by Sister Arleen Bourquin, SFP

Sister Arleen with some Ethiopian Children

GOD OF SURPRISES:
Journey to Ethiopia

As 2004 began, it would have been impossible to predict how it would evolve into a year of unexpected adventure. It began with my normal routine of volunteer activities including teaching religious education to second graders, participating in the Choir at St. Francis of Assisi Parish and a variety of liturgical ministries. I met regularly with two women to help them learn to speak English as a second language and volunteered for the Victoria Theater Association. There were no signs that this year would become one of the most important years in my life.

While planning to submit my yearly budget, I had included plans to attend the Franciscan Forum to be held in Denver, Colorado at the end of February. It was there that a process began that would take me to Ethiopia. As Sr. Norma Meyer and I registered for the Conference, we met Fr. Tom Speier. I had known Fr. Tom for approximately thirty years and had participated in the Franciscan Internship Program (FRIP) he developed in 1985. As we greeted, he said, your name is on my list. With a bit of suspicion in my voice, I asked why. Tom responded by inquiring about what I had been doing recently and then he asked if I might be able to be free for about three months. Puzzled, I answered “probably.” Tom kept me in suspense until the next day when he shared that he had been asked to give the FRIP Program in Ethiopia and he was looking for a Franciscan woman to assist with it. Without a thought, I said I was willing to go. Tom said he had to check with the contact in Ethiopia and he would get back to me. I immediately became excited about the possibility and after returning home, I reinforced my spontaneous “yes” with an e-mail to Tom saying that I was truly interested in helping to teach the program.

Several weeks passed without a word from Tom. In my heart, I marveled at my willingness to embark on the unknown and vacillated between enthusiasm for the opportunity to share life with the Capuchin Friars in Ethiopia and fear that I may not be the one chosen to go. As time passed, I moved to a place of resignation. If I went to Ethiopia it would be a wonderful opportunity, if not, it had been a fantastic realization that I might have been able to share my knowledge of Franciscan spirituality. It was at that point that I finally heard from Tom that I was formally invited to go to Ethiopia. For several minutes I stared at my computer experiencing the excitement of the moment. My emotions fluctuated between excitement and asking what had I gotten myself into. Then I realized that it was March 22nd, my mother’s birthday. I was humbled to realize that she had given me a birthday present from heaven. I knew at that point that I would definitely be traveling to Ethiopia.

The next several weeks involved another period of waiting in response to my request to the Congregational leadership for their blessing on this ministerial opportunity. A phone call the day before the Regional Assembly confirmed their agreement with my proposal to serve the Franciscan community in Ethiopia. The following week, it seemed as if God wanted to further confirm the call to Ethiopia. When I opened the Sunday newspaper, a large headline caught my eye: ETHIOPIA! The paper was running a series of articles on Tony Hall’s involvement in world hunger, describing several projects that he had helped initiate in Ethiopia. Then, I chose to lector one morning at the Eucharistic liturgy and the reading from the Acts of the Apostles was about the Ethiopian eunuch, who was converted by Paul. “Okay,” I said in my prayer, “God, I understand your call. I am going to Ethiopia.”

Entrance into the compound. These minor seminary students are posing.

Visits followed to my physician and health department for required and recommended immunizations, renewing my passport, making airline reservations and applying for a visa. The final confirmation from God occurred during a conversation with Sr. Norma in the airport shuttle in Tampa, Florida where we were making our retreat. Another passenger overheard me say something about Ethiopia and shared that she had been there as a medical missionary. I began to think that God really had a sense of humor or doubted my resolve to continue in my commitment.

All the preparatory activities went smoothly until the last two weeks. My glasses got scratched and needed to be repaired. It was supposed to take a week. When I picked them up, they had removed the glare protection so the glasses had to be returned. The second time the wrong one of the lens was not my prescription so they had to be returned a second time and the time for departure was just days away. The visa process took a long time as well. Finally the problem with the glasses was resolved and the visa arrived on Thursday! I was scheduled to leave early Sunday morning. I left Dayton on a 6:05 flight to Washington, DC then boarded a plane to Frankfurt, Germany. I passed time with other travelers until it was time for the final leg of the journey, which would place me in Ethiopia more than thirty hours after I had left home.

I arrived in Ethiopia on Monday July 13, my father’s birthday! As I entered the terminal, I looked around trying to find someone who might be looking for me. I had told them that I would be wearing a yellow pantsuit. (I thought that would be easy to identify.) I saw a friendly face in the crowd and proceeded down the ramp to find Brother Maurice, in his Capuchin habit, waiting for me. The friendly face turned out to belong to Brano, who was one of the drivers for Holy Savior Friary. It was a short drive to the friary and I was taken to a room in the Guest House where I quickly prepared for bed.

Entrance to St. Joseph Capuchin Friary

GOD OF SURPRISES:
Life in Ethiopia

Much to my surprise, I woke up early Tuesday morning feeling quite rested. I found my way to the Friary and had a breakfast of bread and jelly and then went to Maurice’s office to discuss a few details about my time in Ethiopia. I also met with Br. Phillip who shared his motivation for scheduling the FRIP program and some of the challenges facing the Vice-Province. I also had an opportunity to go shopping with Maurice. Although I didn’t purchase anything, it was an opportunity to see what was available. The supermarkets have a reasonable selection of common products but nowhere near the items carried by stores in the USA.

By nightfall, I was ready for bed surprised at the energy I had had during the day. When I woke up the following morning, I was surprised to see that my clock said 11:45 AM. I thought it must be wrong but soon the Angelus bells were ringing. After a quick shower, I went to the Friary where my first meal of the day was lunch.

Sr. Arleen with a new friend

After lunch, Maurice asked if I would like to see a bit of Addis. Three young men from Milano had come to Ethiopia to volunteer at an orphanage run by the Mother Theresa Sisters. When we arrived at the orphanage, a little girl about five years old welcomed me. She took my hand and stayed with me as long as she could. I soon discovered that my unexpected arrival caused some concern among the Sisters because they didn’t know where they would put me up. They were relieved to learn that I would not be staying. I received a brief tour of the compound and learned that all the children had AIDS and that their parents had died from the disease. Some didn’t even know where they were from or who their families were. My heart was moved by this experience because the final article in the newspaper series on Ethiopia had been about this very place. It had brought tears to my eyes. As we returned to Holy Savior, we detoured to see St. Francis Major Seminary.

Because Don Halpin, OFM Conventual, had not obtained his Visa before entering Ethiopia and had to process it through the Department of Immigration, our planned move to Nazareth was delayed to Friday.

The road to this city of paradise was well paved. Most of the road was one lane as it passed through rural areas that provided us with scenes of mountains and farmlands with their small compounds of round thatched-roofed homes. Much of the land appeared dry and barren. The road also passed through several small towns sometimes heavy with traffic and lined with businesses of various types, most no larger than a very small room. Along the way we saw numerous taxis, both sedans and mini-buses and some horse drawn carts that served the same purpose. There were buses crowded with passengers. The top of the buses were fitted with a luggage carrier that were packed with suitcases, boxes, a chicken or two and even goats tied to the frame.

When Don and I arrived at St. Joseph Capuchin Friary, we were welcomed by Br. Gobriel Mascal the guardian of the Friary, and shown the area where our rooms were located. There were two suites, consisting of an office and bedroom. One suite was smaller, but

Women preparing vegetables for noon meal

included a bathroom with a shower. The other was a little larger, but no bathroom. Since the Sisters who were coming for the program would be in an area next to the second suite, so I agreed that I should be the one to share facilities with them. We continued our tour of the compound, selecting a meeting room and a staff room. Then we crossed the road to a smaller compound where the Capuchin brothers and the diocesan priest would be housed.

At 12:30 PM, we were directed to the Friary refectory for the mid-day meal, the main meal of the day. There we met the other members of the community, Brothers Daniel, Mathewos (one of the participants in FRIP), and Kaleab. All spoke good English so our conversation was friendly and easy. After eating, we returned to our rooms to unpack and enjoy a siesta. The evening meal was scheduled for 7:30.

Typical Ethiopian food

It did not take long to adjust to life in Nazareth. The mid-day meal included pasta, meat or protein items such as, eggs, cheese, or legumes, potatoes (boiled or fried) and a vegetables (cabbage and spinach made frequent appearances) and fresh baked bread or rolls. There were also traditional spicy sauces and ingera, the special spongy bread used to line the plates and to pick up bits of food and to eat with the fingers. The evening meal included soups, leftover vegetables disguised in a deep-fried egg-batter. Salads were usually served at both meals. Breakfast usually consisted of breads and jelly, a choice of tea strong coffee that was added to a nearly full cup of boiled milk.

The following day, as I strolled around the compound, I was approached by one of the Brothers who told me there was a graduation ceremony in the social hall and we were invited to attend. As I followed him across the field, I wondered about the similarities and differences I would see. As we entered the hall, I saw that all the seats appeared to be taken but trusted we would find a place. Much to my surprise, we walked by the entire audience. We were seated at the “dignitary” table. After a performance by a small choir and speeches by school officials, it was time for the presentation of the diplomas and I was invited to join the lead teacher and present the certificates. I chuckled to myself as I shook hands and congratulated each graduate, wondering if my words and gestures were understood. Later, we toured the school and saw the beautifully crafted articles the students had made. Being a sewer myself, I was surprised to see that the machines they used to make and embroider their products were like the old treadle machine that I had played with more than fifty years before in my grandmother’s home. The work they produced was beautiful.

My immediate impression of the Ethiopian people was that they were friendly and welcoming. I learned that they follow a different calendar. They have twelve months of thirty days and a thirteenth month of five or six days, depending on whether or not it is a leap year. On arrival, it was 1996 but on our September 27, it became 1997. Their day

Cutting grass with a sickle

begins at sunrise, six o’clock in international time and evening or nighttime begins at sundown. The sun rises and sets at very close to the same time every day.

Life is labor intensive. They do not use prepared foods. Cooking in the compound was done on a gas stove but in many family homes it would be done on a wood-burning stove. The women who worked in the kitchen often sat outside to peal potatoes, onions and garlic. The laundry was done by hand and hung outside to dry, a challenge during the rainy season. I really appreciated the laundress’ services. Siggy not only washed my clothes but also ironed everything, including underwear. The men or boys squat on their haunches to cut the grass with a sickle. Children as young as six or seven are seen herding cattle or goats.

When we went outside the compound, someone herding cattle or goats often met us. Most of the roads in Nazareth were dirt and filled with deep ridges and holes. Children were friendly and stared at my white skin. Often times they approached us to share their few words of English. These conversations rarely proceeded past “Hello, how are you?” Rarely could they understand our inquiry as to their name. The official language in Ethiopia is Americ.

GOD OF SURPRISES:
Religion and the Ethiopian People

Preparing for the liturgy

The feast of St. Joseph was celebrated on August 1st and was the parish feast as well as the feast of the Capuchin Friary. It was also my introduction to the role God plays in the lives of the Ethiopians. The FRIP directed retreat had to be shortened to accommodate the participants’ need to attend the festivities. Tom, Don and I were invited to join the community as they entertained the Bishop who came to preside at the Sunday liturgy. He spoke excellent English and provided us with a historic background of the country. The people are very proud of the fact that they are the only country on the African continent that has never been colonized. They were, however, occupied by Italy for a number of years.

Christianity is believed to have been established in Ethiopia as early as the third century. The largest Church in the country is Orthodox. Catholics make up only about twenty percent of the population. Most of the liturgies are celebrated in the Ethiopian Rite which uses the ancient Geez language. Protestant Churches have made converts and Islam is making rapid progress in the country. The Muslims come into a country with money to

Chanters singing and drumming outside the Church after Eucharistic Procession

build schools. Elementary education is free but as the students reach middle school, they have to pay high tuition costs unless they convert to Islam. It is a common site to see a group of Muslim men in the market place kneeling on a blue plastic tarp or individual men on a prayer rug in response to a call to prayer.

The celebration of the feast of St. Joseph began with chanting in the Church on Saturday afternoon from 3:30-6:30. The chanters gathered again at 5:30 Sunday morning and continued their prayer until the liturgy began about 7:45. (Note: The Ethiopian Rite requires fasting before communion. This can be a hardship for people who may walk several hours to attend services.)

The Bishop of Addis Abada Diocese

The entrance procession included acolytes, deacons (not ordained), concelebrants and the bishop who was shielded with a colorful umbrella. The liturgy was very different from the Roman Rite and being in Geez, I only recognized a few of the actions. After communion, I was approached by Br. Gobriel and told that the bishop wanted Tom, Don and I to walk in the Eucharistic procession with the priests. I made a place between the two priests but felt conspicuous as we walked around the church before the blessing on the Church steps. The people gathered in the parish hall for breakfast. Tom, Don and I were seated with the bishop. When we returned to the compound for the mid-day meal we were again seated with the bishop.

During my time in Ethiopia, I attended several celebrations of special feasts. Each time I was impressed with the devotion of the people. Many people made profound bows, double genuflections

Fire for the feast of the Transfiguration

or kissed the floor of the Church before settling in a pew. Children were remarkably well behaved. All the liturgies I attended lasted two or more hours, generally preceded by an equally long period of chanting. The vigil of the feast was celebrated with a tall bonfire. All the feasts we celebrated during my time in Ethiopia, (St. Joseph, Transfiguration, the Assumption which was preceded by fourteen days of fasting, New Years Day, and St. Francis.) were a priority for the FRIP participants.

Food also played a major role in the celebrations. There were special breads and cakes and the Ethiopian all time favorite, raw meat. The bull was slaughtered in the morning and

Coffee ceremony

served fresh at the mid-day meal. Some was cut into thick steaks and another portion was ground and mixed with spices.

Another ceremony included in all celebrations was the coffee ceremony. Grasses and flowers were spread on the floor and the coffee beans were roasted over a small charcoal stove. When the fragrance was just right, the pan was carried around the room so that everyone present could enjoy the aroma of the freshly roasted coffee. Then the coffee is prepared in a special coffee pot until it has the appearance of espresso. It is served in small cups, sugar and or butter may be added. Some guests prefer to wait until the second or third serving is brought around and the coffee is weaker but it still is coffee and not my favorite drink.

GOD OF SURPRISES:
The Franciscan Internship Program

On July 17, 2004 Fr. Tom Speier, OFM, Fr. Dom Halpin, OFM Conventual, and I welcomed five Capuchin Franciscans, three Daughters of Sr. Anne, and a diocesan priest to St. Joseph Capuchin Friary as participants in the Franciscan Internship Program in Spiritual Direction (FRIP). Four of the Capuchin Brothers were ordained priests and the fifth was a transitional deacon. The oldest participant was 38 and the youngest was 24. These ages are representative of the age of religious in Ethiopia. All the men were reasonably fluent in English because seminary education is conducted in English. One of the Sisters spoke fairly good English while the other two Sisters knew only some basic English phrases.

Participants in the FRIP Program

Following a week of orientation, which included gaining insights into the personality types represented in the group and sharing our faith development, the participants were introduced to a Directed Retreat. Don and I served as the directors. This was a new experience for all but one participant. I directed two of the Capuchin priests and the two Sisters with limited knowledge of English. An English/Americ Dictionary, the African Bible, and simple instructions along with many gestures and pointing to suggested readings, got us through the week and resulted in a deepening of their spiritual life through an introduction to new ways of praying.

The content of the program is covered in eight weeks and organized around community life, prayer and reflection time. The call of Francis and his response form the basis of the didactic input using the early resources, supplemented with Murray Bodo’s book, The Journey and the Dream, and articles from a variety of spiritual periodicals. Conversion, discipleship and communion are the major movements addressed. In addition there is an emphasis on developing listening and communication skills through the dynamic of triads. The participants are encouraged to pray with the scripture and other resources that they might use when they are directing others.

Sisters of St. Anne singing and drumming

At the conclusion of the eight weeks, the participants are supervised as they direct at least two retreatants. During that time they are responsible for planning and presiding at community liturgies and prayer as well as meeting daily with their directees and supervisor. The program concludes with integration of their learnings and addressing their emotional response to separation from those with whom they have shared on deep levels.

It was a wonderful privilege to see the changes that occurred in the participants over the twelve weeks we were together. It was also a gift to look back on my personal experience and realize that the program had also been a growth experience for me. I had been a participant in the program in 1985 and have used the material from the course many, many times in my personal life and in my ministry. But approaching it from the perspective of a presenter was very different. As I reflect on the experience I realize that many times the content was for me and I needed to pay attention to what I was teaching. One of the concepts covered near the end was “Am I willing to do whatever it takes to follow Jesus?” This question continues to haunt me as I try to be open to God’s continuous call.

EPILOGUE

I am grateful to God, the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor, and Fr. Tom Speiers for the incredible opportunity to minister in Ethiopia. This account does not do justice to the profound effect it has had on my life. I pray that God will continue to use me to serve others in new and creative ways.

St. Francis Parish Church and courtyard

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