Apr. 19, 2000 -- The visit of five U.S. Dominican Sisters of the Alliance* with Dominican Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in Zambia, Africa, made history. It was the first joint endeavor of the Dominican Alliance beyond US borders; for many Zambian Dominicans it was their first direct contact with Dominicans beyond their own congregation.
The biblical image of the visitation of Mary and Elizabeth manifested itself in the course of two intense weeks of sharing Dominican life and mission. The God-life deep within both groups of Dominican women leapt with joy as we recognized the good news of what God is doing among us as preachers of the just word across our planet. Repeatedly that joy broke out in shared song, prayer, drumming, dance, and laughter. Wherever we went throughout Zambia, there were no strangers among us; only new friends.
At the July meeting of 300 members of the Alliance congregations in Dayton, Ohio, the keynote speaker was Margaret Ormond, O.P. (Columbus), Coordinator of Dominican Sisters International (DSI). Margaret's powerful presentation of Dominican women around the world stirred a desire to reach out for connections within our global Order. Hence the Alliance as a group agreed to send a delegation to Africa representing their congregations. Margaret arranged for this visit through Christine Mwale, O.P., Coordinator of Dominican Sisters Africa (DSA) and a member of the General Council of the Dominican Missionaries of the Sacred Heart centered in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Sinsinawa and Adrian Dominicans in Atlanta hosted us the night before our departure, adding their blessing to the journey.
The Dominican Missionaries of the Sacred Heart originated in Augsberg, Germany in 1394, and in King William's Town, South Africa in 1878. In 1891 five young Sisters from "King's" (one Irish, one South African, and three German) traveled for a year and a half the 1700 miles to the Zambesi Mission in order to respond to a call from Jesuits to help evangelize the area later to be known as Southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. In 1924 members of this same intrepid group traveled northward again to Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia. Currently some 60 professed Dominican Missionaries with about 20 novices and candidates minister in Zambia. One third of these sisters were born in Germany; two thirds are African. The congregation, about 300 members, also ministers in Zimbabwe, Germany, the United Kingdom, Columbia and Kenya.
Zambia is one of the poorest nations in the world; 73% of the people live below the poverty line. The under-five mortality rate is 202 out of every 1000 births; 60% of the population between 15 and 35 years of age is thought to be HIV positive; the average life expectancy in the nation has fallen from 54 in 1989 to 37 in 2000. Zambia's external debt service payment of $133 million/year is more than the government can spend on health, education and social services combined. What reasons can one find for hope in this poor nation?
Dominican Missionaries in Zambia don't waste time on despair. They are too busy educating the girl child, building hospices for AIDS patients and transient homes for children without families, establishing and maintaining rural health clinics, barefoot schools, youth movements, and well-baby programs. They are educating over 500 of the poorest children in a community school built of shipping containers-- old versions of the containers we find on 18-wheeler trucks on our highways! These Dominican women are helping to transform two former neighborhood taverns into community schools. Hot, crowded, lacking in educational resources, yes: but these schools are providing children with a nourishing meal every day and teaching them skills and disciplines that will make a difference. The same is true of the boarding schools, the health clinics, the youth movements, and the transient homes: seeds of hope planted daily in the rich soil of Zambia by Dominican women who simply refuse to give in to the facts.
Members of the Zambia region barely seem to notice that their sharply distinct German and African cultures should make getting along together nearly impossible: they can often laugh at their differences, and their mutual affection and respect are evident. Their confident acceptance of diversity enables them to meet separately as Africans and as Germans for one weekend each year. The community's musical common prayer is a beautiful blend of European harmony and African rhythm. Quite a witness to the power of Dominican community! That witness was expanded further by the discovery of deep bonds of tradition, affection, and respect with the Dominicans "from America."
Parting after such a short time was unexpectedly difficult, but we left one another knowing that something new, though yet unnameable, has been forged through this unique Visitation event. We are deeply grateful and we look forward with hope to its unfolding revelation.
