by Nadia Ramoutar, MMM Communications Coordinator  Ireland   24.12.2021

There are gifts that life brings us in the most unexpected ways.

When I applied for the role of the Communications Coordinator for the Medical Missionaries of Mary, the deadline for application was 22nd December, 2020.  I recall thinking how close this was to Christmas and how interesting it was that the MMM Sisters would still be working. Many places would have just waited until January to review applications.

This was my first insight into the MMM culture. The Sisters of MMM are always working and bringing good into the world in some way whether through prayer, practice or planning.

I was fortunate to not only get an interview but to get hired by the MMMs.  I had no idea what the journey ahead of me would bring, but I felt I would be equipped for it with twenty years of experience in communication campaigns and a Ph.D. in Communications.  What I didn’t really know at the time would be not just how much I might give, but how much I would get in return. I am not just talking about a salary either.  Working with the MMM Sisters in Ireland, the Americas, East and Central Africa and West Africa has expanded my world and made me a better person.  I consider working for them to be a divine gift.

Before coming to work for the MMMs I had worked on various Mission projects. I was quickly not only impressed, but in awe of how much the MMM Sisters had done in the world since 1937 when the Order was founded by Irish Woman Mother Mary Martin. The MMMs are a resilient, intelligent, compassionate and witty group of women. Every MMM has her own story and it will be a fascinating one if you get the chance to hear it.

MMM Sisters will casually tell you about the remote areas of the world where they served or serve now perhaps during a war, or a famine or a drought. They won’t complain. They will not tell you about the hardships or about themselves. They will only tell you about the work and about the people who they were with and served.   They will be humble.

MMM Sisters create community whether over a cup of tea or in a far reaching part of the world no-one has ever really heard of yet. I have learned so much about geography, medicine and compassion from the MMM Sisters.  Each Sister has a gift that she brings to the world as service.

Kahlil Gibran, the writer, said something about work that totally holds true with the MMM sisters.  “Work is love made visible”. I love working WITH the MMM Sisters. They truly do collaborate and see the power of teams as central to everything they do. There is so much care about the fellow person and about the Earth that I am uplifted each day.   They are current and aware of the world’s hardships and are busy seeing how they can help.  The Sisters have taught me resilience and commitment.  They are demonstrating compassion as love in action sprinkled with the spirit of the healing charism.

While I have worked so closely with Sr Sheila and Sr Mary Ann, I have come to know hundreds of the other Sisters and I love how each one is so unique and authentic. I love that I can share my concerns and express challenges knowing that the sharing will result in a collaborative response. I could write here about the specific compliments I would like to bestow upon the individual Sisters I have the pleasure of working with but I know they would hate the attention and being singled out. So, I won’t. The Sisters have also taught me humility.  They have also taught me patience (which I still have to learn more about) because with collaboration decisions take a little longer but are usually of a higher calibre.

At a time where there appears to be a crisis in faith in much of the world, the Sisters seek hope. They only see people, not colour, race or religion and do not discriminate about who they help. They are true to their values and have taught me the beauty of a simple life without the burden of materialism or consumerism. They live simply and are self-less in their commitment to serving the world.   They are committed to caring about the Earth as a living entity in need of our courage to step up. They don’t just feed people but help them to feed themselves. They are bravely fighting against Human trafficking and other ills in the world. Children and women are given care with no question.  They do actively make our planet better through their prayers and their actions. They are walking their talk and I admire that greatly in our noisy world with many empty promises.

It is a gift to be part of the MMMs vision for the world and to help them tell their stories using digital media and technology.  I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to be part of such a meaningful agenda. I cannot thank the MMM Sisters enough for making me “at home” as an employee – who is not a sworn Sister – but feels very much like part of the family. I also really enjoy working with the other employees of the MMM and collaborating with them on a brighter future.

Happy Christmas to all the MMMs and their families around the world.  Here’s to a bright and beautiful 2022.  We will continue to shine our light and move into the future. I am sure Mother Mary, who pioneered the way of serving the world, would want it this way.