Sixty years in service to God

Sister Mary Germaine Nakandi

When I called her for directions to St Mathias Kalemba S.S Nazigo convent in Kayunga District where she stays, she sounded jolly, hospitable, friendly, and loving.

When I met her, I found that at 79 years, Sister Mary Germaine Nakandi still stands straight and firm. She has chosen to be chaste, decent, obedient and poor but joyfully serve the Lord. She recently celebrated 60 years of this commitment.

The other Sisters have become her family, so much so that when her mother died when she was abroad, they buried her. Sr Nakandi so far manages to live and work harmoniously with this family. She also considers herself married woman since 1966 when she got a commitment ring that shows complete allegiance to serving God.

Getting into the vocation
Her motivation to be a nun was inspired by her father. “All the time, my father read me scriptures and always talked to me about serving the Lord, encouraging me to join nuns,” she recounts.

Beside her father’s influence, Sr Nakandi had a cousin who was a nun at Namilyango Convent so she thought it would be a good idea to go and be with her. In 1950, while she was 12 years old she joined the Little Sisters of St Francis led by the Franciscan Mothers with the Mother Kevin as their founder.

“Our founder was very kind. Although I was young and had not learnt anything, she did not send me away. However, I had to stay longer during the training but I was fine with it because I had passion for serving God.”
For anyone to join the nuns, she must have completed at least Senior Four or have some qualification but should not be married or have a child. It took three years for Sr Nakandi to complete the aspirancy level, which usually takes a year.

“During this time, it was basically about participating in the prayer and life at the convent. This helped me to make an initial evaluation of the vocation, while allowing other Sisters to know me.”

The training takes five years but she spent seven years to go through aspirancy, postulancy and novitiate levels until she was a professed Sister in 1957 when she was 19 years. At this stage, she could have returned to the world per the convent regulations but Sr Nakandi chose church over life in the world.

No regrets for this nun
In 1966, she was given a ring that meant she was not going out of the service into the world. “The ring shows I am married and committed to God,” explains the Sister.

“As nuns, we live a peaceful life but are responsible for others and while we go to work in the different places, we are paid but the money goes to the convent treasury and it is from this fund that many other Sisters are educated and cared for because they have no source of money.”

Sr Nakandi feels that the greatest achievement in her life is being where she is. She has never regretted being a nun because all the things she desired to be, she has been.

“I don’t think I would have wanted to give birth because it was not my choice,” she explains about children and family, adding that she prefers the life she chose because she is happy with who she is.

“If I had not been a nun, maybe I would be a married teacher. I feel very special because it is not easy to be in service for 60 years. Many of the Sisters drop out while others die. I remember in 1957, we were 18 Sisters who were professed but only three of us have remained,” she says.

What it takes to be a nun
In the convent, nuns live in unity, and prayer, focused on keeping the rules of chastity, poverty and obedience. To join the vocation, you must have completed Senior Four, have produced no child and be less than 30 years old.

“Most of us are virgins when we join the convent though this is dependent on when you join,” adds Sr Nakandi. “We don’t have families to take care of but instead are taken care of.”

Where some have given up
The biggest temptation about being a nun is missing the pleasures in the world to which many nuns have fallen according to Sr Nakandi.

“I don’t think being a nun is for everyone. It is a calling for the chosen. Someone may be called but not chosen. These usually fall back into the world while those that are chosen persevere and stay in the service of God.”

Although nuns work in different places where they are paid, the money goes to the convent treasury from which fund many other Sisters are educated and cared for since they are committed to living in poverty.
Sr Nakandi’s education and training has for instance been facilitated from this treasury. Putting back her salary she earns as a teacher has been her way of giving back so other Sisters can benefit from it. Thus is the way of life in the convent.

Background
Sr Nakandi was born Maria Antonia in 1938 to Francis Kikomeko and Uleria Namakula in what is now Seeta in Mukono District, in a family of seven children who are all deceased. She became Mary Germaine when she joined the convent. Her late father badly wanted her to become a nun.

After being professed as a Sister, she trained as a Grade II and later Grade III teacher. She also has an associate degree majoring in music and philosophy from Lewis University, and
Master of Arts degree in Teaching from Niagara University in the US.

In 1980, she went to Italy and Israel for study tours.
“I underwent agriculture training at Kabarole and was able to set up a farm in Kitende from which Nsambya Secondary School is fed,” narrates the Sister.

Teacher service
The Sister has taught in the following schools over the years;
• Budaka Primary School, 1960
• Mulagi Primary School in Tororo, 1961- 1963.
• Pallisa and Kumi Primary Schools until 1966.
• St Agnes Primary School Naggalama as a head teacher,1968
• St Joseph Primary School Nsambya 1971 -1973
• Budaka Primary School, 1974 - 1980.
• Sancta Maria as a teacher trainer
• Bukedea Teacher Training Schools as the principal until 1994.
• Ngola Teacher Training College as a senior principal tutor.