Sr. Anastasia is a pint-sized little bundle of joy! She is from Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria, the third of five children born to her mother and father, Ambrose and Anthonia Essien.

She talks about her childhood:

“I lived and grew up in Idah Kogi State, Nigeria. At the time Idah Diocese was still growing and worked together with the Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus (HHCJ). As my siblings and I had the local language, we joined in the evangelization campaign as interpreters. These bore tremendous fruit. In some of the houses we entered to share with them about Christ, the parents were touched by our boldness in bearing witness to Christ despite our age, and some allowed their children to be converted to Christianity as they always put it ‘my children will join you because I want them to be bold like you children, but for me, I have known and served this my deity for many years and will not want to part with it’. I have very good and happy memories of my childhood, both at home, at school and at church. I was a member of the Children’s Choir of the Diocese and in my secondary school days I joined the Youth Choir, I was a block Rosarian and soon after my First Holy Communion in 1985, I joined the Junior Presidium of the Legion of Mary as well as the Catholic Charismatic Renewal of Nigeria”.

Sr. Anastasia joined MMM aged 21, aware she had a vocation from a young age. After her initial religious formation, she worked in administration in Urua Akpan Hospital in Nigeria and also qualified in Business Administration.

In 2005, she was assigned to Uganda for three years, both to Kitovu and Makondo. But her skills were needed back in Nigeria in 2008, where she worked as a Hospital Administrator in Urua Akpan and Ibadan. Subsequently, she also was missioned to the Republic of Benin, and to Fuka in the North of Nigeria.  

Since 2021, Sr. Anastasia is working in Central Business Administration at Congregational Level in Dublin.

She is an out-going person. Among her hobbies are reading, dancing, farming, listening to music, singing, volleyball, badminton, sewing, cooking and baking!! She enjoys community living, both immediate and extended communities. She makes friends easily and is liked by people who meet her. She enjoyed her time working and living and sharing the lives of the Villagers in all the missions she has served.  

“One thing life has taught me, she says, “is to always be grateful, life has offered me so many opportunities and gifts and I am called to share these God given gifts with those I meet. I have so much to be grateful to God for in my life”.