Location
:
Lahewa, Indonesia
The St. Theresia Lahewa Community on Nias Island was established on November 25, 1983. Its foundation began with a request from Fr. Robertus Dachi, OFM Cap, who wrote to the SCMM leadership on August 21, 1982, asking for sisters to assist in religious education and faith formation especially for young people and mothers. Responding to this call, the congregation sent two pioneer sisters,
Sr. Martha Chandra and Sr. Dafrosa Fau, to Lahewa in August 1983. Their arrival was warmly welcomed by the parish priest and local community leaders, and from that moment, the sisters began serving the people through pastoral and educational ministries.
The first initiative the sisters undertook was opening a Family Welfare Education (PKK) program for village mothers and young women who had not attended school. They also offered catechetical training and family pastoral counselling, which brought meaningful growth to both the faith and well-being of the community. As the ministries expanded and the number of people they served increased, a plot of land behind the rectory was purchased in 1987 to build a more suitable convent. Around the same time, a generous parishioner donated an additional piece of land next to the church, which was later used to construct a kindergarten.
By 1990, the new convent was completed. The sisters continued strengthening the community through education by establishing a kindergarten and a junior high school, with construction led by Fr. Barnabas, OFM Cap. Two years later, in 1992, Daya Baru Elementary School previously under the Diocese of Sibolga through the Karya Rukun Foundation and was entrusted to the Belas Kasih Foundation, managed by the SCMM Congregation. Since then, the sisters have steadily developed the educational apostolate, which has become one of the pillars of their service in Lahewa.
Today, the sisters continue to bring compassionate love to the people of Lahewa through their commitment to education, faith formation, and family counselling. Their presence remains a source of hope, guidance, and spiritual nourishment, especially for those most in need.
St. Theresia Convent
Jln. Soekarno No. 138
Lingk. I, Kec. LAHEWA-22853
Kab. North Nias
NORTH SUMATRA