Fall 2013
Prepared Exclusively for Special Friends of Salesian Missions
A Written Testimony Of How You Bring God-Saving Grace To A Troubled World
Salesians Respond To Children in Crisis
Sierra Leone is no stranger to despair. Fallout from a brutal 10year civil war has left the country ranked last among 179 countries for the well-being of its people. More than half a million people are displaced from their homes, and tens of thousands of children are orphaned and living on the street – or worse. On a regular basis, unscrupulous adults kidnap boys and girls from impoverished parents, promising school scholarships and a better life in the city. Instead, these innocent victims are forced into child trafficking, domestic servitude, or labor in the fields and mines. Most also end up on the street, where violence, hunger and abuse shape a cruel existence. From the outside, the situation could easily appear hopeless. Each day in Freetown, however,
Salesians are working tirelessly on behalf of the most vulnerable youth – providing immediate services to street kids as well as long-term advocacy and prevention programs. At Don Bosco Fambul, children find immediate respite from emotional trauma and physical threats. With a goal of reuniting with their families, youth participate in a 10-month program that includes counseling, medical care and education.
This Month’s Child
Reuters photographer Thomas Mukoya
Imani’s young life began in tragedy.
Just a few months old, his family were victims o f t h e o n g o i n g v i o lence of the Congolese civil war.
At such a vulnerable age, with no one to care for him, Imani faced certain death – from starvation or worse.
Name: Age: Home:
Imani 18 Months Old Democratic Republic of the Congo
Don Bosco Hotline 116, staffed with social workers, nurses and legal professionals, provides confidential support around the clock to youth in crisis – often d i s patching workers to meet personally with street children. And, a new Youth Center inside Pademba Prison ministers to more than 450 street children arrested and held without legal aid for petty crime. Through counseling, pastoral work and an apprenticeship program, Salesians help rehabilitate participants and reintegrate them into productive society. There is much more work to be done. With the help of the caring and generous support of our friends, we can continue providing the education and support at-risk youth need to overcome their c i r cumstances and build a brighter future.
Every day, abandoned and orphaned children in the region suffer horrible physical violence at the hands of rebel soldiers. Fortunately, Imani landed
at the Don Bosco Ngangi Community Center in Goma, where he joined more than 3,000 other child victims of the war.
Now 18 months old, he is thriving in this safe environment – where the Salesians provide warm meals, clothing, and the chance to just be a child. His easy smile captivates the hearts of all who know him. Thanks to many caring people, Imani – whose name translates to “Faith” – is experiencing the unconditional love and support he needs to grow and thrive.
For our online friends, please visit the link below for information about our work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: www.salesianmissions.org/Congo
This Month’s Call For Prayer
This Thanksgiving, the children in our missions will be praying for you – and giving thanks for everything you do to provide comfort and opportunity in their struggling lives. Please continue to include these precious children in your prayers – which inspire their faith and hope.
In Argentina...
Faced with limited opportunity and little hope, youth often flee to urban areas – abandoning the villages they leave behind. Worse, they seldom find work and end up homeless, caught in a cycle of poverty and violence. At the Pascual Gentilini Agricultural School in Argentina, village youth are building brighter futures – learning valuable skills that will improve their own, and their neighbors’ lives. Lessons in community service, farming, raising livestock, beekeeping, cooking, business management and more prepare students to work in, and for, sustainable local food systems. Upon graduation, they will be able to apply their new knowledge in ways that increase access to food, as well as improve economic opportunities in their villages. If the students’ enthusiasm is any indication, many villages will soon be thriving. For our online friends, please visit the link below to read more about the development of our mission work in Argentina:
www.salesianmissions.org/Argentina
In Ghana...
In Guatemala...
Students at the Don Bosco Technical Institute in Sunyani now have an even greater opportunity to practice what they are learning. Two large agricultural manufacturers, AGCO and Africatrack, have donated a tractor, large trailer and other farm equipment that will be put to immediate use in the school’s fields. These fields serve as a hands-on laboratory for agricultural students, where they gain practical experience with crops and livestock. Having such advanced equipment, and learning how to use it, will expand their knowledge and expertise. After graduation, students will apply what they’ve learned to further develop agricultural production in the area – which will not only advance their own skills, but will greatly benefit the community as well.
Missionary of the Month: Fr. Luigi Laudato
Upon his arrival to the Amazon forty years ago, Fr. Luigi Laudato immediately knew he had discovered his lifetime vocation: to defend the culture, resources and rights of the Yanomami people. “There was no need to teach them how to live,” recalls Fr. Laudato. Rather than force modern sensibilities onto this hunter-gatherer society, Fr. Laudato sought to offer choices. Through education and vocational training, he prepared indigenous youth to better understand the
outside world, to begin appreciating the value of work, and to become more aware of their rights. Because the Yanomami inhabit rich agricultural land, knowing how to protect their rights is crucial for long-term survival — as their livelihoods are constantly threatened by outsiders wishing to exploit the land for resources and profit. Today, close to 2,000 Yanomami participate in the mission, where Fr. Laudato has more recently begun working with individuals who aspire to higher studies.
A True Christmas Gift
Dear Friend, As Christmas approaches, I reflect and remember the countless children and families around the world who are struggling to survive. Families who have lost their homes and livelihoods to natural disaster ... children who have been orphaned by brutal civil wars ... young people with little opportunity, turning to life on the streets.
Their stories are heartbreaking and they remind me that the true meaning of Christmas lies not in what we get, but in what we give. Therefore, among the many blessings I can count this year, your support tops the list … for it is your caring generosity that allows us to help those who need it most. And it is your concern that provides
After severe flooding and devastating mudslides ravaged four mountain communities in La Tinta – completely isolating the villagers – the Salesians were the first to respond. Traveling four hours by car and an additional three hours on foot, Fr. Vittorio Castanga, of the Salesian mission in Altaverapaz, delivered enriched rice and other emergency supplies to more than 50 indigenous families affected by the disaster.
“These people are forgotten by the international media,” Fr. Castanga says. “In so many instances, we are the first and only ones to help in an emergency.” With the ongoing support of our many generous and caring friends, the Salesians remain committed to meeting the needs of the suffering, in Guatemala and everywhere we serve.
In the process, Fr. Laudato has not only been teacher, but student. “I have learned to listen instead of telling them what to do,” he says. “I have learned in their midst to be a better priest.”
comfort and hope to those in despair. I hope you will find joy in the stories of those who have been touched by your kindness. You epitomize the true spirit of Christmas, and I am ever grateful for this gift. God bless You!
2 LEFEVRE LANE • NEW ROCHELLE NY 10801-5710
108
Tel. (914)633-8344 Visit our Website: www.salesianmissions.org
Please consider remembering Salesian Missions in your will.
http://facebook.com/FindYourMission http://twitter.com/SalMissions
http://www.linkedin.com/company/salesian-missions