AN EXPERIENCE OF MINISTRY IN THE THIRD WORLD: THE FRANCISCAN COMMUNITY SERVICES AND THE INBREAKING OF GOD'S KINGDOM. A PASTORAL REFLECTION PAPER SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE WASHINGTON THEOLOGICAL UNION IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF DIVINITY, BY TIMOTHY PATRICK DORE, OFM CONV., APRIL 1992
CHAPTER FOUR
Analysis and Evaluation of the Pastoral Internship Experience
The Nature and Function of the Ministry
Guiding Principles
The Franciscan character of the FCS is firmly grounded in the Gospel. Those who minister within the FCS strive to respond to the Gospel mandates "to preach good news to the poor, to release captives, to heal the sick, to give sight to the blind, to comfort those who mourn and to free the oppressed" (Cf. Isaiah 61:1-2 and Luke 4:18-19, 9:11). It is reasonable to believe that these Gospel principles inspired Brother Vincent at the very start of his ministry to the poor and marginalized of Ghana. It is obvious that they inspire those who have dedicated themselves to the activities of the FCS.
The principles which guide the FCS are unquestionably inspired by St. Francis of Assisi's (c. 1182-1226) Gospel way of life. St. Francis, who was especially known for tending to the needs of victims of leprosy, (38) has been venerated because of his life of service to the poor and the outcasts. In his Rule of 1221 St. Francis wrote: "And they must rejoice when they live among people [who are considered to be] of little worth and who are looked down upon, among the poor and the powerless, the sick and the lepers, and the beggars by the wayside." (39) These words of St. Francis, originally written to guide the early friars, are definitely followed by those who minister within the FCS.
The FCS also responds well to the constitutions of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual. As such, the ministry has been heartily embraced as a mission effort of the Order. In words which authenticate the activities of the FCS, the constitutions state that "friars should cooperate with all persons of good will in charitable initiatives, social welfare, and international solidarity to lead all people out of misery and ignorance into truly human conditions of life and to foster justice and peace among all." (40)
The words noted above from the constitutions reflect a theme found in Ad Gentes Divinitus, the Second Vatican Council's decree on missionary activity. The decree notes that "as Christ went about all the towns and villages healing every sickness and infirmity, as a sign that the kingdom of God had come, so the Church, through its children, joins itself with men [and women] of every condition, but especially with the poor and afflicted, and willingly spends herself for them." (41) Similarly, John Paul II in his encyclical Redemptoris Missio notes that ". . .Jesus drew especially near to those on the margins of society and showed them special favor in announcing the good news." (42) The words of the Second Vatican Council and of John Paul II can certainly be used to describe the ministerial works of the FCS.
The FCS is rooted in the Gospel, inspired by St. Francis, affirmed by the constitutions (OFM Conv.) and the Second Vatican Council and encouraged by the words of John Paul II. Because it is a ministry of solidarity with the poor, and one that promotes the integral development of the people it serves, the FCS exemplifies a way in which the Good News of the Kingdom can be proclaimed to the contemporary world.
Ministerial Experiences During the Internship
I was especially attracted to the work of the FCS precisely because of its work among "those on the margins of society." As I began the internship, I hoped to have a real experience of a ministry which, in solidarity with the poor, actively announces the inbreaking of God's Kingdom. Below I will describe a limited number of specific experiences that I had during the course of the ten weeks. Through these examples, I hope to illustrate my role as an intern within the ministry of the FCS. My function as an intern was primarily that of "student missioner."
Revulsion at the Dressing Station
One of my regular activities during the internship was what can be called "pastoral visitation of the sick." I did this at St. Clare's Home and at the leprosy camp dressing station. On many mornings I went to the dressing station to sit with the infirmarian (Mr. Amankwando) as he would dress the wounds and change the bandages of the leprosy patients who came to him for care. These patients, often suffering from some sort of breakdown on their body, came to the dressing station day after day for the attention that they needed. My role was simply to be present to those people--to converse with them about their lives and the meaning of their days. I was told that my presence among them would be affirmative and meaningful. It was difficult for me to believe the extent to which those people appreciated my visits among them--but truly they were grateful that I took the time to be there.
On one of the first days that I sat in the dressing station I watched as Mr. Amankwando removed the filthy bandages from the foot stump of an older woman. As he carefully removed the bandages I noticed that the wound was deep and festering. I could not believe my eyes as I looked at that wound--on the stump of which used to be a foot. It was difficult to imagine how that woman could even walk. As Mr. Amankwando took scissors to the wound and cut away dead skin and blood scabs I began to feel nauseated at the sight. My nausea, mixed with a disgust about the general filth of the dressing station, made me want to get up from my seat and run away from that place. I managed to keep my composure but really I did not think I would ever be able to come back to that place and see those people.
When Mr. Amankwando was finished with the woman and fresh bandages covered her foot she looked satisfied. She thanked me profusely for sitting with her and talking to her during that time--then she simply added "I am surprised you were able to stay and watch me have my bandages changed--many white people (i.e., foreigners) who come in here want to run away when they see our wounds. I was struck by her honesty and by the fact that whether she realized it or not, she voiced exactly what I really had wanted to do. As time went on, I managed to see beyond the wounds of those people--I was not going to the dressing station to see "lepers" but rather was there to spend time with people.
Rummy, Spa and Other Card Games
Shortly after I arrived in the village of Ankaful, I began to feel somewhat frustrated because I could not easily communicate with many of the young people and children. The children in Ankaful were extremely friendly and affectionate from the first moment of my arrival. During the first week or so I spent many hours in a small gazebo which was next to the friary. In the gazebo I attempted to communicate with the many children who would gather there. During those moments in the gazebo there were many outbursts of laughter as the children and I attempted to communicate--sometimes with humorous hand gestures or body language. Although, I will always fondly remember those moments, it did not take me long to become genuinely frustrated with surface level communicating.
Most of the educated people in the village spoke English, however most of the children did not. In addition to that, I did not know or understand Fante or Twi (the local languages). I began to lament that I could not get beyond surface level conversations with those who could not speak English well (they were either ignorant of English or were afraid to use the limited amount they had).
One day, one of the children came to visit me at the friary. While there, he began to admire a very small deck of cards that I had brought with me. I suddenly realized that the cards could be used as a means through which to interact with the kid. For the next hour or so I patiently taught him how to play Rummy--this was quite a challenge as I had to explain in simple language and by demonstration. Once he caught on, we played the game until I was sure that he fully understood it.
This simple activity became for me a genuine doorway into the lives of many of the young people in Ankaful. Soon, I was teaching Rummy, Fish and other card games to many of the children who came to visit me. They in turn taught me how to play Spa--a local card game. Although this activity may seem trite, I truly believe that it was a significant point of departure for me as I attempted to be "present" to the young people of the village. There were times when I would sit in the pavilion of the Community Centre and play cards with various groups--all the while there would be large crowds of onlookers standing around. Through the card games I became a real person to those children, and I was able to get to know them--even those who did not speak a word of English. In the playing of the games, the personalities of the children came through. In a sense, this was my way of carrying bread in one hand and the Gospel in the other.
A Young Man from Mfuom
During the first week of my internship I met a young man named Kofi Mesere. Kofi, a resident of the village of Mfuom, had one leg and severe scars on much of his body. Because of his deformities, I first thought that Kofi had been a victim of leprosy. I later learned that Kofi, an epileptic, had rolled himself into a fire during a seizure and had been severely burned--as a result, he lost a leg and had become deformed because of his severe burns. He is one of the non-leprosy patients who has been helped by the FCS.
Kofi had come to Brother Vincent seeking help. Over the course of my internship I had the pleasure of meeting with Kofi on a number of occasions. With the help of some outside aid, we were able to get Kofi a prosthetic leg and to set up a small shop for him. It was hoped that the profits from the shop would enable him to become more self sufficient. Kofi's story was tragic, yet the quality of his life has improved because of the help of the Franciscan Community Services. I felt privileged to have been able to take (even a very small) part in that.
Sts. Stephen & Joseph Clinic at Ampenyi
On 23 July, I was asked to accompany the project driver and deliver a shipment of medical supplies to a clinic in the small village of Ampenyi. The clinic in that village is run by Roman Catholic Sisters (Hospitalers of the Sacred Heart). The clinic is open one or two days a week and the day that I was to deliver these supplies was on a day that they were going to be there. I had never been to the village or the clinic prior to that day. The village was located about an hour's drive from Ankaful. As our vehicle arrived in the village I immediately recognized the clinic because of the large crowd of women and children gathered outside. Inside, there were even more women and children. It was overwhelming to see so many waiting in line. Knowing that the staff of the clinic was very small, I wondered how they would have time to see all of those people.
In the clinic there was a small examining room where I was received by the sister in charge. She was grateful that we had come to deliver the medical supplies as they had been promised to her earlier and were badly needed. As she took a minute to explain to me the program that was being run at the clinic, I noticed a small girl laying on an examining table. The small girl was crying and her mother was standing at her side. The sister explained to me that the young girl had been struck by polio. She said: "See this young girl, just a month ago she was running around with the other children. Now she has been struck with polio. She will never walk again--at least in any normal sense of the word. I do not think that the mother fully understands this. If only she had been vaccinated, she would not have been struck with the disease." As I looked into the eyes of the child I saw a look of terror on her face. The same terror was evident in the eyes of the mother. In that moment, I was struck with pity. It seemed like such a waste--if the girl had been vaccinated, she would have still been healthy.
As I drove out of the village I spoke to the driver about my feelings. I said, "you know, in my country, polio is rare because all infants are vaccinated." He could not believe that polio vaccinations are common in the United States. He asked with disbelief, "Everyone is vaccinated?" I told him that it seemed tragic to me that because that girl was not vaccinated, she would have to suffer the effects of Polio for the rest of her life. The driver explained that even if vaccinations were available, suspicion about them would limit their use anyway. That made me feel very sad--when I thought about the people in Ghana who suffer from diseases that are virtually unheard of in the United States. Something about the fact that that girl would never walk--so meaningless a suffering--I couldn't help but to think that there was something grossly wrong with this situation. It bothered me for a long time and continues to do so.
The Eucharist and God's Lowly Ones
On 11 June, I went to the St. Clare's Home for a special mass. The mass was being celebrated in honor of two Dutch medical professionals who were leaving the country after a three year stay. The residents of St. Clare's as well as the children from St. Joseph's home were all together for this special celebration. We had gathered in the open area outside of the home and the patients were brought out and lined up so that together we all formed a circle around the altar (a small table brought out for the occasion).
As the mass progressed, I found myself reflecting on the situation as it presented itself to me. For a moment, as I looked around at the collection of people gathered there, I found myself overcome with emotion. I was struck by the fact that those people, perhaps the most poor and the most "undesirable" of people, were so devoted to what was going on in the celebration of that mass. In the eyes of "the world," these people are at the lowest level of the social spectrum (nobody really wants to be like those people). By those same standards, those people have no reason to live in hope. By Western, materialistic standards, those people have absolutely nothing. Yet, in spite of their very real situation, they had come together to celebrate the Eucharist. The Eucharist, truly a focal point of the Roman Catholic community, abounds in hope. In the Eucharist we as Christians finds the true meaning of our existence. This mass was perhaps the most profound experience of my entire internship.
Electric Lights and Candles
On many evenings during my time in Ghana I would spend time talking to the young people in the village of Ankaful. On many evenings these people would come to the friary and sit with me and we would discuss a plethora of topics. The room in which I stayed had two small incandescent lamps which were situated on the wall at one end of the room and one large fluorescent lamp which was on the ceiling above a small sitting area. Usually when I sat in my room after dark (dusk came around 6:30 P.M.) I would turn on only the incandescent lamps. I believed that the fluorescent light would attract mosquitoes and so I preferred to sit in the slightly dim light of the wall lamps.
One evening, as a sat there entertaining two young men, I apologized profusely for the dull light in which we were sitting. I asked them if they minded that I had turned off the fluorescent light. They did not seem to be bothered by the way the lighting was, but I felt somewhat embarrassed (it seemed strange to sit in the near dark when entertaining people--but keeping the mosquitoes out was very important to me).
The very next evening I went to the house of one of those young men for a friendly visit. When I arrived at his house his father told me that he could be found inside and that I should feel free to enter. When I went into the house, I was immediately struck by how dark it was. My friend was sitting at a small table reading from a book. What really struck me was the lack of light. He was reading the book by the light of a very small candle (the type of candle that I would call a small "votive light"). Immediately I thought of the night before and how silly I must have sounded apologizing for the dimness of my own room--the lighting in my room was extremely bright in comparison to the candle light which this young man lives by every day of his life. That young man lives in a primitive mud house with no electricity. By comparison, I lived in a palace--and I had the foolishness to be embarrassed by its "austerity." That experience taught me that I should never presume too much about others when comparing myself with them.
Communications, "Poverty" and the Long Road to Abor
I had the benefit of joining Brother Vincent, Sister Pat and/or other staff members on a number of occasions when they were engaged in various social welfare outreach projects. One particular experience involved taking a leprosy patient to a hospital that was located about four hours away from Ankaful. The patient needed some sort of corrective surgery on his feet. The trip, which seemed endless, ultimately proved fruitless. When we arrived at the hospital we discovered that it would be closed for at least three months. This was very disappointing
During the ten weeks that I was in Ghana I was struck by the tremendous lack of communications equipment. Outside of the larger cities, there is no phone system. The friary in Ankaful had a small radio which enabled the friars to communicate with other the other friaries and Ahotokurom--however during the entire length of my stay the radio at Ahotokurom was not operating. Communications were often late or non-existent.
On 29 July when we traveled to Abor, we were doing so blindly. It was not know for certain that the hospital would be open or that there would be doctors to perform the needed surgery. This would simply not have happened in the United States--we would have picked up the telephone and called for confirmation. This is yet another example of the lack of material wealth in a developing nation. My Western perspective classified this as a situation of tremendous poverty. This situation prompted me to reflect on my definition of wealth--is wealth measured by material possessions which facilitate conveniences in life or does wealth have to do with the integral development of the human person within his or her own cultural and sociological milieu? Can I judge "poverty" from the perspective of a Western materialistic perspective?
Ordinations, Blessings and "The Church"
As a member of the Franciscan community, I participated in a number of Archdiocesan church functions. One of those events was ordinations of deacons and priests. The ordinations took place in the cathedral church in Cape Coast and they were presided over by the Archbishop. The Archbishop was known for his very conservative stand on most issues. The ordinations, richly spiced with all the glory of a Latin Rite ceremony, might as well have taken place in the middle of the Vatican. My experience of religious ceremonies at the Cathedral was not positive. On the one hand, I had experienced the vibrant life of the faithful in the village churches. In those village churches the people sang with jubilation and used their drums within the ceremony. At the cathedral, the singing seemed restrained and drums were not allowed--the choir sang beautiful latin hymns!
I felt that it was not my place to judge the liturgical life of the Archdiocese, but something very definitely seemed out of place in those ceremonies (I had a similar experience at the blessing of a sisters convent). More than anything I was forced to reflect on my own uncritical acceptance of the Latin Rite in my own American church experience. Suddenly, liturgical rituals seemed contrived and overly Roman. I had to ask myself if I would be able to live in a Church where such was imposed on me from above? This question seemed even more critical when viewed from an African Mission context.
Panic During the Holidays
An important ministerial experience during my internship was my participation in a program called "Holidays at Home." This program, similar to a vacation Bible school in the United States, was offered for the children of the leprosy camp. Because the program took place very early in the internship, I did not really have the chance to get to know the children before we began. In our planning, I had volunteered to take charge of the older group of children (ages 11-16).
On the first day of the program I found myself in a large room with twenty or so kids looking at me for some type of direction. I did not realize until that moment that virtually none of the kids had a good grasp of the English language. Inside, I panicked (what the hell could I do with a bunch of kids with whom I could not communicate?). This experience forced me to question my competence as a minister in a completely different cultural and language situation. It did not take me long to figure out creative ways of interacting with them. By the end of the program I was very comfortable with the kids and felt as though I had done a good job in my role as minister to them. It was not easy.
God and the Young Women of the DMC
On 26 July, I offered a retreat for the young women of the Dress Making Centre. We traveled to grounds of the Franciscan novitiate at Saltpond where we would spend the day. We arrived at Saltpond and found a spot under some trees where we sat in a large circle. It was a really wonderful experience.
As I prepared for the retreat, I asked myself what I could possibly share with those young women. As an American religious, it did not seem like I had a great deal to offer to those Ghanaian young women. It seemed that we were worlds apart culturally, spiritually, economically and academically. I knew that they could probably teach me far more than I could ever teach them. In spite of my frustration, they ultimately seemed to enjoy the retreat experience. I was left to ponder the genuine effectiveness, or lack thereof, of a foreign missioner in a culture that is not his own.
Assessment of the Role of Supervision
Sister Pat was a good role-model and supervisor for the pastoral internship; she is a dedicated religious sister who leads an exemplary life of service to the poor and marginalized. She displayed a tremendous amount of professionalism in her role as supervisor. It was obvious, right from the start, that Sister Pat desired to treat me with respect and as a peer in ministry. She was always willing to offer guidance and support in response to the various situations that arose during the internship. Sister Pat was well prepared for the weekly supervisory meetings. She approached the sessions prayerfully and with a seriousness appropriate to her role. It was Sister Pat's goal, at every stage of the internship, to facilitate a thorough experience of the ministerial activities of the FCS. Because of the good rapport that existed between the two of us, this was not difficult.
As co-supervisor, Brother Vincent provided a particular Franciscan direction to the pastoral internship. Because of his role as founder of the FCS, Brother Vincent's insights were deeply valued and always pertinent to the moment. He also enabled an experience of "the Ghana mission" that had an unquestionable sense of connection to the Conventual Franciscan province to which both he and I belong.
Critique of the Placement as a Work-learning Experience
The pastoral internship offered by the FCS between June and August of 1991 afforded me with an excellent experience of ministry within a Third World context. Because the program was flexible, and had the goal of exposing me to the various ministerial activities of the FCS, it was a practical learning experience within a Franciscan mission in an underdeveloped country.
The staff of the FCS, and those responsible for its various endeavors, were determined to include and educate me about their specific activities. Because of their tremendous good will, and their desire to include others (particularly prospective missionaries) in their way of life, it was not difficult to become a part of the ministerial activities of those on the staff of the FCS.
The pastoral internship afforded a privileged opportunity to enter into the lives of many people. Among them were: leprosy patients and their families, adults and children served by the project at Ahotokurom, residents of the village of Ankaful and the men and women missioners associated with the FCS.
The pastoral internship provided an education about the poor and marginalized within the Third World. In general, the people served by the FCS welcome the presence of foreign missioners among them--even those missioners who stay for only a short period of time. Because of this, it was possible to learn a great deal from those people about their lives and the needs that they have.
As a placement, the pastoral internship offered by the FCS was a superb work-learning experience. Because of the many factors that contributed to the value of the program, the FCS offered a successful pastoral internship. As a first-hand encounter of missionary life (and one within the context of a Franciscan mission), the pastoral internship offered a valuable experience for one who aspires to minister among the poor and marginalized.
FOOTNOTES:
(38) About St. Francis' service to victims of leprosy, St. Bonaventure writes: ". . .he served them devotedly with all humility and kindness. . .he visited their houses frequently and distributed alms among them generously, kissing their hands and lips with deep compassion." St. Bonaventure, Major Life of St. Francis, I, n.6, in St. Francis of Assisi: Writings and Early Biographies, English Omnibus of the Sources, ed. Marion A. Habig (Chicago: Franciscan Herald Press, 1973) 639.
(39) The Rule of 1221, IX, n.2. in Francis and Clare: The Complete Works, The Classics of Western Spirituality, trans. Regis J. Armstrong and Ignatius Brady (New York: Paulist, 1982) 117.
(40) Constitutions of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual, chap. V, n. 136, par. 2., (Rome: Santi Apostoli, 1984).
(41) Ad Gentes Divinitus, chap. II, no. 12. in Austin Flannery, ed. Vatican Council II: The Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents (Northpoint, New York: Costello, 1975) 826.
(42) John Paul II, Redemptoris Missio, chap. 2, no. 14. (22 January, 1991) in Origins 20, 546.
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