In Driefontein, Zimbabwe, the first phase of formation for candidates to missionary life in the SMB takes place: the Community Experience. As the name says, it is an introduction to life in community. The candidates are accompanied by a team of three formators, and also by those in charge of the various areas of work in the house: laundry, kitchen, maintenance, infirmary and so on. Evangelista Zireva is in charge of the laundry and holds a very special place in the formation programme. In an interview conducted by the novice master in Driefontein, Mathew Madziva, we invite you to get to know her better.
Evangelista Zireva in Driefontein.
Evangelista with the candidate Arulpragash Anton. Her task is to pray with the candidates and help them become self-reliant. They lovingly call her “Mama”.
A life shaped by Bethlehem
Evangelista, your presence in prayer and your closeness to the candidates are striking at once. You are here every day – at the Eucharist and in everyday work. Can you tell us about your life?
My name is Evangelista Zireva, and the candidates call me “Mama”. I was born into a Catholic family, in a region where the Methodist church is very present. But from my childhood the Bethlehem missionaries were part of our life. Their prayer, their simplicity and their closeness shaped me deeply.
I have completed various trainings and worked in Driefontein for a long time. The spirituality of Bethlehem has marked my inner journey. I even became a religious sister with the Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus (SJI), founded by SMB Bishop Alois Häne. Even though the Lord later led me onto another path, this spirit has never left me. As a single mother I also received valuable support from several SMB fathers, especially Pius Bättig and Joseph Elsener, who helped me with great care to make possible my son’s entire schooling – from primary school to university. Today I thank God for this whole journey: I am a grateful mother and a happy grandmother.
A peaceful place, a prayer of thanks
What do you particularly value about this place?
It is a peaceful place that invites prayer. The arrival of the SMB candidates fills us with great joy, because we have always wished that the SMB would carry on God’s work in the service of the poorest. With them I have found true companions in prayer. In the morning before work and in the evening after it, we come together before God. This faithfulness encourages me greatly.
Your prayer seems deeply rooted in gratitude. How do you live this?
My prayer is above all thanksgiving. I thank God for all the people he has placed on my path. I pray for them every day, and the candidates naturally belong to this prayer. It moved me deeply to see the first group here in Driefontein make their temporary promises.
“My prayer is above all thanksgiving.”
A mother for the candidates
What do you see as your task in their formation?
For me, my task in the formation of the SMB candidates is first of all to be a mother to these young people. I pray with them, and I try to set an example, especially by being punctual for prayer. I want to help them love their vocation and appreciate the teaching of their formators. I also want them to become self-reliant. That means learning to work with their own hands.
In the past, the late Brother Linus – may God grant him eternal peace – and also Brother Herman ran a tailor’s workshop here. So I pass on what they themselves did: I teach them sewing and mending, how to handle the machines and look after them. I teach them to wash properly, to use the washing machine and to maintain it. I help them mend their clothes, because they know I do not like it when someone walks around in torn clothes. They know me well! I also help them keep a high standard of cleanliness. I want them to get used to living in a well-kept place, because they are the priests of tomorrow. Together with them I make sure the house always stays clean.
I also try to pass on to them the spirit of Bethlehem: prayer, sharing, unity, joy and simplicity. I often speak of it when I help them with liturgical preparation: decorating the altar, arranging flowers, cleaning the chalices, following the Mass attentively. I tell them that the Eucharist is the high point of prayer in our Catholic Church. They are very eager to learn, and I feel truly respected and appreciated. They gladly accept advice.
“I want them to get used to living in a well-kept place, because they are the priests of tomorrow.”
A house that is home
Would you like to add anything?
For me this work is more than a task – it is a responsibility, almost a vocation. These young men come from far away and are far from their families. It is natural for me to be a maternal presence. My greatest happiness is to see the SMB brotherhood come to life again and grow through them. Here I can serve God and the Church in my own way, humbly. This house is my home.
