„Evening of Missions“ held in Medjugorje

date: 15.02.2016.

The “Evening of Missions” was held on Saturday, February 13, in the Hall of John Paul II in Medjugorje. There were many interested supporters who came for this event and documentary movie about 40 years of the Franciscan School Sisters in Kongo was presented, titled: “Franciscan School Sisters in the heart of Africa”. Sisters went to Congo in 1974, and remained huge part of the spiritual and social development of Congo. Fr. Ivan Stironja, national director of Papal Mission Activities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, gave a little talk prior to the movie and explained the importance of missions and the importance of supporting them. After very touching movie, Sr. Adriane Galić, Franciscan School Sister of the Province of Christ the King, from Mostar, gave very emotional talk as the one who organised this evening. Sr. Adriana visited sisters in Kongo from October 2015 – January 2016. It was love towards missions that took her to that suffering and poor country. All that she witnessed there moved her to do something for the people there as well as for those nuns who give themselves unselfishly to people of Congo. „There is so much poverty there, so many poor people, many of those who do not go to school as they are not able to afford it, and they would like to. There are so many things that could be changed; yet the question is whether anything would change. There is hope; nuns and priests are very active there. People trust them, they cooperate with them; they also seek for advices and for help. I served here as nun in various places and in various services, but my desire was to be among the poorest. After talking to some nuns in the missions, the idea was born for me to go there and help them”, said Sr. Adriana. The Evening of Missions was enriched with the testimony of Sr. Samuela Šimunović, Franciscan School Sister from Province of Split, also active in Congo. She thanked all those who help in prayers and in the material help and spoke about the life in Congo today. There were many items available during this evening (hand-made African souvenirs, mission materials of the National Board of Papal Missions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, photos made during Sr. Adriana’s visit to Congo – framed in the Special Persons’ Care Centre in Mostar, hand-made souvenirs from the community „Mother Krispina“ from Medjugorje, Mother’s Village and Elementary School Ivana Brlić Mažuranić from Ljubuški, whose children made t-shirts and sweatshirts with mission motives). All these items were for sale and all income was for the Franciscan School Sisters of Split Province in Congo.