The Blessing of Change

Missionary vocation is a beautiful gift from God that when responded to becomes a source of abundant blessings.  One of the greatest blessings is the personal change that the missionary experiences as a result of his or her service.  Our own Deacon Al Austin who served in Papua New Guinea reflects on the way he changed.  Dn. Al was one of the pioneer African American Lay Mission-Helpers who served in Papua New Guinea, and now serves on the LMH Board of Directors.  It must have been quite a novelty for Papua New Guineans to receive a missionary who, in Dn. Al’s own words, “was of the same skin color” as them.  We hope Dn. Al’s story inspires others to discover in them the missionary call and follow in his footsteps as Lay Mission-Helpers. See below what Dn. Al has to say about his experience in mission.

How did serving as a Lay Mission-Helper change you?

By Dn. Al Austin, 

I am probably like many others that went through the training program before they left on their assignment. We were not fully aware of what we would be experiencing until we arrived at our mission station.  Papua New Guinea at the time was a young country being controlled by a neighboring country, desiring to come into its own, to be independent, yet they did not really know what that was or meant.  Economically and socially, Papua New Guinea was in a period in their history of transformation. 

Al with fellow Lay Mission-Helpers

I was young with the desire to get involved in any way that I could.  It was more than wanting to help; it was a desire to be a part of their change and hopefully to make a positive difference in some small way. 

When I landed in the country, I became fully aware that I was entering into a unique environment; being invited into a country where I was of the same skin color but from a different culture and time.  I was black but not Papua New Guinean.  I was a young Catholic missionary but not a priest or religious brother.  I was of age but not married, nor was I seeking to marry.  I came to share not to take or exploit.

Al assisting local women

Because of this wonderful experience in these surroundings, I began to see myself and life differently. It was not just about being a Catholic Christian in a foreign country and culture.  It was not about an African American in a country where we were the same skin color but from a different time and place.  I had traveled over 18,000 miles to encounter a people of whom I never knew until then. Yet somehow we connected.  They wanted to know more about me and I about them.  I felt that part of God’s divine plan was to bring us together in order to witness and share our lives.  For them, to be introduced to a person from the modern world who was trying to live a Christin life by example, who shared their way of life in the simplest way possible, close to nature and depending on each other.  That showed me how I could live on the basic needs of life and live well.  It took me a few months to appreciate it, and it has never left me.

 

I hoped that I was able to show as many as I came in touch with that you do not have to be westernized in order to be a good Catholic Christian.  Being a successful Catholic is not about the physical pleasures of life it is about coming to believe in the spoken word of God and living it. 

Al giving a talk at an event

I see life simpler and without great expectations.  I see life as precious as birth and as unknowing as death.  I have learned to accept people where they are and hope that they see me the same.  That was over forty years ago.  And my love for people and my desire to do for others has never changed.

Thank you Dn. Al for your service as Lay Mission-Helper!