Columban Lay Missionary, Serafina Vuda from Fiji, died in hospital in Los Angeles, California, on Saturday, May 31, from a serious illness she had suffered during the previous two weeks. A short period before her illness, she wrote the following article about her missionary vocation.
When I first left my homeland of the Fiji Islands after six months of preparation in 1997 to be a Columban lay missionary in Chile, I had no idea what to expect or what specific task I was going to do. What basically motivated me was the urge to share my faith with others wherever it may be.
I am the youngest of six siblings and my only dream was to become a teacher like my father. But after 11 years of teaching I was convinced that I was being called beyond the boundaries of classroom walls to become a Columban Lay Missionary.
I believe there were three significant pieces of advice I received during my missionary preparation in Fiji: a) An old missionary told us that when you arrive in another culture, do not rush in and open your "tool box" of skills, gifts and knowledge but rather stop, look and listen in order to know and learn from the people and their needs; b) The Emeritus Archbishop of Suva, Petero Mataca, told us that if the community you are working with begins to fall apart, look at yourself instead of blaming them and c) A Columban friend said that in order to be a happy missionary, you need to be realistic and have a sense of humour.
As I inserted myself in the life and culture of the indigenous Mapuche people of the south of Chile, it did not take long to discover that I was entering into some sacred and almost mysterious reality where the people lived so much in harmony with nature and with all of God’s creation.
At the same time there was a sense of fear of darkness as people did not venture out after sunset. This is when I realized that my role was to learn and not to teach! “A life unlike your own can be your teacher,” said St Columban. I learnt that cultural values are non-negotiable. Even up to the present time the Mapuche people continue in their struggle defending their forests, lakes and land from the manipulation of business and government interests. 
The bone-piercing cold with the wet climate and long walks through the thick mud to visit families living on their scattered farms were the toughest challenges we three Fijians lay missionaries endured for those three years amongst the Mapuche people.
We had to have a good supply of firewood to keep our small wooden house warm, enough supply of candles for light when the lamp gas ran out and had to have enough energy to draw water from the six metre deep well for our everyday use.
Many times during my three years amongst the Mapuches, especially when the going became tough, I asked myself, “what am I doing here?”
I suppose it was the openness to these challenges and trust in the God who calls us to mission from the moment of our own baptism that helped me persevere and made a difference in my life forever.
In return we received love and acceptance from the people. We joined them in their harvest and in their cultural and religious rituals and festivities. This was how we went about building the Christian community, beginning first by building relationships with the people and their families.
As I look back, it amazes me that among the Mapuche people I has a sense of the God of the Old Testament, who was distant, sacred and silently present in all forms of nature and rituals.
After the death of my Dad and some time at home with Mum, I moved on to continue my next assignment in Peru. In the midst of extreme poverty and social violence there I discovered the Jesus of the New Testament who portrayed a suffering God and one who always accompanies us in our everyday life situations. I soon learnt that my role in Peru was to offer hope and empower people in the face of their suffering.
Apart from liturgies and supporting projects to help women and children improve their livelihood, organizing basic training programs in the area of emotional and spiritual accompaniment for the sick and suffering gave me a lot of energy and fulfilment.
Interestingly, it was the women more than the men who actively participated in the Christian communities and who were the pillars of moral strength and faith in their own homes.
Journeying with people from these two cultures has been the greatest gift to my life and I have received so much more than I have given. It has been a life-transforming experience. As one of my mentors says, “The first to be evangelized is the one who evangelizes.” I learnt that the greatest gift to any missionary serving abroad or in one's own home country, is the people who help one discover oneself and discover the face of God!
After nine years in Peru, I was elected in 2008 as the Coordinator of the Lay Mission Central Leadership Team, a three year position, based in Ireland. I had the opportunity to visit lay missionaries in all the countries where they work and to attend international Columban meetings representing the lay missionaries.
After completing my term as Coordinator, I was assigned in 2011 to the Los Angeles area of California to do Columban missionary promotion in parishes and schools. Once again I feel the need to stop, listen and learn and trust in God in this new reality.
We send our condolences to Serafina's family in Fiji and to the Columban Lay Missionaries. We thank God for her life and missionary commitment.
May she rest in peace.
Read more from The Far East, July 2014