Hi my name is Stephanie Koch and it is with great joy that I write to you today thanking the Lord for you. I hope this letter finds you well and filled with God’s blessings.

I am writing today to share with you about my life as a second year applicant with the Servants of the Cross in Ottawa, Ontario. First, some background. I joined the Servants of the Cross on September 5, 2007. My first year as an applicant was spent living in community, receiving regular formation through talks and testimonies, daily communal and personal prayer, ministry, and part-time work. It was a busy year but I found that there was a peaceful rhythm to everyday.

In the first few months, I struggled with homesickness, for I had never been so far away from home for so long. However, going home for a couple of weeks at Christmas helped and I was able to enter in better during the second half of the year.One of the biggest lessons I have learned through my first year was how to anticipate my sisters’ needs and how to love and serve them in humility.

As an applicant, I had a two-month summer break following my first year and was blessed to be able to return to Saskatchewan for that time. I was also fortunate to find work three days a week at a nearby bee farm – and I only got stung 10 times! When I wasn’t working, I was able to spend lots of quality time with family and friends and to take some time to relax by enjoying the wide open spaces, waving wheat fields, and walks down our quiet back roads.

My time at home helped me to rejuvenate and prepare for my second year as an applicant. The break also helped me realize how much I love the community of sisters I live with and the vocation that the Lord has called me to live and, so, on September 2, 2008, I said goodbye to my family again and returned to Ottawa to begin my second year as an applicant. Even though I was sad to leave, my heart was filled with joy and anticipation for what the Lord has in store for me.

Our community grew again this past September as we were joined by two new applicants, making our house very cozy indeed. While being five women in one house can be trying sometimes, especially having only two bathrooms, I enjoy having a full house. We are definitely getting to know each other well and growing in sisterly bonds of friendship. We also have a lot of fun together - many are the nights around the supper table when we will break out into hysterical laughter as we share about our days and experiences. In addition, we are constantly learning how to be open and real with each other, holding each other accountable and serving each sister with the love of Christ.

Similar to last year, my life here in community is busy and I have been learning a lot about finding balance in each day and learning to “BE” present in each moment, not letting temporal cares and concerns distract me or consume me.

Every morning, except for Fridays and Sundays, we gather in our prayer room for 6:00 a.m. morning prayer, we then go to the adoration chapel at St. Mary’s church (a Companions of the Cross parish, which is only a fifteen minute walk from our house) for an hour of personal prayer. After adoration, we attend Mass and our work-day commences, differently for all of us, but we are back together at our house for 5:00 p.m. evening prayer followed by supper.

On Mondays and Thursdays I go to work for a Catholic family as an administrative assistant. It takes about 45 minutes on the bus to get to my destination so there is plenty of time to pray my rosary, read Philosophy or chat with the person next to me. I spend my day doing office work and booking appointments, and, in between, I help with housework and caring for two of the family’s five little boys - they are adorable.

In addition to work, I am also a student, so on Tuesdays I go to school at Dominican College. I am taking a course called Introduction to Philosophy and, even though it is only one course, there sure is a lot of reading to do. However, I quite enjoy Philosophy which is fortunate as it is required that each of us get a degree in Philosophy and Theology, as part of our formation to equip us to fulfill our mission of evangelization.

Wednesdays I spend the day at a local drop-in center called Our Lady of His Mercy Center. It is a beautiful place where we serve lunch, pray with, and most importantly listen to those who walk through the door. Often, the people who come to the centre are the destitute, the addicted, the prostitute, and the homeless. We offer these suffering ones the love of Christ and I find that it is one of the highlights of my week, to meet Jesus in each of these broken and hungry brothers and sisters.

On Fridays we spend the day in silence, fasting and prayer as a community. It is a welcome opportunity for me to stop for awhile, really be still and listen to the Lord. Even if I have to clean or study on Fridays it is done in a prayerful, silent fashion. Every other Friday night I help out with a Young Adults Group that the sisters coordinate. I am assigned to lead music which is something I love to do.

The weekends, Saturdays and Sundays, are often busy with grocery shopping, laundry, cleaning, visiting, and social gatherings. However, one Saturday a month we have what we call a family day when we do something extra special and fun together as a community of sisters. One family day we went mini golfing and it was so much fun.

I truly believe that the Lord has called me to this community and with that knowledge I find that I am able to come alive within this family of sisters. I am not only learning a lot about myself but I am growing in my relationship with others and with Jesus. There is a deep peace and joy within me to know that I am living in God’s will and as I enter more fully into my life here, I am seeing the Lord’s grace working in and through me in many different ways. Yes, there have been struggles and daily crosses but as I die to my old self, the new life God is giving me can spring up and I can live in a new freedom and truth. I am constantly learning to let go and let God and He is forever reminding me to trust in Him for He is caring for my every need.

Please pray for me as I continue this journey in pursuing religious life and my first temporary promises. Be assured that I will keep you in my prayers as well. Thank you again and God bless!