I am Sr. Tireza Gebriel from Ethiopia, born in 1984. I made my first profession on March 28, 2016, in Kenya (Nazareth). Then I received my first destination in Asia, specifically in Mongolia, in April 2018, and I have been serving the Lord in Mongolia ever since.
I would like to share my experience of joy in my mission, connecting it to the vocation of Abraham, which inspires me to contemplate my life in mission. It is a journey of faith towards the Promised Land. God said to Abraham: “Leave your country, your people, and your father’s household, and go to the land I will show you.”
The voice of God comes to each person in different ways, making us aware of His presence. The journey of faith requires encountering God and surrendering to Him.
Why does God call us and ask us to leave behind our country, culture, language, and to go to new people who may not know Him or are non-Christians?
The call of God is free, sovereign, and moved by the Spirit of love for humanity. But it is also very demanding and requires detachment. The love of God, beyond everything, wins the hearts of humanity by making us abandon ourselves to do His will. Responding to God’s call involves an encounter between two persons.
It is a time to welcome grace into my life and to trust more in Him. God loves me as I am. He is merciful despite all my weaknesses. When there is communion with God, there is light and joy.
I continue to contemplate God’s creation, made through His Word: “God saw that all He had made was very good” (Gen 1:31). There is always a beginning in our lives.
God gives us names and calls us by name. Even today, God calls us by our name and entrusts us with His mission. Abraham was called and sent; his name was changed to “father of faith.” Abraham experienced deep intimacy with God and a listening heart. When God touches our hearts, everything changes in our lives.
I have been challenged to understand my inner voice and the voice of God. It’s not easy to describe. If I am silent, does it mean there is peace within me? Can inner silence help me understand the noise of the outside world? When I face challenges, my inner voice often remains confused, and I feel emptiness. Sometimes I have no words, just silence in front of the Tabernacle.
I started searching for the One who called me, seeking to see His face. Opening the gate of my heart to Him, I feel that He is always near, even if I am not fully aware of His presence. When there is a relationship with God, there is peace; only God knows the inner path of my life.
God journeyed with Abraham with an open heart until the very end. Where there is communion, there is transformation. God can transform us if we desire to sacrifice our lives. The mission of God requires total sacrifice and patience.
Vocation is a gift from God, and a missionary vocation is a mystery. I often imagine: when Jesus came into this world, did He run away from challenges? Why did Jesus obey and give His life on the cross? Did the disciples follow Him because life was easy? Without suffering or sacrifice, there is no true life.
It is a personal journey to welcome the grace and blessing of the mission. Challenges help us grow and open our hearts to new realities. Jesus experienced all the challenges of life—suffering and sacrifice—to fulfill.
Sr. Tireza, mc
