In a corner of North Africa, where the Mediterranean meets the desert sands and cultural diversity challenges those who choose to build bridges, lives Sister María José, Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul. A nurse by profession and a missionary by vocation, she has spent over two decades sharing her life with the most vulnerable in Tunisia: single women rejected by society, immigrant mothers with young children, and communities where human dignity must be defended daily through silent presence, closeness, and service.

In this interview, originally published in “Tu Misión al Día,” the magazine of the NGO COVIDE-AMVE, Sister María José opens her heart with simplicity and conviction. She speaks about her vocational calling, the cultural contrasts between Europe and the Maghreb, her deep commitment to Vincentian values, and the often harsh yet hope-filled reality of living in a country where being a foreigner, a woman, and a religious is, in itself, a mission.

Beyond facts and projects — of which there are many — this conversation gives us a glimpse into an incarnated spirituality, one that becomes presence among those who suffer most and seeks each day to be the face of a provident God, not through grand gestures but with a quiet strength that transforms. A story that challenges, inspires, and invites commitment.

Below, the full interview.

Q: Welcome back to Spain! How have your first few days been? Have you noticed much difference compared to Tunisia?

A: Yes, there’s definitely a big difference. You really can’t compare two countries that are so completely distinct. Just take something as simple as the cleanliness of the streets. What we understand by cleanliness isn’t perceived the same way there. When people from Tunisia visit European countries, they’re often amazed: “Wow, everything is so clean! So orderly! People actually stop at crosswalks and obey traffic lights…” There’s a clear sense of order here, which simply doesn’t exist over there.

Q: When, how, and where did you first feel called to become a missionary and dedicate your life to the most vulnerable?

A: There wasn’t a specific time or place I could point to. But I can say—though it would be a long story—that even as a young child I was drawn to the poor. I grew up in a small village where you could say we were either all rich or all poor—it was hard to tell. But I remember being captivated by the lives of the saints whenever I read about them. Perhaps the defining moment came when my parents enrolled me in a school run by the Daughters of Charity. In the school library, I came across comic-style biographies of St. Vincent de Paul and St. Louise de Marillac. I was very young, but those little books planted a seed—especially the life of St. Vincent. I was deeply moved by how his vocation developed and how completely he gave himself to the poor. I’ve always said: I think it was St. Vincent who “caught” me.

Q: What was your first impression when you arrived in Tunisia? Has that changed over time?

A: I arrived in Tunisia full of hope. My dream had always been to serve in sub-Saharan Africa, especially in Rwanda. That dream almost came true—my superior at the time actually assigned me to Rwanda. But due to a serious illness, the mission had to be canceled. I was devastated, and for a long time I had to accept the painful reality that I couldn’t go to a traditional mission country.

After two years of inner struggle, I came to terms with staying in Spain. But God works in mysterious ways. Through a series of unexpected events, I ended up requesting to serve in North Africa. There had been a call for nurses—nurses unafraid to face challenges. I was a trained nurse, specialized in tropical diseases, and I wasn’t afraid. So I fit the profile and was sent to Tunisia. Because of my previous loss, I arrived with great enthusiasm. And honestly, that sense of mission has never changed. I’m still grateful for the path God has chosen for me.

Photo: COVIDE-AMVE. Sister Mª Rosario Sillero, national director of COVIDE-AMVE, and Sister Mª José talk about joint projects in Tunisia.

Q: What does a typical day look like in your missionary life there?

A: Every day is different. As you may know, in countries like Tunisia we can’t run our own institutions, so there’s not much structure. I mainly work with single mothers, which is a very sensitive issue in this cultural context, and also with immigrant women—especially those who arrive with children but without a father. Some days we accompany them to the hospital or provide other support. There’s no fixed routine, but we do have a rhythm: we begin the day with morning prayer and Lauds in community, followed by breakfast, and then head out for our activities.

Q: What are the main challenges you face in your work?

A: The biggest challenge is the way society rejects these women. That’s probably the hardest part. And when it comes to immigrants, the issue is that they have no legal recognition. Tunisia has no government body that protects migrants. The only organization allowed to work with them is the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Through the IOM, we receive women from sub-Saharan Africa who are in need of shelter and protection. These women are extremely vulnerable—on the street, the police can stop them at any time, and they’re often treated harshly. That’s a huge challenge.

Q: So your two main projects are focused on single mothers and immigrants?

A: Yes, though really it’s one and the same. The IOM refers women to the shelter we work with—but the shelter isn’t ours. We can’t legally own or run any institutions as Daughters of Charity in Tunisia. The only recognized legal entity is the bishop. Some schools are owned by the diocese, which has legal status thanks to the country’s past as a French protectorate. These schools have been preserved and are allowed to continue operating. But outside the educational sector, we don’t have that right.

So if we want to keep working with vulnerable populations, we must collaborate with local associations. That’s why we partner with AMED and another association that supports abandoned children and difficult family situations. Often the work overlaps—for instance, many of the single mothers end up placing their children temporarily in social care centers while they search for jobs or stabilize their situation.

“This is the beautiful part: knowing there are systems in place that truly serve vulnerable families.”

Q: Do you have any new projects coming up?

A: Yes, one of the projects I’ve submitted is a computer skills workshop in a neighborhood where we’ve worked for many years. In fact, the neighborhood grew alongside us. Ours was one of the first houses there. The sisters lived in that community for a long time, but eventually we had to leave due to a lack of vocations. Still, we never abandoned the neighborhood. Now we’re involved through a local association.

A major project in the pipeline is to purchase a piece of land with a house. The association I work with wants to set up not only emergency housing for mothers—both Tunisian and immigrant—but also a training center. It would be a kind of living unit where women could learn to care for the elderly, or for babies at home if they’re not ready for daycare, or for people with disabilities. It’s not just for the poor—there are women of all backgrounds. There are also cooking and sewing classes, and specialized workshops for vulnerable women. Many of them are divorced and left to raise their children alone. They need training so they can support their families.

Q: What kind of help do you need most right now?

A: Right now, the most urgent need is financial support to purchase the land and house for the association. That would allow us to create a stable place to run these training programs for women in vulnerable situations.

Q: How do you live out and share the Vincentian message in your community?

A: Our Vincentian mission is to live out values like humility, simplicity, and love for the poor. We work with deeply marginalized groups where women have almost no social status. When someone from the outside—especially a foreigner, whom they assume is wealthy—walks into their home, sits on the floor with them, eats with them… it means everything. That’s how we live out Vincentian values: by approaching the poor in a way that never makes them feel “less than.” They see you as one of them.

Q: Recently, the Tunisian government has made it harder for NGOs working with immigrants. Has this affected you?

A: Thankfully, not directly. The association we work with operates in coordination with the IOM and AMED, so it has the government’s support and legal backing.

Q: Climate change is one of the most urgent issues of our time. Have you seen its effects in Tunisia?

A: Absolutely. Tunisia is a Mediterranean country, so in many ways we share the same climate as Spain. But since I first arrived in 2002, the changes have been dramatic. Back then, the real heat came in July and August, and September was more tolerable. Now, intense heat begins in June and lasts through mid-September. Winters have also changed—from minimum temperatures of 0 to 5°C, we now have lows of 13 to 15°C. This past winter, for example, we only had about three truly cold days. And rain has become irregular—autumn used to bring reliable rainfall, but this year we only had sporadic rain in November and December. Even so, water restrictions were already in place—something I’d never seen before.

Q: Finally, what message would you like to share with all those who have supported your mission in Tunisia?

A: First of all, a heartfelt thank you. Your support has made a real difference. And second, I hope you’ll continue walking alongside us. Whether we’re Christians or not, we are all called to be in solidarity with one another—regardless of origin or religion. When you support an NGO, you can trust that every single cent goes toward that mission. Nothing is wasted. In fact, we like to say that when you give one cent, we stretch it into four. It’s a gift, like what Jesus did. And that’s the beauty of it: knowing that these efforts really do benefit vulnerable families.

Source: Magazine “Tu Misión al día”, published by the NGO COVIDE-AMVE, special issue 2, first half of the year 2025.
Visit the COVIDE-AMVE website, in Spanish: https://covideamve.org/