On 13th May 1947, four Missionary Sisters of St. Columban left Ireland for our first foundation in Burma/Myanmar, a country which was once known as the rice bowl of Asia. As it was only a couple of years after World War II, ships were scarce. So the Sisters had to travel in a troop ship on which conditions and amenities were austere, to say the least. The ship called at no ports along the route due to the strikes operating in all the ports.
The Sisters arrived in Rangoon three weeks after their departure from Ireland. On landing, they saw a city that had been devastated by war and now lying in a shambles. Where there had previously been prosperity, the poor flocked the streets in search of something to eat.
Before long, the Sisters found themselves on an army plane bound for Myitkyina in the north of the country. Here, as was the experience of the first Columban Sisters arriving in China, no house was ready for them, so they stayed in the priest’s house until their own house was built. The urgent need for education was very apparent to the Sisters and they assumed responsibility for the school begun by the Columban Fathers.
When the school opened the roll call numbered 125, including Burmans, Shans, Karens and Kachins. No school had operated during the war years and so the opening of the Sisters’ school was a truly exciting event. A few years later, a boarding school was opened to focus on developing the Kachin youth who were the hope for the future development of the Church in Burma.
While the mission was developing for the Sisters, the political situation in the country was becoming very precarious. In 1947, just as the British were handing over the government of Burma to the Burmese people, General Aung San and his government were assassinated by a rival group. At this time, it was also becoming difficult to secure visas for new Sisters joining the first group which resulted in long delays before they arrived. But this did not deter the Sisters from expanding their service to the people.
As the number of pupils and the educational standards grew in the schools, the Sisters were also developing strong bonds of love and friendship with the people. This resulted in a few local young women being attracted to the Columban Sisters’ way of life. Given the political unrest in the country, however, plans to build a novitiate were suspended. As the Sisters continued to grow closer to the people, they became more aware of the need for medical services. The arrival of two Sisters who were nurses led to the setting up of a clinic in a new area which was in the Kachin Independent Army’s (KIA) territory. Tragically, due to the fighting between the KIA and the Burmese army, the clinic and convent had to be closed.
Over the next few years, the political situation continued to deteriorate and the atmosphere in which the Sisters were living became more and more tense. Soon, as foreigners, they were not allowed to continue to administer the school. Undaunted, they then spent their time among the people, travelling by bicycle to visit families. This afforded them unforgettable opportunities to enter more and more deeply into the lives of the people and to grow even closer to them. At the same time, it was becoming more and more clear that their situation was very unstable and so preparations began to be made in 1966 for a quiet departure after nineteen years from the land and people which they had come to love.
But it was with great joy that in 2003, five Columban Sisters responded to the call to return to Burma, now known as Myanmar. Both the people in Myitkyina and the Columban Sisters were so happy to meet again after a long separation. As the Sisters settled into life once again, they courageously engaged in various areas of ministry where people needed our presence and accompaniment. These included running a language school, caring for people with HIV, community health in rural areas, religious/priestly formation, drug rehabilitation, youth and biblical ministry. After a few years, we began to reach out in the Mandalay diocese to respond to the call to live ‘unity in diversity’. Here, the Sisters became engaged in Inter-faith dialogue in every level of life in the Mandalay community.
Sadly, a few years ago, the people of Myanmar found themselves once again struggling against the military. The hope for a better future that they once had in their hearts disappeared like an illusion. The country once again fell into a great confusion and suffering. Cities, villages and rural areas were exposed to armed conflict, temples and churches were targeted and destroyed. Many people had to leave their homes behind and hide in the jungle or find shelter in refugee camps.
In the midst of this uncertainty, our presence as Columban Missionaries continues as we live and work with the people and together seek hope in the midst of despair. We continue to actively work in various areas of need. As suffering continues to wound people’s lives, we respond to the call to accompany them in their struggle by collaborating in psychotherapy programs for those who are experiencing psychological or physical difficulties, for women who experience domestic violence, trauma healing processes that aim to support young people and children in refugee camps. Just like our early Sisters, we believe that empowering young people and the next generation is the way to build up the country for a better future.
Sr. Enda Im is from Korea and has been on mission in Myanmar for several years.
