By Sr Francette Malala Rakotonirina, Madagascar, (Sector of Les Isles)

“But he said to them, ‘Give them something to eat.’ They replied, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish. Unless maybe we go and buy food for all these people ourselves.” Lk 9:13

At the end of my internship with Good Shepherd International Foundation (GSIF), this conversation of Jesus with his disciples rekindled my spirit. After a tiring day of preaching, Jesus is concerned about the physical condition of the crowd he has fed with the Word of God. The concerned surprise of his disciples – caught off guard – is obvious.

The proclamation of the Good News must remain incarnated. When the situation requires it, preaching must take into account the context of those who receive the Word of God. Such an understanding requires professional management and administration skills which today can no longer allow for guesswork in a world where competence marks the difference.

In light of this, our Congregation gave me the opportunity to do an internship with GSIF from January to July 2024. For me, this has been about developing the professional skills required to allow our ministries to have access to the human and financial resources necessary to carry out our mission in Madagascar.

During this journey, I have been able to share my faith and appreciate the zeal of our partners in mission, through their patience and dedication. Despite the daily challenges, each staff member showed their generosity in how they shared their knowledge, while the sisters in community were attentive and welcomed me with renewed warmth every day.

This experience reminded me of the importance of compassion and zeal for the salvation of souls. By giving of myself and actively listening, I understood that every act is a manifestation of divine love.

This experience allowed me to see the beauty of working together and of how we complement each other as mission partners.

During this experience, I discovered a new culture and a new rhythm of life. I learned how to overcome communication challenges and how to work with people from different cultures. These challenges helped me grow interiorly and spiritually.

This unique experience has allowed me to learn new skills and grow in self-confidence. Working with the sisters and partners-in-mission in the field, I learned the importance of mutual help and support, which goes beyond cultural differences.

On my return to Madagascar, I am motivated to continue to collaborate with GSIF and actively participate in the development of the mission.

This experience of the mission has not only enriched my professional abilities. It also nourished my spiritual dimension. Every meeting and every exchange have been a source of inspiration and learning for me. I understood that we are all connected and that love and kindness are universal values.

I will continue my mission with gratitude and devotion, sowing seeds of light and love around me.

I would like to express my gratitude to the Congregation and GSIF for allowing me to live this enriching experience. I hope that others can have the opportunity to participate in this new program for the effectiveness of our shared mission.