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February 8, 2011
Dear Josephine Bakhita,
Happy Birthday! So blessed that you've celebrated 64 years of joyous life in heaven with our Master now ^_^
Many Italians remembering you as the 'Black Mother', or the 'little brown sister'; maybe that is the reason why the Canossian sister in Hong Kong named me Josephine when I entered their school in primary four. On my first day of school, I told my classmates that I forgot my name and would memorize to tell them the following day:. I didn't like this name at first, wonder why they can't give me something shorter and easier to pronounce; I was only 9 years old!
Summer homework was not as heavy as nowadays' so we were given a book to read; in Chinese (柏姬達) for primary, then in English 'Bakhita' for the secondary students. No matter how many times I read your story, I can't help but cried a lot! I feel so scared, helpless, painful, and sorrowful for your slavery life after being kidnapped at the age of 9 - away from your original happy family, so traumatized that forgot your own name, chained, sold and resold as a merchandise in the markets, escaped but caught and brutally 'penalised', beaten almost to death by the son of a master, tortured by salt sprinkled over the hundreds of freshly razor cut 'tattoo' wounds on your body! I don't know how a human, a young girl, can endure those big, unimaginable, intolerable suffering and oppression, one after the other! Perhaps as you said, years later "it was by a miracle of God I didn't die. He had destined me for better things."
Of course I also recall how relieved and happy when knowing you can stay in Italy with the Canossian sisters, and be a free person, after the court ruled that you are not a slave when the master wanted to take you with them! Hurray!
I started to like the name Josephine, after knowing you more, admiring your courage and the will to survive the darkest journey in life; the 'never give up' attitude! You have remarkable trust in our Lord that people met you can feel it from your amicable voice and smile, and was shocked upon hearing your miserable childhood which did not leave a trace on your face. I mentioned that I cry easily; but I laugh and smile a lot - it comes in a package, our Father created it this way, using you as the model ^_^ The kids we serviced in the village school summer project sweetly call me 'little black sister (黑妹姐姐)' as I was the one easily got tanned. I have no objection to this nickname [too young to realize 'white skin' is the benchmark for beauty in Hong Kong :); Josephine is too difficult for them to pronounce, I knew it very well!
I am baptized to become the daughter of our Father when I was a From 3 student; and took Josephine as my Christian name without a second thought! (You are not canonized yet so they said my patron is Saint Joseph.) Was it under the influence of studying in a Catholic school, or maybe your intercession?! Don't know why I haven't have the thought to become a nun, like you, when I was young……probably most sisters I met were too busy to be nice to students then ^_^ Anyhow, everybody has different call and duty. 2011 is the Year of Laity, so it's time for us lay persons to reflect and action :
"Seeing the sun, the moon and the stars, I said to myself, 'Who could be the Master of these beautiful things?' I felt a great desire to see him, to know him and to pay him homage." It's only until recent years that I have this thought of yours, and started 'finding God in all things', after away from our Father for quite some years! I felt especially close to our Lord in times of challenges, pains and illness. Once I realized that He went through all these moments with me together, I felt the grace of Him. I'm much loved! Thank you, heavenly Father; He never leave me but keep finding me and offering me a chance to repent and be alert with these signals!
Thank you for showing the transformation of suffering with your life. I appreciate your teachings, in particular, "I have given everything to my Master: He will take care of me… The best thing for us is not what we consider best, but what the Lord wants of us!" This is very true! Please keep praying for us, especially those enslaved themselves who refused to believe in God and who turned away from God after baptism. I am sure you'll pray for Sudan, your home country, which will be undergoing major change soon. Thank you, our universal sister!
Affectionately yours,
Josephine Lau :
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