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| Sister Cristina Evelina Gal poses with children from multicultural backgrounds in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province in this undated photo. Courtesty of Sister Cristina Evelina Gal |
By Lee Hyo-jin
Romanian nun, Sister Cristina Evelina Gal, has been awarded with Korean citizenship after her 15 years of dedication to supporting immigrants and refugees in the country.
"I feel so grateful. I was very surprised to hear that I was selected as the awardee. I didn't expect to be rewarded for fulfilling my duty, helping those in need," the 46-year-old nun said during a phone interview with The Korea Times.
Sister Gal was among three foreign religious activists selected by the Ministry of Justice earlier in February as "special contributors," in recognition for their years-long contributions to Korean society.
While it is mandatory for naturalized Korean citizens to renounce their existing citizenship, the awardees are granted the privilege of dual citizenship.
When Sister Gal was dispatched to Korea in 2007 by the Missionary Sister Servants of the Holy Spirit, she didn't speak any Korean nor was familiar with the culture, which made her feel isolated.
"The only things I could say in Korean were 'hello' and 'thank you.' Since I'm a foreigner, people preferred to consult with Korean nuns," she said.
After learning Korean, she served at a shelter for migrants in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province for over a year and then moved to Anyang shelter in the province, where she helped migrant workers, marriage immigrants and their children for over eight years.
She took care of the children who were left to fend for themselves, supported marriage migrants who were suffering from domestic violence and helped foreign workers facing unfair treatment.
"Receiving delayed payments is one of the most frequently experienced hardships among migrant workers who do not speak Korean fluently," said Sister Gal. "They also face difficulties in visiting hospitals not only because of this language barrier, but also due to a lack of money."
She still remembers a Cambodian migrant worker who used to work on a farm in Anyang, who was forced to work despite being seriously ill.
"She was very sick when she came to us, and was diagnosed with an acute disease requiring dialysis. It was so sad that she had felt unable to come forward and receive more timely treatment," recalled Sister Gal.
The worker was able to return to her home country through a fundraising campaign, but Sister Gal hasn't heard from her ever since.
On Christmas in 2017, Sister Gal moved to the Diocese of Jeju island in the southern part of the country, where she offered concrete help for asylum seekers from Yemen the following year.
In 2018, about 500 Yemenis who fled from a civil war in their home country arrived on Jeju seeking refugee status, but were met by a fierce public backlash.
Sister Gal arranged temporary housing for them, while helping them go through screenings in cooperation with the immigration authorities.
"The hostile sentiment was discouraging for the Yemenis who sought to begin a new life here. We should keep in mind that every one of us can become a refugee at any point in our lives..."
She also expressed hopes that Afghan children in Ulsan, who are currently unable to attend public school due to protests from some Korean parents, would be accepted immediately. She believes that cultural and language differences should not be a concern for the young children who are more open to new environments.
"In 2018, about 10 Yemeni children were able to study with Korean children. By hanging out with their peers, they were able to easily adapt to school life, and the progress they showed in Korean language development was amazing," she said.
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