Becoming Neighbours, becoming friends

By Sr. Gwen Legault, O.L.M.
May/June 2010

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L-R: Alex, Joy, and Kenny are welcomed by Sr. Gwen Legault.  Above: Kenny and Alex sledding on Family Day. Photos by Sr. Christine Gebel.

L-R: Alex, Joy, and Kenny are welcomed by Sr. Gwen Legault.  Above: Kenny and Alex sledding on Family Day. Photos by Sr. Christine Gebel. L-R: Alex, Joy, and Kenny are welcomed by Sr. Gwen Legault.
Above: Kenny and Alex sledding on Family Day. Photos by Sr. Christine Gebel.

Becoming Neighbours is a joint ministry of 19 congregations of men and women religious in the Archdiocese of Toronto who hope to alleviate some of the appalling problems faced by immigrants and refugees new to Canada.

In 2008 I volunteered through Becoming Neighbours to teach reading and writing skills to Joy, a young woman from Nigeria. Before returning to Canada, I had been teaching deaf children in Nigeria for three decades, so my arms automatically opened to welcome Joy.

For me, mission is God’s self-revelation and involvement in the world, no matter where. Mission has many dimensions, from witness and spirituality to justice and peace, but always it includes God’s preferen-tial option for the poor. The mission of Becoming Neighbours is to offer a hand to those facing countless challenges in their transition, but in my case, it was reciprocal. Joy, her sons Alex and Kenny, and I have had many opportunities to extend to each other welcome, understanding, love, and friendship. They have been a blessing to me.

Besides our weekly classes, we have gone on excursions: skating at the Moss Park arena, attending birthday parties at Sojourn House, and Baptism ceremonies at St. Paul’s Basilica. In February of last year, on Family Day, we took a picnic lunch to Centre Island. The ferry ride was exciting as we cut through the ice. It was a memorable day, but this year we opted to slide down the snowy slopes near Taylor Creek Park after a hot lunch at home.

In my relationship with Joy I have experienced mission as a call to reconciliation and compassionate love.

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