I am Sister Priscilla Chinedu Onwuka, a native of Umuaro Umunumo in  Imo State, Nigeria.  I come from a family of 10, four sisters and three brothers and my mother and father.  I am the second born and second daughter.

I got to know the School Sisters of Notre Dame through one of my spiritual directors, who is a monk.  I have never met him as we only communicate through letter writing.  When I told him my intention of joining the religious life, he directed me to the SSNDs through Sister Virginia Brien, an American who was working in Nigeria at that time.  I wrote to her and she invited me to come and see how they lived, and I went.  Their warm welcome encouraged me to join them.

When I entered in 1990 I already had my first degree and since then have earned my masters degree in guidance and counseling.  All my life I have been a teacher, both in primary and secondary schools.  Presently, I am at Our Lady of Apostles Girls College in Akwanga in Nasarawa State of Nigeria.  We are only two sisters in a school with a population of 946 students.  The school had been taken over from the Catholic mission by the government, and five years ago it was returned to the Catholic mission.  Sister Bernadette Amimi, SSND, recently became the principal.

Right now, my counseling office is in one of the classrooms, which is not conducive for either individual or group counseling.  We are trying to manage with this for now as there are more urgent needs at the school such as the need for toilets, laboratories, assembly hall, chapel and even a convent.  Right now the two of us are staying in just three rooms, not enough space to have more sisters come to help.

I like visiting and interacting with people, especially our students and staff.  At times I find it difficult because the population of the school is so large.  Perhaps one day God will touch some hearts to help us with some of our greatest needs.