It seems that every part of myself becomes something that can be given as a response to a call to the present moment. So when I live compassion, all of my life has meaning.”

Each one of our missionaries abroad continues to live the mission in creative ways. We are grateful to be able to share them with you!