Sister Angela, from India to Port Moresby to take care of street kids
In September, the missionary will meet Pope Francis who will be in Papua New Guinea on his next apostolic journey. Hailing from India, the woman religious has been taking care of children aged 7 to 14 not enrolled in regular school for the past six years. She and other sisters and three teachers offer lessons of various types to guarantee the children a “brighter future”.
Port Moresby (AsiaNews) – For six years, Sister Angela Periyanayagam, from India, has been working with street kids in Papua New Guinea. On 7 September, she will meet Pope Francis, who is set to embark at the end of this month on an apostolic journey to Oceania and Southeast Asia.
In the Archdiocese of Port Moresby, the Sister from the Society of the Heart of Jesus, takes care of "children from poor settlements, including boys and girls between the ages of 7 and 14," she told AsiaNews.
“The primary purpose of the street ministry is to ensure underprivileged children have the same opportunities as others, providing them with essential necessities and enhancing their education for a brighter future,” she explained.
The street children ministry in Papua New Guinea was born thanks to the vision of Card John Ribat (the first native Papuan to be elevated to the cardinalship in 2016), inspired by a group of poor girls in Port Moresby who asked him for food.
In 2010 Sister Marilyn Soeder and several other missionaries began their work with a group of 20 children, who no number about a hundred.
Together with Sister Angela, three other sisters and three teachers, they take care of street boys and girls. “Most of them come from single parents, broken families or are abandoned,” the Indian Sister said.
“How do we get these children? We go to the different settlements to meet them as well as their parents and give them awareness regarding the program in the street ministry,” the missionary said.
“The street ministry provides different programs for children such as basic literacy and numeracy, catechism, moral lessons, food and yoga. We offer classes four days a week.”
Later, “When the children are able to read and write, we enrol them in the mainstream school to continue their education and do the follow-up. At present, we have nearly 40 children in 10 different schools.
Ultimately, “The aim is to give them basic literacy and numeracy skills and assist them to enter the formal education system or acquire a skill to ensure their livelihood in the future,” Sister Angela added.
“What we wish through the street ministry” is “to Instill a legacy of hope in the future generation, who are underprivileged, and thus spread the love of God and care for them.”
.png)
19/07/2021 13:53
