Service of Love

It is not easy, looking after the sick and elderly. Think about it, the myriad of things that we do for ourselves and take for granted. Having a shower, brushing your teeth, going to the toilet, reading, playing. Imagine spending your life doing that for someone else, and by choice. It takes courage, the courage of unshakeable faith in that chosen vocation. And the courage of the Sisters of Compassion and the workers at the Tamavua based Home of Compassion is beyond the call of duty.

Visitors to the Home will find it spotless, the sick and old cared for with love and affection. Little do they realise the often trying times and inner strength needed to keep such a facility running. And yet so often the grace of God touches this place–a modern care centre on a tract of land on the Tamavua ridge which was formerly owned by the Ragg family.

The Fiji institution offers sanctuary and loving care to everyone–it is not reserved for any race, religion or colour. The Sisters’ purpose in society is simple: to bring to the disadvantaged the love, care and compassion of Christ. "The needs of every case are looked at individually," Home bursar Sister Lusiana said. "We have 18 full time residents, and three here temporarily to give relief to their care-givers at home."

The Home was opened in 1954 by the congregational order. There are seven sisters there at present–two are working in the community, while the rest of the sisters are involved in running the home. The home is funded with the help of many groups, families and individuals. They get a $20,000 grant from government, but this is eaten up by the growing wage bill. With the fall in the number of vocations, the order has had to employ staff in the wards, cooks, laundry staff and gardeners.

The order was founded by French woman Suzanne Aubert, who left her country in 1860 with Bishop Pompallier, for New Zealand. Mother Aubert founded the Sisters of Compassion in 1892 at Jerusalem (Hiruharama) on the Whanganui River. Today in Wellington the order runs a small hospital/rest home, a child-care centre, and in the city centre the Suzanne Aubert Compassion Centre provides meals for the elderly, unemployed, and street people. In Fiji the sisters run the Chanel Home of Compassion as well as working in the community.

The Sisters of Compassion are the only Catholic order to have its origins in New Zealand, making its ties with the South Pacific much closer. Those ties have seen Sister Lusiana’s order gaining respect and admiration as running one of the better care-giving institutions in Fiji.

Sr Lusiana

Sister Lusiana, a teacher by profession, candidly told of her step into the accounting world, on being appointed bursar in October last year. "When asked to take over the bursary I was quick to point out that in school at Wairiki I was never good at maths or with figures. Class One and Two maths was fine for me," she laughed.

At first it was a frightening experience, not knowing book-keeping. There was a lot of frustration. I mean at the time I did not even know how to fill in a cheque." But her decision to take up the challenge was made strong by the positive encouragement she received from people, and to the grace of God. Someone did advise her to "make use of the people around you". She did just that. Relying on different people for advice. "People are good."

With the Home’s main source of income coming from two bazaars held annually at the Suva Civic Centre, Sister Lusiana had no problem going around ‘hat in hand’.

"We go around or write to big firms seeking help. The response is amazing" she said. It is as though the community realises the special role these women play. "That is divine providence."

For instance, every Friday the sisters drive into town and go to the market, asking vendors to give them whatever can be spared, be it bruised or damaged vegetables. Word of who they represent spread, and the vegetables turned from spoils to choice products, and in such an abundance that they have more than enough for their weekly supply. The sisters share the vegetables with other Catholic institutions like the Father Law Home at Wailekutu, and the Chevalier Hostel for boys at Flagstaff.

"We receive things as they come. I always wonder at how God provides, we are grateful for what we are given" Sister Lusiana said with reverential awe. Every time our bank account sinks dangerously low and we start worrying, suddenly the donations flow in. The community is a big help. People send in money, people leave us money in their wills, and sometimes people just drive in to drop their donations off."

Sister Lusiana was drawn towards a vocation as a nun while at school in Wairiki, off Taveuni. "That was my first inspiration…seeing the SMSM sisters live their lives doing good work for everybody, not just the Catholics."

She said the alarming drop in vocations in Fiji could be the lack of invitation to young people, and the lack of contacts to discuss such a calling. "We need to create more awareness about vocations. Many young people just don’t have the information they are seeking." Sister Lusiana had always wanted to be a teacher, and after two years at the order’s novitiate in Wellington, she returned to Fiji to attend Corpus Christi College. She taught for two years at Marist Convent Lami.

In 1995 she returned to New Zealand for further studies, and obtained a Diploma in Pastoral Ministry and community work at Wellington Polytechnic. She took up her new role as bursar last year, and is now finally revelling in managing the Home’s purse strings.

She and the Sisters of Compassion are a beacon of hope in this often heartless society. There is something about them that brings out what can only be described as Christ’s love in people. It is as if instinctively the world acknowledges that theirs truly is a labour of love.

"The Sisters appreciate the communities on-going support."

And please, feel free to send a donation their way the next time you have a few dollars to spare –– it will be money well spent.

From article printed in Fiji Catholic Monthly, February 2000.