Sister Barbara Jean Wajda Follows in the Footsteps of Mother Mariame.
After eight years at Saint Francis School (SFS) in Manoa Valley and two years at St. Joseph School in Hilo, Sister Barbara Jean Wajda has taken a new step in her path of following God: one that strays away from teaching. She felt blessed to have shared in the lives of the students she taught while at SFS. However, she questioned “Have I been answering the call of God in my life?”
For Sister Barbara Jean, this second retirement came at a time when she had been asking herself, “God, where do you want me to be and what do you want me to do?”
Throughout her time as a Franciscan follower she says, “I had always been drawn to be in Kalaupapa [Moloka’i]; where I would be able to follow in the footsteps of Mother Marianne and help serve those most in need.”
As Sister was heading towards her 75th birthday, a realization came upon her. She said, “I kept hearing this call over the last few years, and finally, the path became clear.”
Although there were some nerves about going to Kalaupapa, Sister Barbara Jean knew that this was the time to contribute to the Kalaupapa ministry. She said,“I can do this with God’s help at this stage of my life. I can bring the presence of God to this holy place, and hopefully come nearer to God and God’s people in the process.” She is excited to start her new ministry.
While in Kalaupapa, Sister Barbara Jean hopes to accomplish many things. She hopes to spread the word of Mother Marianne Cope in a number of ways.
Sister Barbara Jean has been keeping in touch with Sister Joan of Arc Souza, in hopes of arranging a trip for some teachers to have an educational workshop in Kalaupapa. The idea is to prepare students [over the age of 16] to take a service/field trip as well.
Sister Barbara Jean has developed an interest in Marine Biology. She also wants to works as a National Park Service volunteer, Wajda says, “Some possibilities include giving tour information to visitors; grounds upkeep around St. Elizabeth Convent and St. Marianne’s gravesite; work in the archives; photography; work in the common garden; collaborating with the naturalist. I’ll have to wait and see what the possibilities are.”
Sister Barbara Jean is excited for what her new life has to offer. She said that teaching again may or may not be in her future.
We wish Sister Barbara Jean the best of luck and can’t wait to see her back at Saint Francis School again.
Sister Barbara Jean said, “This is an exciting new adventure in which I will be able to use creativity, past skills and new insights to continue a ministry of service to God’s people.”
