When Gayle Ramsey (top left) and Kathy Crosson (center) arrived in India, they did not come as observers. They came ready to live daily life with the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, to listen, to learn, and to share time in community. What followed was an immersion that stayed with them long after they returned home.
“The one thing that stands out in India is the Sisters,” Gayle said. “They are the most hospitable humans I have ever met. They want you to be comfortable, cared for, and loved.”
Gayle Ramsey and Kathy Crosson traveled to India to take part in an immersion with the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, spending time in the convent and school life in Bangalore and Trichy. They lived in community, joined daily Mass, worked alongside Sisters and teachers, and spent time with students in classrooms and school activities. They made the journey to better understand the life, mission, and daily work of the Sisters and to build relationships rooted in listening, shared experience, and mutual respect across cultures.
From the first morning at Nazareth Convent, hospitality shaped each day. Meals were shared. Laughter filled the house. Simple routines became opportunities for connection. Kathy noticed how quickly the convent felt like home. “We were not guests being waited on,” she said. “We were part of the rhythm of the house.”
Much of their time volunteering was spent at Nazareth School, where classrooms were alive with learning and curiosity. Gayle described the joy she felt with students. “The children gave so much back to us in every class and every interaction. We played, we learned, and we grew during our time together.”
Kathy echoed that experience. “It was a joy to be in the classroom with those curious, engaging, and very smart young people,” she said. “Their eagerness to learn stays with me.”
Beyond the classroom, daily life offered other moments of meaning. Mass each morning grounded the day. Festivals brought color, music, and shared celebration. Simple things became a chance to make memories. Kathy recalled decorating for the Jubilee celebration with the novices. “While I was still exhausted from our flight, I knew it mattered to be there with them, working together for something bigger than ourselves.”
Living in community also revealed how each Sister contributed in different ways. “I was surprised to see how everyone carried responsibility,” Kathy said. “From leadership to teaching to caring for elders, each role mattered, and everyone stepped in where needed.”
Gayle was struck by the care woven into everyday life. “Everything is used fully,” she said. “Nothing is wasted. Food, water, space, even time. There is intention in how they live.”
Relationships formed quickly and deeply. Kathy described conversations that will remain with her. “Sharing meals and listening to life stories will be with me forever,” she said. “There is so much generosity in how the Sisters care for one another, for their students, and for the wider community.”
Leaving was not easy. “Although I was glad to get home, it was hard to leave our new and dear friends,” Gayle said. “My heart felt very full.”
Looking back, both women describe the immersion as something that affirmed connection across cultures. “When we move beyond ourselves, we receive so much in return,” Kathy said. “This experience reminded me how much we share, no matter where we come from.”
For Gayle, the experience remains vivid in memory. “I journaled every day so I would remember every detail,” she said. “This time in India will always stay with me.”
Together, Gayle and Kathy returned with gratitude, memories, and relationships that continue. Their time in India was not defined by a single moment, but by many small, shared ones that added up to something lasting.
The SCN Lay Mission Volunteer Program offers opportunities for lay women and men to share daily life and ministry with the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth in the United States and internationally. Volunteers serve alongside Sisters, Associates, and local partners in schools, homes, parishes, and community settings, with a focus on presence, relationship, and mutual learning. Through short term and immersion experiences, the program invites participants to better understand the Sisters’ mission by living in community, responding to local needs, and engaging across cultures with respect and care for people who are economically poor, marginalized, or experiencing hardship.