02/07/2017

At the beginning of July, young sisters from different stages of integration/formation in Medical Mission Sisters in Germany, together with their formation coordinator, Beate Glania, made their way over the channel to London for their summer integration workshop.  The theme was 'interculturality'.  London is the most ethnically diverse city in the world , with 300 different languages spoken -  it is the presence of so many cultures that gives London such a vibrant atmosphere.  

The sisters visited the Springfield International MMS Community, founded in London in 2012 for the purpose of intercultural living. The sisters from Springfield community shared what it means for them living and working with people of different cultures and how their mission was shaped by their own experience of being migrants in a foreign (European) country, while the elderly sisters shared their stories of being assigned to African and Asian countries for many years:  this exchange about common cultural misunderstandings made everybody laugh!

The group also had the opportunity to visit the Generalate of the Medical Mission Sisters in London, and to meet our Society Leadership Team consisting of women of five different cultures.  Internationality is a wonderful heritage and an indispensable aspect of MMS life – challenging, joyful and enriching.  This was felt throughout the whole visit to London.