In January 2014, Stephanie D’Souza after a five-day silent retreat, much pondering and prayer, decided to pursue her desire. Quitting her career in social work with the Women and Child Development Programmes of the Don Bosco Salesian Fathers in Panjim, she decided to choose a path far away from home, actually thousands of miles away from her home, Saligao.
Inspired to serve God in his vineyard and keen on fulfilling her desire of being a missionary for Couples for Christ India she decided to accompany Tony and Maria Correia from Santa Cruz all the way to Blantyre, Malawi. Couples for Christ India, a family movement over 30 years old with its roots in the Philippines, that inspires kids, youth, singles, couples and even single and widowed men and women to imitate Jesus Christ, had decided to adopt the Malawi and the African Missions.
“I have a desire to bring souls closer to Christ; I had nothing holding me back and Malawi was presented to me as an opportunity. I had no qualms as to where to go and hence, I took this opportunity to serve God,” explains Stephanie.
Hailing from Saligao to parents, Vimla and Anthony D’Souza, and the second of four siblings, Stephanie was recently consecrated into the Order of Virgins at the St Paul’s Minor Seminary at Mangochi, Malawi by Bishop Montfort Stima. As a consecrated Virgin, Steph accepts Jesus as her spouse and as a bride of Christ she offers her life and virginity to the work of God and to serve the community of Couples of Christ Foundation for Family and Life headed by its Servant General, Frank Padilla from Manila, Philippines.
The Consecration of a Virgin is one of the oldest sacraments in the Church, and one of the fruits of Vatican II was the restoration on 31 May 1970 by Pope Paul VI of this profound blessing on virgins living in the world. Through this sacramental, the virgin, after renewing her promise of perpetual virginity to God, is set aside as a sacred person who belongs only to Christ.
Steph, who travels miles into the wilderness across beaten paths and dusty roads, through drought ridden and backward parts of Malawi, has been continuously working with couples, youth and kids addressing issues of time management, finances, decision-making, pre-marital sex, purity, health, hygience, values of faithfulness and kindness, leadership skills and enpowerment and has been living her charism helping young Malawians to Live Christ and Share Christ.
Malawi had a huge Goan diaspora until 1976, when the Government deported a large number of them for allegedly unpatriotic behaviour. Today, the Goan, Steph, pledges to continue to work in Malawi for many years to come and is focused on her mission work while she shares with us the joy she gets in working in Malawi, also known as the warm heart of Africa. Malawian in her approach speaking fluent Chichewa and draped in Malawian attire before choosing the modest attire becoming of a consecrated person, Steph has blended into the Malawian community and her biggest support has been the local Malawians and a few from the Goan diaspora left behind.
“I am so elated that my daughter has given her life and service to God at such a young age. I had my fears of her being in Africa where there are problems of robbery, violence, murders and many more issues but I have to come in terms with it and I am really proud of her,” asserted her mum Vimla who also travelled to Malawi to partake in the consecration ceremony. Similarly, her father Anthony Rex D’Souza remembers Steph as a bubbly young child and calls her the best flower from his garden that’s far away from home but serving God and his people. Maria Correia sees Steph as “an inspiration in every sense. A young lady, so in love with Jesus, focussed on his call to bring people to know, love and serve Him. Her heart bubbles forth with love for the sick, the weak and the needy.” “Her zeal in contagious,” adds Tony Correia, “the kids, the youth, even married couples want to be with and learn from her.”
Steph donned in her white veil, white blouse and blue skirt always smiling face, guitar round her neck and enthusiastic heart continues to drive a Nissan X-Trail, take a kabaza (Malawi’s cycle taxi) or just walk through the villages of Malawi winning hearts of many through her work and deeds making Goans proud continents away.
