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May 1, 2018They aren’t tall in stature, but the gentle guidance of the Teresian Carmelite Sisters has made an immense impact on the underprivileged seeking help at the Mother Teresa Outreach Program at Spirit of Life Church in Mandan for the past three years.
Sisters Mary Michael, Amal Grace and Josephine provide the impoverished with nourishment, clothing, housing, furniture and transportation aid. Yet, prayer remains a high priority in reaching out to the discouraged.
The mission will be recognized May 8 as the sisters are presented with the Caritas Award for its food pantry, prepared meals, faith formation, distributed food soup kitchen, supplying housing and empowerment program. Catholic Charities North Dakota, the award sponsor, will host a luncheon that day in the sisters’ honor.
Local need
Sister Mary Michael assists with filling out the clients forms and request. Sister Josephine and Sister Amal Grace distribute the food and other items from the food pantry. The local need is there, they said, though the public may not see it.
“They are living in one house sometimes one family will write 14 -15 names down,” said Sister Mary Michael. “So many people live in a single room. Many sleep on the floor without water or heat.”
They could be your neighbors, she said. Applicants lack basic bedding or don’t own beds or furniture. Sisters, nieces and grandchildren can be under one roof.
Among these are Puerto Ricans who joined family here to flee from the aftermath of a hurricane and to find work, but many also consist of locals tasked with extra family obligations.
The sisters estimate the mission gives 1,000 food baskets away per month for some 3,000 people, and feeds at least 100 people on Thursdays at the weekly soup kitchen at Spirit of Life Church. Volunteers regularly provide hot meals for the mission the week.
Spiritual nourishment
Sister Mary Michael urges those who come seeking help to pray with her, read a little Scripture. The promise of the sisters’ prayer is the spiritual lift needed to try again for a job, find shelter or find help for an addiction. Those coming to the mission often don’t even look the sisters in the eye when they ask for help, but they slowly open their hearts.
“They trust us. They trust in our prayer. I tell them, you pray just five minutes a day. That will help you. Sometimes, they don’t even know how to pray,” she said.
“These people have no faith. That is a basic problem…. They don’t know how to hold on. They have to keep that faith.” She even prepared a man to return to confession after 50 years with the help of the priests.
She also refers people to an empowerment support group at the church, where the poor and underemployed can share the burden of related problems and network for solutions.
The sisters doubt few are abusing the mission, but trust that to God.
The sisters rely on Spirit of Life Parish Administrator Cheryl Hansen and Pastor Msgr. Chad Gion to help prioritize how each person is helped and what is distributed for the mission, but they estimate 99 percent are actual need.
“We are doing what God asked us to do. We don’t care what others say. God knows everybody. We don’t know what is in their heart. We just give them the help and God will take care of it,” said Sister Amal Grace.
“Jesus said when you do something for the poor, that is done to Me. When we give a coat, I pray and say thank you Lord for giving me this opportunity to give this (clothing) for them, helping them spiritually and helping them to grow,” said Sister Amal Grace.
Inspiring others
Clergy and staff say the Carmelites have brought more to the parish’s assistance programs than simply filling the needs of the visitors. They inspire others to do more.
‘They provide people with pastoral guidance and spiritual counseling. For people desperate, poor or their lives are filled with dysfunction, the sisters are the presence of Jesus,” said Msgr. Gion.
He said their coming from a foreign country to relocate and serve here is a phenomenal witness, a great gift to everyone. “The work they do, it’s the work Jesus calls us to do. They inspire people to be generous the way they are generous, especially People at Spirit of Life.”
Because of the total self-gift of their lives, they are the love of Jesus,” Gion said. “When people see the sisters do their work, they want to help and get involved.”
He said that goes for parishioners and people benefitting from the mission.
Hansen echoes those sentiments, saying the sisters have added so much more than meeting physical needs of the mission. “They become the face of Jesus … They are the image of hope and sacrifice, coming to North Dakota from the other side of the world, working to help and serve the poorest of the poor.” Hansen said this opens the eyes of parishioners of how God works and they want to help.
The sisters are quick to credit volunteers for their help in making the mission work, something they find invaluable. “They come and fill the boxes. They come to give away the boxes and bring the boxes from one place to another when the truck comes. They will help us with unloading.” The public frequently help by donating food, money for groceries and non-food items for the cause and providing hot meals.
Sister Amal Grace said the mission has its own reward “They want a box and we give a box. Before I can say something, they say, ‘God bless you, sister.’ It brings tears to my eyes. It touches my heart.
“They have real problems. They have no houses. They sometimes have no relations and they get lonely. You can read it on their face they are desperate. They need prayer. They need companionship. We pray for them and try to talk to them. I feel God is working through me to help them.”
Sister Mary Michael added, “We are not only giving the food. We have to spend time with them. Now, they understand us. We are here for them. We are here for them. They can come and ask.”