Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Dora Estela Tupil May. I am from San Juan Chamerco, Alta Verapaz. My native language is Maya Kechi and I identify myself as an indigenous Mayan woman. I am currently serving a mission in Carpino, Puglia, Italy. I am a member of the religious family of the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus under the protection of St. Joseph.
I would like to briefly share my experience of consecrated life and my commitment to national, cultural, and linguistic diversity. In addition to my home country of Guatemala, I have served a mission in Mexico, El Salvador, and am currently in Italy. It is a rich blessing for me to be able to share with joy and enthusiasm the talents and gifts that God has given me.
The strength to face the unknown comes from deep within my being as a woman, always trusting in God. Even in my empty life, I am always guided by the will of Jesus with hope. In our spirituality as Maya Q’eqchi, we call it the heart of heaven and the heart of earth, as my ancestors, my grandparents, taught me. This connection surrounds me with harmony and inspires me to share who I am and what I have with my brothers from other cultures and countries. The inherent power of being a Mayan woman lights the way for me to be diverse where I am.
Who have I shared these years with on a pastoral and missionary level? I have been involved in ministry to children, youth, families, and women. This can be described as a triple service: prophetic, liturgical, and social. Collaboration is key during these stages of the mission. I have learned a lot by working with lay people, religious, and priests. I am a partner in change with a generous heart, able to live with people, carry their pain, connect with their personal experiences, empowered to feel, act, share and think critically. I did.
What should I say in the face of this richness that I have received from all of you? There are many words and thoughts, but the real testimony is in the hearts of my brothers and sisters in the places I visit. On this journey, I encountered not only hearts filled with joy and hope, but also hearts filled with pain. Every word is sacred, so listen with all your heart. Every story is sacred ground. By listening to a person’s story, we can share the essence and depth of that person and cultivate the mission entrusted to them by God.
The values that have supported my mission are prayer, the Eucharist, meditation on God’s Word, moments of silence, spiritual discipline, discernment, and community life. At the same time, reality constantly asks me to balance thought, will, and community decisions to strengthen all aspects of the human condition. Background, socio-cultural environment, and the richness and potential of every human being help me grow as they foster relationships and behavioral patterns in every aspect of my being as a Mayan woman. Interactions with other peoples, cultures, languages and nations have enriched my travels.
The lives of martyrs, catechists, women and men are all about protecting and cherishing life with generous dedication, remaining silent in the face of violence and injustice, in order to become true disciples of Jesus. It teaches me what not to do.
The diverse faces of children, young people, women and men are impossible to describe or explain. I discover in them the living and active presence of God, and I resolve to be creative and innovative in my ways of being and thinking, and not to fall into the trap of the moment of immediacy and efficiency. I am deepening my spirituality. The greatest need today is simply to be. This experience is challenging, demanding, and anxiety-provoking, but it inspires me to live my life with meaning.
Today’s reality urges me to remain steadfast, with my feet firmly planted on the ground and my heart filled with the spirit of wisdom. Although the reality may seem difficult, I open my heart, eyes, and ears wide and trust in the heart of God, who approaches me with tenderness and supports and guides my life and my mission every day. You are asked to put the .
This path I have walked gives me the courage to move forward with more courage. The worries and difficulties I encounter during my missions make me stronger and help me grow both personally and spiritually.
All of this is possible because of the gift of God as my father and mother and the energy I receive from him every day.
This article was originally published in Spanish on November 17, 2023.