My Personal Experience as a Missionary Student in Uganda
In most cases, some people tend
to think that being in missionary or religious life is an opportunity to enjoy life
and be away from any difficulties. As a missionary, one is expected to look for
the people of God as a shepherd who looks for lost sheep. Many people forget
that missionary life is not about relaxation but rather a commitment to the
mission of Christ.
My personal experience of being
in Uganda as a missionary student has been accompanied by various challenges
and discoveries. This personal experience as a missionary student is mainly
about the culture which I found here in Uganda. In this culture, we have
different languages, local and national. I have been challenged by these
languages especially while doing my pastoral work. In this mission I have
encountered many people who speak vernacular yet I am not familiar with such
languages. In this case, I have faced challenges especially when I have to lead
services at outstations. Otherwise, I have always had someone who translates
what I say. As a missionary student, I sometimes oblige myself to learn a few
words in some local languages so that I can convey my message with ease.
However, time has been one of the hindrances to this obligation.
Another factor is food. Food is
also part of culture and I sometimes find some foodstuffs which are not found
in my home country. I have been obliged to eat rather different foodstuffs
because of being a missionary student abroad. The way of preparing food is also
quite different but I have successfully adapted to this kind of environment.
Community life is another
challenging experience as a missionary student. To live together as brothers in
the same house, one needs community spirit. It makes people from different
countries live as relatives and also share their identity as a family. As a
missionary student, it has been a new experience for me to live with people
from different countries.
Perhaps, being outside of my
country has been a great experience despite the many challenges accompanying
it. As Jesus calls me and you, we have to respond to this vocation as a gift of
the church. It is a call to serve him and his entire society.
Emmanuel P. Kavishe
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