by Sister Alicia Alambra FMM

It was a call that scared me. I did not know what awaited me and it meant giving up all my plans in the Philippines. I was at that time working as Assistant to the Provincial Treasurer and doing chaplaincy to university students. But I was finally persuaded and hooked. It was April 1989 and my provincial was greatly worried that a missionary bound for Bolivia-Chile could not make it for health reasons. I volunteered to replace her and the great journey began in my life.

By: Fr. Arsenio Redulla

Arsenio (Dodong) Redulla, a Diocesan priest from the Diocese of Iligan, volunteered to work with the Columbans for three years. He was appointed to Chile. Subsequently, he decided to stay on for another three years. Here shares a little of his Chilean odyssey.

Off to Chile

From 1983 to 1989 I work as a volunteer missionary priest with the Columban Fathers in the Diocese of Iquique, Chile, South America.

Iquique

Iquique is a port city in the north Chile; it is about 2000 kilometers from the city Santiago, the capital of Chile. The Diocese of Iquique comprises the parishes within the city itself and the villages on the pre- Cordillera of Los Andes. Cordillera refers to the mountain ranges. There are around 60 villages which belong to the Diocese. The population varies; five to 50 families may live in the village.