Missionary work is as much about opening our hearts to receive as it is about lending a helping hand. This year holds special significance as we celebrate 100 years of World Mission Month, a century dedicated to solidarity, faith, and global community. To mark this milestone, we are revisiting inspiring missionary experiences that reflect the true heart of our mission. Today, we are thrilled to share the personal reflections of Shania Psaila, who fulfilled a lifelong dream by joining a voluntary mission experience to Tanzania.
“For as long as I can remember, going on a voluntary mission experience had always been a dream so far out of reach, until this opportunity came about. Leading up to our departure, I was very excited and curious about what we would find. Would it be just like what we see on TV? Will they have necessities to live? Will they welcome us?
Upon reaching Arusha, we were very warmly greeted by the sisters of the archdiocese and the drivers who were taking care of us, who then took us to meet Bishop Prosper, one of the leading people who helped plan our voluntary experience.
As I looked outside the van window whilst being driven, I could see a very different picture to what I was used to, almost surreal. There was so much chaos on the roads, with cars and motorcycles everywhere, animals crossing the roads, lots of people on the side-walk, and unusual activities like lit campfires on the side of the road, and vans carrying lots of people standing up in their back-compartment. We also noticed their very particular public transport called the Dala-Dala, and large markets where people would buy their everyday needs.
One of our experiences took us to the Komolo Dispensary, a small hospital whose patients are mainly from the Maasai tribe. The hospital consisted of an outdoor waiting area and reception, 2 small rooms with 3 beds each, 2 small clinics and a very small delivery suite with just one bed, which can get very chaotic in cases of multiple births at the same time. The hospital was in quite a bad state, with cracks in the walls, inadequate beds, no ambulance and was highly understaffed with just one doctor and two nurses. You might say that this is a reasonable number of staff considering the small number of patients that they have, however, the workload is very high since the hospital is basically run by these people only. The equipment was very primitive and urgent cases have to be referred to other more-equipped hospitals, some kilometres away. From a paper stuck against the wall, I could see that the most common cause of admission into the hospital are urinary tract infections. So, with some proper hygiene and education, a lot of these admissions may be preventable, thus lowering the workload on the hospital.
Another very memorable experience took us to a Maasai school. Upon our arrival, we were greeted by the smallest children of the school, who sang to us and greeted us very warmly. We were then invited to take a look around the infrastructure being built for their new school, thanks to a new donor. This was very nice to see, because just a few years ago, their lessons used to be held under a tree in the shade. The older Maasai people then took the floor and sang and danced their traditional dances for us. They then invited us to stand up and dance and sing with them. They also presented us with a traditional Maasai cloak, and we exchanged a luggage full of donated clothes and supplies. This was such a warm and wholesome experience, getting to see different cultures and be immersed in them.
As I look back at this whole experience, the smiles, laughs and stories we shared, I am eternally grateful to have had this opportunity to see how these people live in such different and difficult conditions, yet they are still so happy and make the most of their simple lives. They are incredibly skilled and use every resource that they can find to cater for their needs. All the Tanzanian people we met were undoubtedly some of the nicest people I’ve ever seen, and I personally never in my life felt so warmly welcomed.“
Shania’s journey is a powerful reminder that stepping out into the world with an open heart can transform both our lives and the lives of those we serve. Every encounter, smile, and shared moment builds bridges of love and solidarity across borders.
Interested in embarking on your own missionary journey?
Whether you feel called to go on a voluntary missionary experience on your own or wish to form a group with friends, colleagues, or community members, Missio is here to support you every step of the way.
📩 Get in touch with us: Reach out at info@missio.org.mt to find out how you can take part in upcoming overseas missionary opportunities!
