A Special Day!

There is a very important man in my life. I only started to really get to know him in the last year or so, but he has really changed my life for the better.  He teaches me how to serve with my whole heart, how to truly love the young and how to bring joy into all that I do. He has introduced me to some of the most amazing and selfless people that I have ever met in my life. He helped me accept my calling to do mission work this year and deepened my desire to serve the poor and the young. Today is the feast day of St. Don Bosco and I am so happy to be celebrating with my Salesian family from all around the world.

For those of you who aren’t quite as familiar with the Salesian founder, I will share with you a little bit on the amazing life of this saint. He was born into a poor family in Turin, Italy in 1815. His father died when he was very young and his mother (Mamma Margaret) raised him and his brothers. God revealed to him in a dream at the age of 9 that he was meant to live a holy life. From such a young age, he was able to inspire his peers and teach them more about Jesus. He entertained many crowds with his skills of juggling, story telling and tight rope walking. He would always end his entertainments with a retelling of the gospel or a praying of the rosary.

After becoming a priest, he continued to live a life in poverty. He gave all that he had to serve the young and the poor. He saw many young boys on the street and he wanted to love them and give them a better life. He created the oratory for these boys, a place that acted as home, church, school and playground. Most importantly, he loved these boys and all children that he encountered. He was able to show them their worth in the eyes of God and teach them how to be good Christians and honest citizens.

This is the model that all Salesian communities have. It is his example that first attracted me so deeply to serve with a Salesian organization. His love, especially for the young, is a constant inspiration to me. After serving here for almost 5 months now, it’s so apparent that the children are really the hope for the future of this country. The sisters run two schools, each with 1000 students. These kids are getting an education based on the plan of St. Don Bosco. The sisters are always reminding us volunteers that it is most important for these children to learn Christian values and discipline and that they must know that they are loved.

We use the model of Don Bosco’s oratory every week as we drive to Bilfam to host oratory for 200 local children. We sing, dance and play games, but we also have catechesis and always end the evening praying the rosary. It’s easy to dismiss children or say they are too young to learn or understand the teachings of the church, but they often hold the most hope for a society. It was a young boy at age 9 that knew to follow his calling to the church, was able to bring the gospel message to those much older than himself and who created a family of religious that now serves the young in the poor in almost every country of the world.

Don Bosco, pray for us!