by Nadia Ramoutar  MMM Communications Coordinator                        Ireland       20.07.2024

The Irish poet and writer, John O’Donohue once wrote “May you experience each day as a sacred gift woven around the heart of wonder.” One of the aspects of working with the MMMs that I most admire is the Sisters’ sense of wonder in the unknown.  There is a very real commitment to looking at a situation and saying “Well, let’s just see what we can do here.”  It is fascinating how no two MMM Missions are exactly alike because no two locations of the mission are identical and therefore no two communities have identical needs.  The spirit of each mission is unique to the people there and what their greatest challenges would be.

When I began with MMM working in Communications I was overwhelmed at how much the MMM Sisters are doing and how much diversity there was in each country.  I am now grateful that there is so much for me to learn in my role in communications.  It is a never ending learning adventure.  In comparison, one of the horrible things that happens in commerce sometimes is this idea that there is no room for uniqueness or differences.  One product or service is the only choice.  It’s not true but taking the time to learn the real needs of people takes time and it takes effort.  Many people struggle to listen because they think they already know the answer.  Many people are too quick to accept what is not acceptable.

Mental noise is the enemy of listening which is the key to good communications and healthy relationships.  When there is “learning” involved then we can’t really lose because we are creating what is possible often on the back of what we learned the hard way.  Complexities like global climate crisis make things even harder for people who are living on the edge of poverty.  As our MMM Sisters try to empower people to have agency over their own life, there are massive challenges to often face.  Yet, in this adversity, courage and ingenuity grow too.

We are venturing into a new effort to find solutions to even great problems than we have experienced before and the answer is not always clear.  What is apparent though is that the greatest tool we have is each other.  We, the staff, work alongside the MMM sisters and the MMM Associates globally committed to making the world a better place. Such a collective resources is what makes our impact possible.  We are a combined force of love, faith, knowledge, expertise and adventure.  There is much laughter and occasionally tears along the way.

As we face even greater challenges than before, we have to be careful not to allow our apathy or ambition to work against us.  In our patience and persistence we will find the answers though they might not come easily.  I feel it as great privilege to work with the MMM Sisters and be part of their unshakeable faith in what might not be obvious, but is possible.  Together we are wonder-full.