By Angie Escarsa, Lay Missionary in Ireland

“Preach everywhere you go and, if necessary, use words.”

As Columban Missionaries, we try to live out the Gospel message through witnessing the love of God to others, especially in responding to our mission priorities of migrants, refugees, and biodiversity protection and restoration.

In my experience, words sometimes are not enough to convey a deeper expression of care and compassion to another person, especially to one who does not speak the same language as we do. Every time I step into Tara’s room, the woman I met in a Dublin City nursing home, I have this profound realization that witnessing to the Gospel message truly knows no boundaries, including language.

I came to know Tara, a refugee from Ukraine, through my ministry in two nursing care homes which I visit every Friday.  Tara has no family to turn to, as most of her loved ones  were lost  during the war in Ukraine. She is 73 years old and has no English.

When I first visited Tara in the nursing home, I had to ask a few people, including some nurses, where her room was as it  was quite difficult  for me to find! When I finally arrived,  I noticed that her door was slightly ajar, and there was also a yellow plastic ribbon attached with the words, “Please do not enter.” Standing  at the entrance, I saw a woman lying on the bed. I greeted her and spoke her name to make sure that she was the person I was looking for. She said ‘yes’ but there was no sign of a smile on her face. I smiled at her and asked if I could come in. She seemed to understand and nodded her head, so I entered the room.

I introduced  my name as Angie and mentioned her carer, the first person who informed  me about her,  and her face instantly lit up. I asked how she was, and in response she took out her phone and put the translator app on and started speaking into it. Then she showed me the translation, explaining that she was waiting for the social worker

I clarified that I wasn’t the social worker  but that I had come to see her. She was a bit taken aback  and  quickly lost interest in me. I tried to make conversation,  telling her that I was glad to meet her, but she said very little, explaining that  it was hard to talk because she speaks very little English. Sensing her unease and with little left to say, I cut my visit short but promising to see her again the following Friday.

Initially, I felt that my visit was useless because I was not able to do anything for Tara.. Although I tried to make conversation, the language barrier proved to be a big challenge. However, it eventually dawned on me that my presence alone was just as important as any words or actions that I could have offered. I came to understand how difficult it must be for any refugee to live  in a nursing home, isolated and with no family to talk to or lean on.

Tara is a woman in her early 70’s who is overweight and suffers from swollen legs and feet. As a result, it is very difficult for her to walk, or even to stand up. Now I can understand how important it is for her to meet people as most of her time is spent lying on the bed, alone in her room, all day.

Despite the language barrier, I’ve realized that the presence of another person who will try to connect with her and show her care holds  more value than any spoken words or conversation could ever do. This is why I decided to continue visiting Tara without being too preoccupied with the difficulties in our verbal communication and offering instead a ministry of presence – a way  to give witness to the compassion of Jesus. By consistently showing up, I can let her know that she is not alone and someone genuinely cares for her.

This week, I visited  Tara again and she looked much better. Without words, I gently massaged her hands and legs, a simple yet meaningful gesture to express my care. It reminded me of the saying, “Preach everywhere you go and, if necessary, use words.”