“Money is in the pocket of the donator, I believe it.” Those words from St. Arnold Janssen who founded three congregations despites having no money but he had the belief God would work to those who have. These words popped up during our visit, thanks to Sr. Beatriks, the warm-hearted chairperson of the Santu Damian Cancar Foundation.
On July 6 2026, we had the opportunity to visit one of the SSpS convents in Cancar, Wae Belang Village, Ruteng District, Manggarai Regency, Flores, East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia. The LKSPD Rehabilitation Center for Leprosy and Disability, a place with a big heart and an even bigger story. The center is named after St. Damien of Molokai, the Belgian missionary who gave his life caring for leprosy patients in Hawaii. He was canonized in 2009, but his spirit still feels alive in places like this.
The foundation itself was established in 1966, thanks to Sr. Virgula Maria E. Schmitt, a German missionary with unstoppable courage.
The foundation’s compound is painted in calming greens and grays, dotted with a convent, orphanage, vocational school, chapel, and even a museum dedicated to Sr. Virgula. Flowers bloom everywhere, trees sway gently, and behind the kitchen sits a fish pond sprinkled with water lilies. It’s the kind of place where peace and purpose meet.
Our long journey to the Santu Damian Cancar Foundation was a mission of love undertaken alongside the Flores Traveler family, carrying an agenda of “traveling and sharing” for a charity event made possible by the generosity of an anonymous donor. This was my first journey with this group of kind-hearted individuals who willingly gave despite their own limitations.
The road was alive, buses and bemo buzzing, farmers bent over rice fields, shops and food stalls spilling onto the streets. By 11 AM, we arrived in Cancar and discovered the foundation shares its grounds with St. Rafael Hospital.
Sr. Beatriks greeted us with the kind of smile that makes you feel instantly at home. She’s been leading the foundation for a year and is about to celebrate 25 years of religious life as a nun. She told us stories of the children they care for over 70 orphans and kids with disabilities, ranging from 8 to 60 years old. Many have grown up, started families, and moved on, but the sisters still teach skills like carpentry, embroidery, and wood carving to prepare them for life.
Then came the stories of Sr. Virgula herself. Born in Germany in 1929, she began her mission in Flores in the 1960s. Imagine her riding horses from village to village, carrying medicine in her bag, treating patients in a tiny hut in the middle of a plantation. She was fearless, serving those society had pushed aside. One story made us laugh in awe, apparently, she once tucked a baby boy into the pocket of her habit. Yes, her pocket was big enough to hold a child!
We learned that leprosy isn’t hereditary or a curse, but caused by bacteria (Mycobacterium leprae). It’s curable, though stigma still lingers. Many patients here have been declared 100% cured, yet some families leave their loved ones at the foundation, knowing they’ll be cared for with love.
After handing over our donations, we toured the Sr. Virgula Museum. Black-and-white photos, her Vespa scooter, horse saddle, sewing machines, and even the bag she carried on her missions, it all felt like stepping into her life.
Before heading back, Sr. Beatriks invited us to enjoy refreshments in the convent’s dining room, overlooking the pond with its water lilies. It was the perfect ending to a day filled with stories of faith, resilience, and compassion.
And as we left, one quote from Sr. Virgula stayed with me:
“Allowing oneself to be guided by the Holy Spirit and following all His guidance in the mission of loving God through the people we greet with life-giving words. Because there are many things we do not understand, you might exclaim: There are many strange things happening in my life that, humanly speaking, cannot be understood, but God always shows His way.’”
Special thanks to David who was the inisiative of this traveling and sharing agenda. Thanks also to Frenaliana Janum, a teenager from Mukun who helped me writing this travel story. We also thank to Rumah Baca Aksara for their documentary film on YouTube inspiring us to include St. Damian Cancar as part of our Flores Pilgrimage Tour.
