2018 Carondelet Magazine - English

Solidarity on the Bus
BY MEYLING ELIASH-DANESHFAR
It was a bright spring morning in Encino, California when Sister Maggy
Nava boarded the Access minibus to go to her job as a volunteer
chaplain at Providence Tarzana Medical Center. She had started her
day with her usual morning prayers and conversations with Jesus, with
special emphasis on the poor.
A few minutes after boarding,
she was seated in her favorite
seat by the window, when a
white woman in her 40s began
shouting at her from across
the aisle: “Stupid old lady; go
back to Mexico!” Shocked and
embarrassed, Sister Maggy’s
only reaction was to stay quiet.
As the woman repeated her
words, none of the other eight
passengers said anything. Still
in shock, Sister Maggy stood up
as the bus neared her bus stop.
“All I was able to say was ‘thank
you.’” Sister recalls.
Sadly, the incident occurred
again on the same bus two
weeks later.
“Her words did not hurt me
personally. I felt sad because of
my people,” says Sister Maggy.
“For all the Latinos and other
immigrants who face similar and
ever worse situations every day.
The sadness did not leave me
for many weeks.”
Sister Maggy was able to move
on after the woman’s actions
through prayer, meditation and
compassion. Yet the suffering
of people who are treated
similarly never leaves her
heart. “I wish everyone could
understand that people migrate
for different reasons. Some
leave their homes, family and
friends to find peace and job
opportunities; others, because
they are being politically
persecuted or to avoid being
forced to cooperate with
narco-traffickers and even
human traffickers.”
When asked how we can
fight hatred and prejudice,
Sister replies “It is hard. For
me, forgiving and finding joy
wherever I am; not taking insults
to heart. Praying for the person
trying to offend or hurt me,
moves me into a place of faith
in that our Lord will plant the
seed of love in their hearts.”
Sister Maggy Nava, CSJ
“For all the
Latinos and other
immigrants who
face similar and
ever worse
situations every
day. The sadness
did not leave me
for many weeks.”
18 CARONDELET