After having 30 days of retreat at Saint Lucia centre, if I was to answer the following questions: How is Saint Lucia? Is it an appropriate place for an encounter between God and his creature? I would start by saying that Saint Lucia Retreat Centre is a place of WONDERS. Yes, it is a place where I came to experience the wonders of God such as His beautiful creation. And through that creation, I may reach to a clear conviction of God’s Love for me (St. Ignatius S.E 231).
The Retreat Centre of Saint Lucia is located in a place where everything within and surrounding is conductive to a true heart to heart with God. Just from its main door, one important thing attracts my attention. Its big and beautiful Church. This Church far from being a simple standing house, is a symbolic word, I may say the first straight forward word you may hear from God, effortlessly. For me, it was a simple and a very deep voice from God: Welcome my son. I appreciated that after a long journey of 4 hours, I was welcomed by God self through the image of His dwelling place (2Kings 8:13).This combined with the warm welcome of Sister Elisabeth Marie, the one responsible for the Centre was a consoling sign. I was accepted wholeheartedly. This was an inner consolation for me. God is truly present. Above all, He is ready to journey with me toward the centre of my life. He is excited to let me understand His sincere Love for me. That Love that pushed him to create me, a frail human being, in His image and likeness and put me at the centre of all the others creatures (Gn 1:26). He made all this for me, so that I live happily and Love him, praise him, reverence and serve him for his greater Glory and for the Salvation of my Soul (St Ignatius S.E 23).
One of the most conducive ways to such an awareness about God’s love and the purpose of human life, is to let God speak to us through creation itself. And Saint Lucia Centre helped me to live such a wonderful and an unforgettable experience. I was able to be in contact with nature, to admire the beauty of the plants and flowers around, to walk with the sounds of the birds, and to profit from the fresh and natural air, the river located at walking distance. These natural gifts that I enjoyed from God were crowned with the joy of admiring the monkeys with their instinct of survival, the antelopes lingering around in the nearest forest, the guinea fowls moving in groups.
I came to understand that God has made himself present not only in a building but explicitly in each creature. Everything that exist bears a specific sign of God’s presence. Through the plants and the fresh air, I came to appreciate a God who is a life giver. Through the instinct of survival of the monkeys, I appreciated a God who cares in a spontaneous manner for my life, a God who is always there to protect me from any danger. I learnt in fact during my 30 days in Saint Lucia that the creation is a gift for me in order to be in perfect communion with God and to really enjoy His Love for me. Each day, once back to my quiet and nice room, after enjoying the nice meal of the day, I just felt ready to repeat these words: Thank You Lord for you really Love me unconditionally. Give me the Grace to always do your will in my life in loving truly my brothers and sisters.
I am pleased to address my words of gratitude to the Staff members of Saint Lucia Retreat Centre, Sister Elisabeth Ansart for the warm welcome, the guidance throughout the retreat and above all for being my spiritual director, and to Sister Timothy for the communion of prayer. I also thank in a special way our lovely mother for the nice meals, her tireless work, and to Father Mathew (SJ) for the spiritual nourishment, the daily Eucharist, and to Nonto for the services and her attitude of simplicity. May Jesus Christ who accepted with Love to embrace his cross for our salvation continue to grant each and every one the grace of remaining rooted in Him.
Andre Sawadogo, Student Missionaries of Africa Merrivale, SA.
02/01/ to 02/02/2021
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