Never had the humble Institute dreamed of the glory of spreading its branches beyond Brittany, nor, above all, beyond the sea. It existed quietly, unknown to the world and only able to practise its charity within a limited circle. However, since the first expulsions of religious, the fear of seeing themselves obliged, in their turn, to flee, had awakened apostolic desires in several Sisters. They were ready to go abroad(…)
It was then that, providentially, they were introduced to the Oblates of Mary Immaculate through the Reverend Father Sachot, a native of Caden who was devoted to the Congregation of Saint-Jacut. (…)
In 1896, he suggested to them the idea of becoming co-workers with the Oblate Fathers in their missions spread almost everywhere.(…)
At last, towards the middle of the year 1898, Bishop Gaughren, Bishop of Kimberley, the capital of the Apostolic Vicariate of the Orange Free State, came to Saint-Jacut accompanied by the Reverend Father Porte, who had just founded the Mission of Saint Paul at Taungs, in Bechuanaland. The Superiors agreed to collaborate with his mission and gave him six Sisters, the number he asked for.(…) After a touching ceremony of farewell, they boarded ship; first at Saint Malo and then at Southampton to go as far as South Africa (…)
The beginnings of this mission were extremely difficult for religious used to a temperate climate, obliged from then on to work under a torrid sky,(…) “As well as looking after the domestic side of the Mission, they had to teach the natives and the European children. They had to learn Kaffir and English. (…)”
Guyot, pp. 73-76