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"During my Peace Corps service some years ago, I was teaching computer literacy at a teachers college in a dangerous part of Kingston, the capital city of Jamaica. The school was administered by a small, determined band of Franciscan nuns. They were hardworking and often had a twinkle in their eyes. In addition to the college, they ran several other schools in the area. I noticed right away the respect the students had for the sisters. They were kind, generous, savvy, and strong. They ran a tight ship. They made sure the grounds were beautiful. They raised money for scholarships. They raised money for the sparkling new computer lab where I would be teaching. They did a lot of good, not just for the school but for the community.
When one of the elderly sisters had to run an errand one day, she took me along. I don’t recall the errand, but that day will forever be etched in my mind. We drove into a dangerous Kingston community, Trench Town, where Bob Marley was from. Trench Town was run by drug dons, and gunmen were posted every few blocks to keep rival gangs out. It was so dangerous that US Marines posted at the embassy nearby received hazard pay.
As our van rounded a street corner, suddenly a gang member with a gun walked into the middle of the road and stopped us. I tried to stay calm. He was a large man with a fierce expression. The sister seemed to know him, and she gave him a lecture about how drugs were destroying the community and urged him to get out of the business. Not making me feel any calmer, the petite sister shook her finger in his face as she scolded him. Yet he listened attentively, looked at his shoes and nodded, then waved us through. I realized he respected her.
Not only did this little band of nuns manage to help the college survive – they helped it thrive – in the midst of a poverty-ridden and dangerous community. They did not accept the status quo of poorly run educational institutions. They were always making things better for the student, whether landing a grant for a brand new computer lab, applying for an getting a Peace Corps volunteer as a computer literacy instruction, or making the grounds more beautiful. They were restless and constantly innovating.
Thanks to the generosity of sisters like these, generations of students have gained a quality education. Those trained by the teachers college have graduated to teach classrooms of their own across Jamaica, paying it forward. How many lives, I wondered have they impacted? Speaking for myself, the opportunity to work closely with them and learn from them had an impact on my life and career choices. Though seemingly small, these sisters were a force. They challenged the status quo. I will never forget them."
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