When you go to her community, there is always a local newspaper that she has already read. The associates that she accompanies have a leading role in the ecclesial and social life in her community. Yes, in this edition we want to highlight our sister Leonila Gonzalez Siller, a Mexican CCVI, who is accompanying and promoting human dignity in Chimbote, Peru.

After 26 years in Peru, our sister Leonila remembers with gratitude and joy her first days in this country as a missionary. One of her first ministries in Peru was to accompany the rural community in Cambio Puente in their life and faith.

“I remember Luzmila with gratitude, one of the catechists of the Cambio Puente community, because despite all her work at home and in the countryside, she was always ready to support and encourage everyone, to carry out all the initiatives that were available to the community. Nowadays she is still that ‘bridge’ that connects with others to achieve a better quality of life for her people. For me, she has been a huge support in our work of evangelization and remains a great witness of faith, sacrifice and love.”

In her day to day work with the rural women, visiting the sick in Chimbote, and accompanying the parish Bible group, she has shown us the way to realize the Kingdom of God with joy and creativity.

“To be a Sister of the Charity of the Incarnate Word for me is to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, promoting Human Dignity, because the Incarnate Word always served those most in need, lifting them from their misery and restoring their rights as Sons and Daughters of God.”

The ongoing challenge to promote justice, peace and the care of creation today in Peru has convinced her that this can only be possible by loving one another as sisters and brothers, always remembering that the ‘other,’ including creation itself, is also a sister.

“We really need to welcome people with love and kindness, respect them and listen to them, joining in solidarity with them in the situations in which they are living, especially those who suffer the most. We need to love, enjoy and care for creation as God’s perfect masterpiece, allowing it to be what it was created to be and not allowing it to be destroyed.”

This is Leonis, as we affectionately call her. She is a simple woman, cheerful and above all: a Sister. A Sister who with her words and actions continues to give witness promoting justice, peace and care for the earth, believing that this is what Jesus himself would do today.

Thank you Sister Leonila for all your love and commitment to the CCVI Mission, especially for spreading the joy of service every day in the concrete realities of your beloved port of Chimbote.

Originally published in the CCVI Office for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation blog.

On the header: Sister Leonila González Siller, CCVI.