Columban Missionaries

Many people ask me why I am on mission in Ireland, a country not considered to be mission territory. Having come here I feel that Ireland actually has many mission needs. Before I left Korea I had heard about the many asylum-seekers/refugees arriving in Europe. I thought that if I went on mission to Ireland I could work with them there. Now I am meeting Muslim women who have migrated to Ireland as well as some escapees from North Korea.

I am working in the largest asylum seeker/refugee accommodation centre in Ireland, meeting asylum seeker/refugee women as well as helping at a study programme for their children. There are over 700 refugees from around forty different countries living there. The bulk of them have come from Syria, others are from Eastern Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. I can only surmise the circumstances that forced them to come to Ireland. Unless they first talk about their years of pain and suffering, I do not ask them to divulge the details of their long and torturous journeys and the fearful times they experienced.

In order to get to Ireland the refugees endured several interviews and investigations, constantly living in fear of not being accepted as legitimate refugees. Over time this caused them to lose their self-confidence. Who could ignore their plight and discriminate against or judge people who lived in fear of being killed in their own countries and who saw no hope for their children. On hearing about their desperate circumstances I sometimes find myself questioning God’s impartiality. However, I am certain that God wishes us to warmly welcome these little ones that have risked life and limb to reach Ireland.

There are many Irish who accept the refugees and are willing to work with them knowing how their own people suffered in the 19^th century when they were forced to emigrate during the Great Famine. Life is even more difficult for those refugees that do not know English as they are forced to rely on others for many things. While there are many Irish volunteers that are willing to teach them English and help them in many ways, some of the refugees are unable to avail of this help because they are suffering from severe depression after all their travails. They tend to spend all their time locked up in their rooms and afraid to venture out.

Having become aware of their plight and realising that there was no one to have a brief chat with them, I decided to ask permission to visit these ‘enclosed’ refugees. In a bid to help them get some peace of mind I try to offer words of encouragement and introduce some moments of laughter rather than dwell on the bad memories of their sad history. I ask their fellow country folk that know English to act as translators. Hearing that the mothers, due to their lack of English, were unable to assist their children with their homework, I sought permission to get a room where I could have an afterschool class for the children, helping them with reading, writing, maths, art etc.

For safeguarding reasons, Ireland does not allow people to teach one to one and so I have to work with a number of children altogether. At the moment twenty-five elementary school children come to the afterschool class every day and I assist this group once a week. Some of the children are capable of holding conversations in English, but they find reading and writing difficult. However, some of them don’t even know the English alphabet. While the children attend the local primary school, they need individual tuition to help them improve their writing and reading skills. But it is not possible for the teachers to devote that kind of time to them. While I am painfully aware of my own limitations in speaking English, I thank God for giving me this opportunity and the ability to work with these children.

The women’s groups are never limited to the mothers only but always include many noisy crying children. During our meetings the mothers who cannot bear to be separated from their children hold them fondly in their arms. Every time I hear how the mothers look forward to these meetings and express their gratitude for helping them forget their present circumstances and past difficulties, I realise that my limitations and incompetence actually turn out to be moments of healing grace in which they can spend a few moments resting, sharing their experiences and laughing together.

The time and effort that I put into these meetings is absolutely nothing when compared to the difficulties the refugees endure. I just cannot compare my challenges with theirs. All I can do is fervently pray that these unfortunate people get to experience some moments of comfort and hope through my efforts. I really urge young people who are interested in foreign mission or feel a calling from God – listen carefully to that voice and have the courage to become missionaries. God has prepared a grand prize – a “life full of grace”.

Kyung-ja Lee was first assigned on mission to the Philippines in 2000 and worked there for eleven years before becoming the Coordinator of Lay Mission in Korea. She was assigned to Ireland in 2017, where she is involved in the refugee apostolate.

CAPTIONS

1 – Kyung-Ja Lee from South Korea is the Columban Lay Mission Coordinator in Ireland.

2 – Kyung-Ja Lee with a couple who escaped North Korea. (Their faces have been blurred to protect their families who are still in North Korea.) With seeds from Korea they grew lettuce, leeks, cabbage and other vegetables on a patch of ground in Dalgan Park. This farming work helped them on their healing journey by providing periods of respite from the stresses and strains of life as a refugee. Some time ago they were both baptised by a Columban priest.

3 – Interfaith dialogue: Kyung-Ja Lee with two Muslim women who have settled with their families in Ireland.