Bwiam Community
Bwiam, The Gambia — Bwiam Community is surrounded by schools and young people; sisters in this community continue to respond to varying needs of the people, especially teaching in the schools. The sisters teach English language and Christian Religious Knowledge (CRK) at St. Edward’s Upper Basic School. CRK is greatly appreciated by the students even though most of them are Muslims. The sisters educate the young people to pursue their dreams and find ways to bring our charism alive.
The sisters also engage in various parish activities such as assisting the priests for Communion Service in out-stations every Sunday. In this way, they help make Christ more visible to the Christian people, and perhaps keep them from converting to Islam. The Christians always look forward to this special moment of Communion Service, and the sisters do this with joy though it is a demanding ministry. Catechism is one of the ministries that the sisters are well known for in Bwiam, preparing the young people to receive the sacraments of Baptism, First Holy Communion and Confirmation. Moreover, the Sisters also coordinate the lectors, missionary childhood association, the youths known as Children of Blessed Theresa Gerhardinger, and the women of Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Bwiam. The Sisters have learned a lot by reaching out to the people of Bwiam in different ways; they have been greatly enriched along with the people to whom they minister.