ASEC News

The story of Caroline and Doreen

African Sisters Education Collaborative (ASEC)

Sr. Dorice with the children after teaching catechism.

Sr. Dorice tells the story of two girls with the same educational opportunities and how their choices impacted the rest of their lives. She reflects on the gift of quality education in relationship to Catholic sisters in Africa.

Once upon a time there lived two girls, Caroline and Doreen. They were from a certain village called Chiosha in Mchinji district. Caroline and Doreen were students at Tsogolo Lathu Secondary school. Caroline was from a well-to-do family but was haughty and stubborn. She was very unkind to Doreen, who was from a humble background.

Doreen excelled in school and became a professor. Caroline, however, did not do well because of her lavish lifestyle and pride. When her parents died, Caroline became destitute. She started searching for a job and was called in for an interview where she would be cleaning Professor Tembo's office. When the day for interviews came, she realized that the one to conduct the interviews, Professor Tembo, was actually Doreen, the girl she  ill-treated at secondary school. Caroline fainted! She couldn’t believe this!

Proverbs 11:2 says

"When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom."

Mathew 11:25 teaches us to be childlike because God reveals great things to infants.

As Christians we have to heed to the powerful message of St. Paul who says in Colossians 3:12,

"Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”

The same with us. Sometimes we treat others badly not knowing that one day they will become our bosses or even the people who will take care of us. This story of Doreen and Caroline should teach us to love all those people who are living with us because God works wonders in every moment. On the other hand, this story is also teaching us to work hard when we are given a chance to go to school. Doreen was a hard worker because she knew how hard her parents worked to pay for her schooling.  Caroline was not working hard at school because had everything in life. She didn’t realize that one day her parents would be gone and she would struggle to find work with her poor education.

was so stubborn and so unkind to her friend Doreen just because she was coming to a well to do Family,

The same with the African Sisters Education Collaborative (ASEC). ASEC is helping Catholic sisters in different countries to get a good education. We see how our well-wishers are struggling to find money to help us to have good education. Sisters who have the privilege to be helped by ASEC have to work extra hard in order to fulfil our goal; to become the people who will help our congregations in so many ways.

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Malawian sisters visiting Alubino in Mtendere (July 2017)

Malawian sisters visiting Alubino in Mtendere (July 2017)

Let us thank God for having donors who are helping us to have good education. Let us pray to God that they may continue helping different countries get access to good quality education and that they may be granted all the graces they need in their lives.

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Communities across Africa are counting on Catholic Sisters, but 48% lack the education needed to carry out their important mission work. You can be a Ray of Hope for a Sister who needs you by donating to her education today.

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Sr. Dorice Tembo

Sr. Dorice Tembo
Author
SLDI Participant - Malawi  

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