I’m looking through photos from the past year. Today, a picture of Mary Magdalene in her mother’s arms is our Bethlehem. The little girl owes her life — and that embrace — to the Sisters in Kasisi. She might never have been born because of fear, loneliness, and a lack of hope.

“I wanted a baby hatch to be opened in Kasisi. I wanted everyone to know that an unwanted child is wanted here and will be loved,” Sister Mariola recalls.

Some time ago, Sister Mariola reached out to abortion clinics. She did not campaign, protest, or condemn anyone. She came with a concrete proposal. To the women who were willing to give her a moment of their time, she promised she would listen, offer a safe space, help them, and cover the costs of prenatal visits. At first, they would burst into laughter — defying their fear — but when they realized that the Sister was truly on their side, the mood would change. It turned out that when a woman, lost in an ocean of thoughts and fears, feels loved, embraced, and safe, life suddenly tastes different.

Mary Magdalene’s mother felt safe. She made an arrangement with Sister Mariola: after giving birth, she would leave the child in Kasisi and start rebuilding her life from scratch. They would expect nothing more from each other. She promised to keep her word. Between labor contractions, she dialed the Sister’s number.

“She’s about to be born. What would you like to name her? You decide. She will be your child.”

“Name her Mary Magdalene,” she heard over the phone.

The baby was born. We were waiting for her in Kasisi, but after the delivery, something began to change. Mary Magdalene and her mother fell into each other’s arms and did not want to part.

“I’ve changed my mind,” the young woman said through tears. She was slowly beginning to see herself as a mother — and as a happy person.

Today, both of them are at Kasisi. The young mother works there full-time — as an aunty. She feeds, changes, and plays with the little ones. And she never parts from Mary Magdalene.

She once believed that happiness would come through a very different decision. She was afraid to carry the weight of responsibility and past wounds she had not forgiven. Thanks to Sister Mariola, she did not harm her daughter — or herself.

More Christmas miracles like this happen in Kasisi. It is a privilege to witness these new wonders. The patience, care, and immense love of the Sisters truly have the power to change everything.

Mateusz Gasiński