Sister Henriette Lowere from the Missionaries of Christ the King in Montreal recently returned from seven impactful years in Benin, where the congregation has been actively serving the community. Operating in Iganfan and Dassa-Zoumè, the Missionaries of Christ the King are committed to holistic community development — managing a house, a health centre and a school.

As a nurse, Sister Henriette managed a health center in Dassa-Zoumè without government support, offering essential care to address various health issues, including malaria and critical pregnancies. The center, founded and sustained by missionaries, fills a vital healthcare gap. Additionally, the congregation provides pastoral care, supported by local priests, offering training sessions on topics like Christian family building, conflict resolution, financial management, and health education. In 2020, the missionaries opened a bilingual school in Calavi, catering to approximately 200 students.

“The people of Benin are very welcoming and friendly – I learned a lot from them, especially patience, listening and acceptance of others without judgment,” said Sister Lowere. “Seeing the suffering of the sick and the poor made me see Christ suffering in humanity. This brought me closer to the people. I found great comfort every time a child I cared for awoke from a coma, or recovered from illness, or someone got back on their feet after some trial.”

Sister Lowere’s experience in Benin highlights the joy we feel when we unite ourselves to a living, inter-connected and mutually-supportive family — in so many ways, this is the same family to which we also belong.