The Mission, an encounter with God in the little ones and the forgotten
“Whatever you did to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did to me” (Mt. 25:40)
This was the motto and the Gospel that accompanied me during my mission in Peru, specifically in the department of Lambayeque, province of Chiclayo.
With this experience, I would say that the mission is not just a moment of service, but a journey of encounter with God in the concrete faces of the people. Looking back at my time at the San Pedro Parish in Lambayeque, I saw that each experience was a school of faith, love, and dedication. Working with the adoring children, accompanying an abandoned old woman, and sharing with the school students, I discovered that the mission is a reflection of God’s love made present in everyday life.
Adoration and listening: two pillars of the mission
In adoration with the children, we not only taught them to be before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, but we also learned together to be with him in reality. In that space of silence and prayer, we discovered that God allows himself to be found in the simplicity of the little ones, in their joy and pure faith. Sharing the word of God and exploring the themes of catechesis and morality led me to understand that the mission is not just about teaching, but about allowing ourselves to be transformed by the Gospel. With the children, adoration formed me in patience, gratitude, and trust in God. How often, as adults, do we struggle to stop and listen to God?
Accompanying pain, sustaining hope
In the mission, God leads us to the places where his presence is most needed. Accompanying Teresita was not just being with her physically, but entering into her story, listening and feeling her pain, sustaining her hope. Often, the greatest act of love is not just speaking, but simply being. Jesus, in his ministry, reached out to the most wounded, those whom society ignored. Accompanying this mother was to encounter Christ in her suffering, but also in her ability to move forward. Mission isn’t always lived out in grand events; sometimes it comes in the decision to stay by the side of those who suffer, to share the burden of someone who feels they are walking alone.
The school of life: mission among young people
Spending time at the school was another opportunity to learn about the mission. It’s not just about helping with discipline, but about getting close to the students, listening to them, and sharing with them. Young people often look for someone who will look at them with love and remind them that their lives have value. The mission among them was to build small bridges, to bear witness that faith is not only doctrine, but closeness, encounter, and life. In every attentive glance, in every conversation, in every smile that emerged after a word of encouragement, I understood that the mission not only transforms those we serve, but also changes us.
Reaching out to others
The mission is not exclusive to a few; it is a calling for all. Wherever we are, there will always be someone waiting for a word, a gesture of affection, a sustaining presence. Jesus sent us to be light in the world, to make his love present in every space where we find ourselves. Today, I want to invite those who read this reflection to ask themselves: Who can I listen to? Where can I bring hope? How can I make God present in my surroundings? Mission isn’t always in a distant place; sometimes it’s closer than we imagine, in the people we live with, in those we meet every day. God calls us not only to go out and encounter others, but also to go out of ourselves, to be with ourselves, with the little ones, with those who suffer, with the young people searching for meaning. Mission is a gift that changes our lives, because in it we discover that God’s love is made flesh in every encounter.
MAYEMBA NSEMA CHANCELINE