Goodness and kindness prevail with your generous support
We may be another year older, but that doesn’t mean the Sisters of the Divine Savior are slowing down. In fact, your generosity in 2022 enabled us to fund more projects than ever! Together, we bused children to school in Buyuni, Tanzania, sheltered Ukrainian refugees, professionally educated four Sri Lankan Salvatorian Sisters, farmed organically in southern Tanzania, and cared for our elder sisters at Salvatorian Sisters Residence (SSR). Your faithful support encouraged us to find new ways to bring goodness and kindness to God’s people in whatever place and by whatever means in 2022.
In February, we started preparing our Lenten campaign to provide a growing Salvatorian primary school in Tanzania with a school bus. But shortly after our planning began, war broke out in Ukraine. Updates from our Polish sisters began pouring in along with requests for refugee assistance and prayers. Instead of abandoning one project for another, we started collecting for both causes. Thanks to you, we provided the school with two buses and a $10,000 maintenance fund and continue to raise funds for Ukrainian refugees through our partnership with Sisters Rising Worldwide. We remain in awe of your astounding generosity and willingness to improve quality of life throughout the world.
We held Tanzania close to our hearts in 2022. Our May appeal to support organic farming in southern Tanzania coincided with welcoming Tanzanian Salvatorian Sister Bakhita Ndokole to the United States for the summer. While Sr. Bakhita stayed busy with mission appeals and her English lessons, you gave our sisters in Tanzania the ability to promote sustainable agriculture throughout their community. Now, farmers have shade for their crops, nutrients for their soil, and an education in organic farming.
Diocesan mission appeals were back in full force last summer. Midwest parishes in six dioceses eagerly opened their doors to seven sisters who spoke about our international missions. Stories about young women discerning religious life in Pakistan or sisters caring for orphans in Colombia inspired great generosity from people meeting our traveling sisters for the first time. Being on the road reminds us of the wonderful kindness of new friends.
If you’re an avid reader of our newsletters or follow our social media accounts, you’ve likely met our new Provincial Leadership Team. It’s been wonderful to witness the warm welcome you’ve extended to our new Team, especially at events like our annual Woman of Faith award ceremony. Sister Jean Schafer, our new Provincial, was thrilled to recognize our 2022 honoree Anne Haines’s service to survivors of human trafficking–a cause near and dear to both their hearts.
After eating our fill of turkey and pie on Thanksgiving, we once again participated in Giving Tuesday. Continuing our campaign from 2021, we raised money to provide four Sri Lankan Salvatorian Sisters with a year of professional education. Amidst their country’s great political turmoil, higher education remains a priority for our sisters who bring much hope and stability to their communities. Your enthusiastic support for our international sisters helped us surpass our $3,604 goal and fund two years of schooling rather than just one. All four sisters will complete their degrees in their third year of school.
Perhaps the greatest blessing we received during the 2022 Christmas season was your response to the life stories of Sisters Margaret Bosch and Clarice Steinfeldt. In their 151 years of combined religious life, both sisters navigated God’s blessings and challenges to gain the wisdom they possess today. Sister Clarice put it best when she said, “Looking back, I know God was right beside me, even when I asked, ‘How can I do this?’ The answer was and always is ‘God will be with you.’” Both sisters appreciated the gifts and notes they received from former students and colleagues in gratitude for their years of tireless service.
Your love for our elder sisters was evident in more than just your support for Sisters Margaret and Clarice. All our sisters living at SSR benefited from your astounding generosity in 2022. A year-end gift from 2021 finally came to fruition with the addition of a handicap accessible van to our fleet of vehicles. Our new van is well loved and used and makes for easy transport to appointments and events around town. Thank you for blessing our sisters with increased accessibility and higher quality of life.
It’s clear to us that God was with us in 2022 through the goodness and kindness of your donations, event attendance, and prayer intentions. Your trust and faith in our mission to care for the needs of people around the world is a testament of your friendship and compassionate nature. In 2023, we look forward to further serving our Divine Savior through your companionship and generosity.