At the Heart of Ministry Is Relationship

As a Dominican of Sinsinawa sister, relationships are very important to me. We were meant to engage in and form healthy relationships. I have been involved in campus ministry for almost two years and during this time I have seen the necessity and relevance of relationships. Campus ministry is mainly about me forming healthy relationships with the students and them with me. One of the ways that I try to do this, is by ‘hanging out’ or as we would say in Trinidad ‘liming’ with the students. I would usually try to do this either before or after an event or whenever students are around. I have been privileged to share in spiritual direction and group spiritual direction with some students. This is a very enjoyable and humbling experience for me. It is a humbling experience because someone trusts me enough that they are willing to share their life experiences and challenges with me. I am inspired in my ministry by the goodness, deep faith and trust in God by the students. I am continuously given hope and courage for the future and my life has been enriched and changed by the students that I encounter in my ministry.

Sr. Lystra Long, OP
University of the West Indies, St. Augustine. Trinidad & Tobago