Sister Gisela: Her Great Act for Humanity

In this modern era, how many people have the total spirit to service the community, for nothing. There are some, even these people give all time, thoughts, costs and even his/her life for the sake of humanity. Gisela Borowka is one of them. Here is her story.

Sister Gisela has dedicated her life to help others. She has followed her Lord Jesus’ teaching that compassion should be for all people, not only for rich people, special race, special status or privilege.

Gisela Borowka was born in Neisse, Germany, on August 25, 1934. When she was a little girl she read a biography of a Belgian Catholic missionary Damian de Veuster, who cared for leprosy victims in Hawaii. Pastor Damian de Veuster SSCC was sent to Hawaii in 1863. At that time, the leprosy victims were ostracised to Molokai Island, one of island in Hawaii. Around the beach of Molokai island there were always great and dangerous waves so ship could not anchor in the port. The leprosy victim was thrown out to the sea, and they had to swim to reach the island. Sooner or later they would die because nobody care them and there was no medicine for them. Pastor Damian offered himself to be sent to Molokai Island in other he took care the leprosy victims. Damian lived in the island for 16 years. He was infected by the leprosy and died. He is then known as Leprosy Hero from Molokai. This biography had a great impact on Gisela Borowka’s life. She then registered herself to become a leprosy nurse in Wuerzburg.

Missionsaertztliche, Wuerzburg, Germany, 1953. She was 17 years old when she was training to become a maternity nurse in Weimar in East Germany. Gisela Borowka wanted to work for the Catholic church – and that wasn’t easy in communist country like East Germany. In her training she met Isabella Diaz Gonzales, her roommate who told her that there were so many leprosy victims in her origin East Flores in Indonesia. Gisela promised Isabella to help her to care the leprosy victims in East Flores.

In 1958-1962 Gisela cared the leprosy victims in Ethiopia, Africa. She had been enjoying her task, but then she received Isabella’s letter asking Gisela to help her in East Flores. Then she remembered her promise to Isabella. Gisela told the church that she was ready to be sent to Indonesia, but the people of her church disagreed, they said Indonesia is a very far distance from Germany and there was no transportation to go there, except the cargo ship. It didn’t stop Gisela to reach her goal. Gisela was boarding the cargo ship and sailed to Indonesia, she was on the sea journey for three months, together with cargoes.