Carmel de Ste Thérèse, Mission de Malaetoli, Wallis-Futuna – 23.11.2003
Peace of Christ!
Dear brothers and sisters,
Malo te mauli! We all wish you a Blessed Christmas and New Year.
We have followed the Star and found our ‘Bethlehem’ here
in this little island of Wallis, where the seeds of the faith were
first sown in Oceania – and watered with the blood of St Peter
Chanel in Futuna. Right opposite where we are living we can see the
small island where the missionaries first landed.
Our temporary Carmel is situated about twenty yards from the lagoon,
so we have an unending view of the sea in all its moods and beauty.
The sunsets are magnificent. Boats pass by in the distance for fishing
or for pleasure. One evening a fisherman walked through the sea and
brought us a fish from his catch. Fresh indeed! It is a beautiful
place, with little traffic – even air traffic. The small plane
goes to Futuna three times weekly and the jet to Noumea twice. The
school is not far from us – a large compound, which includes
the boarding school. We enjoy hearing the children’s voices
at play. We see them every morning at Mass. On the day we arrived
here, they lined the road and threw flowers to us, saying, ‘Bienvenue!’
We thank you all for your prayers and your help: with books, altar
bread equipment and money. Thanks to your generosity and that of our
friends in Samoa, the first shipment of building material is due to
arrive on 2nd December and the foundations of our new monastery at
Holo will begin, D.V.
We shall be united with you all at the Crib of the Divine Babe in
the presence of His Mother and St Joseph on Christmas night.
Your grateful sisters in Carmel |
