Skip to content
Deacon Keith Fournier Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you. Help Now >

Aiding a Defensive Sudan

Free World Class Education
FREE Catholic Classes

Interview With Missionary Katie Gesto


WASHINGTON, D.C., AUG. 30, 2007 (Zenit) - Three foreigners have been given orders to leave Sudan in less than a week, and according to a missionary working in the country, aid workers are periodically threatened with expulsion by the government.

Paul Barker, country director of CARE, told Reuters today that the Sudanese government's Humanitarian Aid Commission had given him 72 hours to leave the country. Although no official reason was given for the expulsion, Barker speculated to the press that it has to do with an internal e-mail he sent to CARE staff on the situation in Sudan, which was later leaked to the press.

In this interview with us, Katie Gesto says that cases like Barker's are anything but uncommon. She discusses her 10 years of missionary service in the African country as a nurse practitioner and consecrated virgin, and the challenges all aid workers face in Sudan.

Q: What is your reaction to the expulsion of the country director of CARE from Sudan?

Gesto: I am not surprised about the expulsion, as I've had many colleagues, myself included, threatened with the same. Nongovernmental organizations like CARE are suppose to be neutral, but when it comes to keeping their people secure, it can easily appear that they have lost their neutral stance.

Light Your Free Payer Candle for a departed loved one

What is Palm Sunday?

Live on March 20, 2024 @ 10am PDT

Aid workers know the real nitty-gritty as they are living there and see with their own eyes, but if you publicly -- and e-mail is considered public these days -- declare your opinion, even though factual and true, it's common knowledge that you can get thrown out of the country.

My friend almost got classified as a persona non-grata -- PNG -- for allowing a sick Dinka on a plane leaving Sudan rather than a less sick Shilluk man; because she was in Shilluk territory. They said she was being tribal and put her under house arrest for a month and threatened to declare her a PNG.

It's not so complicated really; you have to know the volatile emotional situation all leaders are living in, and so they can react to remarks that others would think are not very significant.

Q: You have been working as a missionary in Sudan. What drew you to perhaps the most dangerous missionary territory in the world?

Gesto: Ever since grade school, I listened attentively at Mass to the stories of missionary priests and sisters. God gave me the desire to be a missionary even at that early age.

During my college years, I was involved with Campus Crusade for Christ and as a Catholic, built great friendships with students going on missions to Russia and other difficult countries.

It was then that God burned in my heart a desire to serve our brothers in persecuted countries. Certainly Sudan is on that list.

I know I can't do much alone, but when God calls, he does the work. In this beautiful work, he makes his love felt.

Q: Your work, as a nurse practitioner and a consecrated woman, was relatively independent of support from a specific group. How did you manage, both with regard to safety and basic necessities?

Gesto: The bottom line for me -- for any of us -- is "God, what do you want me to do? Where do you want me to serve?"

After getting a good sense for the country by serving as a nurse with a relief organization, Medair, I felt God wanted me to serve a bishop directly since the bishops know what the real needs of their people are.

I then contacted a Catholic bishop in Sudan and offered myself, telling him: "I'll find five volunteers, we'll raise our own money and come serve wherever you see fit."

We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.

Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.

Help Now >

Well, two years passed while completing my masters and I didn't find anyone, so I went in faith and served in that diocese for two years with two Ugandan priests and some sisters who were nearby.

I was very happy and grew tremendously both spiritually and from the experience with the people.

Q: While in Africa, you discerned your vocation. What was your general experience of prayer in this dangerous desert, especially at times when you feared for your life?

Gesto: I have grown tremendously since starting my service to Sudan in 1996. It is a blessing to be in a place where one never knows if they will return home.

I was prepared for this by my many years of hospice service and as far as I can tell, I am willing to die today if God wills it. As my friend who is a missionary in Somalia says, "I just hope they know how to shoot well."

One time when I was told a commander wanted to kill me because I told the bishop that I suspected him of something dishonest, it did make me nervous.

A possessed man, however, who had speared a few people in our village and who didn't like me made me even more nervous since he lived next door to the house where I slept alone. But after a few days of restless nights I said, "Enough of that! Jesus, you are more powerful than those forces! Give me the grace to let you have those fears."

For the most part these threats didn't bother me too much after that, particularly once the crazy man moved far way and the commander cooled down!

But the willingness to die for our faith is a grace we can all pray for and receive. For most of us, it won't happen physically, but for all of us it will happen spiritually if we want to grow to be like Jesus who was martyred.

I was able to hear clearly my call to be a consecrated virgin when I was in Sudan because of the lack of distractions there -- it's only me and the Lord.

I could see that God allowed me to spend extra time with him in prayer, and to be free to be sent wherever he leads and to develop a deep spousal relationship with him.

Q: What did you find to be the most pressing need among the Sudanese people?

Gesto: Unity, learning how to respect each other, and healing from the past trauma.

The more than four-decade-long war has broken down good cultural values and the sense of dignity as persons. People have learned to often just fend for themselves, which has opened the door to corruption, tribal fighting, witchcraft and other detrimental things.

When, through the Gospel, they learn to care for each other in simple ways, they begin to heal and also want to educate their kids -- particularly their girls who are so in need of education.

As this process continues, they will then hopefully work as a community to build the Church and culture and economically provide for each other.

Q: Upon returning to the United States after your time in Africa, what is most difficult in your transition back to everyday life?

Gesto: Time. Everyone is in such a hurry and worried about such petty things. There is a lack of simplicity evidenced by constant spending of money on useless things.

People don't seem to have time for talking, laughing, or "being." I have to watch myself to keep from getting swept into this rat race.

All these distractions seep inside me and I have to work at creating an environment that supports interior silence so that I can "be" with Jesus -- a much easier challenge in Africa!

Contact

Catholic Online
https://www.catholic.org CA, US
Catholic Online - Publisher, 661 869-1000

Email

info@yourcatholicvoice.org

Keywords

Sudan, Gesto, Care, War, Hunger, Solidarity, Africa

More Catholic PRWire

Showing 1 - 50 of 4,716

A Recession Antidote
Randy Hain

Monaco & The Vatican: Monaco's Grace Kelly Exhibit to Rome--A Review of Monegasque-Holy See Diplomatic History
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.

The Why of Jesus' Death: A Pauline Perspective
Jerom Paul

A Royal Betrayal: Catholic Monaco Liberalizes Abortion
Dna. Maria St.Catherine De Grace Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.

Embrace every moment as sacred time
Mary Regina Morrell

My Dad
JoMarie Grinkiewicz

Letting go is simple wisdom with divine potential
Mary Regina Morrell

Father Lombardi's Address on Catholic Media
Catholic Online

Pope's Words to Pontifical Latin American College
Catholic Online

Prelate: Genetics Needs a Conscience
Catholic Online

State Aid for Catholic Schools: Help or Hindrance?
Catholic Online

Scorsese Planning Movie on Japanese Martyrs
Catholic Online

2 Nuns Kidnapped in Kenya Set Free
Catholic Online

Holy See-Israel Negotiation Moves Forward
Catholic Online

Franchising to Evangelize
Catholic Online

Catholics Decry Anti-Christianity in Israel
Catholic Online

Pope and Gordon Brown Meet About Development Aid
Catholic Online

Pontiff Backs Latin America's Continental Mission
Catholic Online

Cardinal Warns Against Anti-Catholic Education
Catholic Online

Full Circle
Robert Gieb

Three words to a deeper faith
Paul Sposite

Relections for Lent 2009
chris anthony

Wisdom lies beyond the surface of life
Mary Regina Morrell

World Food Program Director on Lent
Catholic Online

Moral Clarity
DAN SHEA

Pope's Lenten Message for 2009
Catholic Online

A Prayer for Monaco: Remembering the Faith Legacy of Prince Rainier III & Princess Grace and Contemplating the Moral Challenges of Prince Albert II
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe

Keeping a Lid on Permissiveness
Sally Connolly

Glimpse of Me
Sarah Reinhard

The 3 stages of life
Michele Szekely

Sex and the Married Woman
Cheryl Dickow

A Catholic Woman Returns to the Church
Cheryl Dickow

Modernity & Morality
Dan Shea

Just a Minute
Sarah Reinhard

Catholic identity ... triumphant reemergence!
Hugh McNichol

Edging God Out
Paul Sposite

Burying a St. Joseph Statue
Cheryl Dickow

George Bush Speaks on Papal Visit
Catholic Online

Sometimes moving forward means moving the canoe
Mary Regina Morrell

Action Changes Things: Teaching our Kids about Community Service
Lisa Hendey

Deacon Keith Fournier Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you. Help Now >

Easter... A Way of Life
Paul Spoisite

Papal initiative...peace and harmony!
Hugh McNichol

Proclaim the mysteries of the Resurrection!
Hugh McNichol

Jerusalem Patriarch's Easter Message
Catholic Online

Good Friday Sermon of Father Cantalamessa
Catholic Online

Papal Address at the End of the Way of the Cross
Catholic Online

Cardinal Zen's Meditations for Via Crucis
Catholic Online

Interview With Vatican Aide on Jewish-Catholic Relations
Catholic Online

Pope Benedict XVI On the Easter Triduum
Catholic Online

Holy Saturday...anticipation!
Hugh McNichol

Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.

Lent logo
Saint of the Day logo

Catholic Online Logo

Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.

Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.