Who am I ? Marie-Paule Lebel, from Quebec
My places of involvement: Quebec and Rwanda
The guiding principle of my life : ‘There are no boundaries to love.’ (Art. 18, constitutions)
Why say “Yes” to such a life project?
In every life story, our intuitions and childhood dreams shape our future. For me, at a very young age, I experienced a moment of happiness when I saw myself “elsewhere”, beyond borders, with people of all colours.
When I was still young, during a Eucharistic celebration, I was struck by a passage from Scripture that said something like this: ‘Take care of widows and orphans.’
During my teenage years, I realised that several Old Testament prophets, including Isaiah, articulate what God expects from his people :
“Learn to do good, seek justice, defend the orphan, plead for the widow” (Is 1:17).
This Word became for me a path of life.
At the crossroads
During an orientation retreat, one question loomed large: What do I want to do with my life? Very providentially, I was welcomed by the Helpers for this time of reflection and prayer.
From my very first contact, I found the answer to my aspirations, to what seemed essential to my human and spiritual life: a solid spirituality – Ignatian spirituality – a universal view of the world, a presence in various places and on several continents. Moreover, the way of living out the mission was just as universal, according to the foundress Eugénie Smet: ‘To help in every good thing, whatever it may be’ (Art. 27).
My various places of involvement
After working as a home care nurse and in a community clinic in a disadvantaged area, I was invited to join the formation team in Rwanda. An invitation I accepted with great joy!
In Rwanda, my first challenge was to learn Kinyarwanda. It was essential for me to familiarise myself with the language and, by extension, with the culture, in order to truly LIVE with my sisters and with the Rwandan people. Formation, health and education in turn demanded my attention, so much so that in 1984 I was entrusted with the direction of the Karubanda Social School. This school was created by the Helpers with the mandate of training young girls in social action and preparing them to be agents of change in society. This perspective corresponded to my values : defending women’s rights and giving them the means to access equal opportunities in the family, the Church and society. I continue to campaign for these values, particularly with the World March of Women, which is present in more than 60 countries around the world.
During the tragedy of 1994, a genocide that claimed the lives of more than 800,000 people, I was faced with a difficult question : to stay or to leave, knowing that the Canadian authorities no longer offered me protection. Without hesitation, convinced that my life was no more valuable than that of the people being hunted down, I decided to stay. Stay and humbly use the means at my disposal to provide assistance.
Returning to Quebec in 1998, I continue to be committed to social issues, particularly defending the right to housing for senior citizens who are victims of the adverse effects of property speculation.
No, ‘there are no boundaries to love’!