English 
A MISSIONARY IN ITALY
Whenever I speak about my vocation journey, it motivates me to express my profound gratitude to God for the gift of my vocation in the family of Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate and in a special way for having chosen me to be a missionary in Italy.
I was born in Tamil Nadu, south India in a Catholic family, as fifth daughter among six sisters and brothers. I learned the value of prayer, love and generosity from my parents. They are very sensitive towards the poor, especially those who have no one to help them. My parents are always helpful to them and never send them away with empty hands. Their words and gestures towards the poor have taught me to see the poor of the society as persons who share the love of God.
When I was studying in high school at St. Ann Sisters of Pondicherry, I was fascinated by a nun who took care of the students of my own class who used to be very dull in studies. She used to help them with lot of love and patience without losing her patience. Such an exemplary life of that sister touched my life by instilling into my heart the desire to become a sister, and I was just fifteen years old.
During the years of higher secondary school, one of the missionary sisters of the Immaculate came to speak to us about our Institute and our Charism. I felt that something within me had attracted me to that form of life, though not knowing what it meant to be a missionary sister. ‘I am attracted and I have the desire to follow Jesus and serve him in my brothers and sisters’. I still remember these words saying to that sister without even expressing it first to my parents. I joined the convent with lot of difficulties and without my parents approval.
I went from Tamil Nadu to Andhra Pradesh, where I had to undergo my formative journey. Even though, I am an Indian, I was finding difficult to adapt myself to the local culture, language, food etc. I realized that the differences between state to state were quite significant. All these experiences became opportunities for my personal growth, and helped me to appreciate the goodness found in other people and other culture. After becoming a sister, I worked for eight years in India and then transferred to Italy-Rome to work in Generalate.
As I was desiring to go for the mission outside of my country but for my surprise I was destined to be a missionary in Italy, in the same place which I was well acquainted with. The surprise was so great because in the eyes of the people Italy was not seen as mission country, and at the bottom of my heart I also felt the same thing. But the Lord’s plans are not our plans and his plans go beyond our plans. Then came to my mind the words of our Constitutions: “There is no place no situation that can suffocate the apostolic anxiety of a Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate.”Presently, I am working in the missionary animation at Pozzuoli, and I am even more convinced that whichever place I am placed I am called to be a missionary. We all have the same desire: to bring to everyone the message of Christ’s love, abandoning ourselves to his will.
