Sr. Aleyemma Joseph was sent on mission from OotyProvince in 1990. She had been serving the people of Gafsa, in Tunisia, East Africa.
The Province covers three countries of East Africa: Algeria., Libya and Tunisia.
The country:
Tunisia officially the TunisianRepublic is a country located in North Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the west and Libya to the southeast. It is the northernmost country on the African continent, and the smallest of the nations situated along the Atlas mountain range.
Around forty percent of the country is composed of the Sahara desert, with much of the remainder consisting of particularly fertile soil and a 1300 km coastline. Both played a prominent role in ancient times, first with the famous Phoenician city of Carthage, and later as the Africa Province, which became known as the bread basket of the Roman Empire. Tunisia ranks high among Middle Eastern and African nations in reports released by The World Economic Forum.
Religion: Tunisia enjoys a significant degree of religious freedom, a right enshrined and protected in its constitution. The majority of Tunisia`s population (98%) practices Islam, while a minority follows Christianity (1%), Judaism or other religions. (1%).Tunisia has a sizable Christian community of around 560,000 adherents (320,000 Protestants, 240,000 Roman Catholics); it is roughly equally divided between Catholics and Protestants.
Culture
The culture of Tunisia is mixed due to their long established history of conquerors such as Phoenicians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, Arabs, Turks, Spaniards, and the French who all left their mark on the country.
Sr. Aleyemma writes:the main mission we have here is Socio Pastoral.
·We care for the sick and abandoned.
·Accompany the sick and old to the hospital for medical care.
·Care for the differently abled children in their homes.
·Help the children for education (in some cases we give financial help) and assist in finding jobs.
·Counsel individuals and families with personal and/or family problems.
·Take the sick, young and old to “Social Centre” to avail financial aid for education, medical care or family problems.
Since the main parish is 125 Km away from our locality, we have Eucharistic celebration only once a week and on other days we conduct Communion service. We greatly appreciate these sacred moments of breaking bread with our people as it gives us an opportunity to live like our Master who shared His own Body and Blood with His followers.
I always had the privilege of living in international communities. At present we are three in community and we are of three different nationalities: Italian, Spanish and Indian. The Italian and Spanish are the two pillars of our fraternity.
We are well accepted by the people and there is a good rapport with the neighbourhood. The people not only expect the presence of the sisters in all their celebrations but also welcome us with open hands and hearts. The people greatly appreciate our presence and ministry here.
Empowerment of women - this was the one aim of Blessed Mary of the Passion in serving the less fortunate that led her to open educational institutions, health-care services and set up small income-generating works for women. We respond to the cry of the poor, the oppressed and the marginalized, especially the women through the same services today. We work for the integrity of creation through non-violence and eco-justice, sharing God's gifts with all.
Her farsightedness in establishing a printing press in the 19th century itself, to publish The Annals of the Institute as a means of sharing news and views with the wider public has set the trend for us to utilize the potent means of the media to communicate the compassionate face of God to all peoples thereby promoting communion and human relationships.
