María José Carrero Viñas. Comboni Missionary
Just a month ago, with immense gratitude to God, I celebrated the 25th anniversary of my religious profession with the Comboni Missionaries. This silver jubilee is for me a time of grateful remembrance and renewed hope. The certainty that has guided my life resounds strongly in my heart: ‘Evil will not prevail, we are all in God’s hands.’
Santa María de los Cayapas: present mission
I live and work at the Santa María de los Cayapas school in the Apostolic Vicariate of Esmeraldas. It is a place that can only be reached by river, where children and young people of African descent and Chachis live. Here I serve as the bishop’s delegate.
At this school, I am, as needed, a mother, teacher, counsellor, psychologist, administrator… And together with a large number of local collaborators, we work in workshops, talks and activities with young people, parents and teachers to build a better future, with zero violence and much more love.
We continue to move forward
A strong sign of hope has been the approval of a computer science specialisation at the school, which families have been requesting for more than 11 years. For me, it is a gift from God in the midst of so much insecurity, because it will allow young people to get an education and earn an honest living without having to emigrate.
Now we dream together of opening a Technical Institute that will offer professional training and root young people in their land, so that they can be builders of peace and dignity.
I am convinced that supporting the family means saying ‘yes’ to peace, because it is in the family that life is built.
Perseverance and trust in God
In these 25 years, I have learned that mission requires patience and perseverance. The fruits do not come immediately: we must sow and wait, as God does with each one of us. Sometimes we do not see results, but hope sustains us. As Comboni said: ‘Trust for the present and even more for the future’.
The simple faith of so many people, the prayer of a child, the gratitude of a mother, the dedication of a young person to their studies in order to move forward, the selfless work for the common good of the community are the fruits that confirm to me that the Gospel is giving life.
Vocational and Marian thanksgiving
Today, as I look back on my missionary journey, I can only thank God for being faithful to his choice and never leaving me alone. He has always said to me: ‘Go forward!’.
Thank you, Lord, for 25 years of missionary life, thank you for your faithfulness, thank you for trusting me.