austraLasia #3235
ROME (ITALY) 18 June 2013 -- We are happy to be part of the Salesian Provincial team to study the possibilities of reaching out to the Chinese migrant workers scattered all over Africa. Although Fr. Savio could have gone alone to make the visit, it was suggested that a richer perspective would be achieved if lay collaborators be involved in the situational analysis. Hence, we (Sophie and Kim) were invited to join the project. We thank our colleagues at school who are taking over our duties while we are away.
We left Macau for Ethiopia on May 20, passing thru Ghana, Nigeria and flew out of Angola on June 12. Those were 23 days of continuous travel, always making contacts and friends wherever we went. This was a first time experience for us. Just imagine our feelings! We were born in the former city state of Macau and we grew up here and finished our studies in this small peninsula. Yet, in the span of about a month, we had flown 10 times and crossed numerous time zones. It is indeed a journey of thousands of miles.
We are now here in Rome for a few days to give an initial informal report to the major superiors and also to Fr. Lanfranco Fedrigotti, our provincial, who happens to be here in the generalate for an updating course. We gratefully remember the many Salesian priests and brothers who received us in their communities (Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria and Angola). We prayed and ate with them. We are thankful for their hospitality and their service of taking us around the different places where we could observe the locations of Chinese construction projects and meet some of the migrant workers.
After our travels in these four countries, we are amazed at the huge amount of good that the Salesians are already doing for the people of Africa. Aside from various educational works, there are the feeding programs for the needy children and the many community health centers. We visited parishes and their vibrant Christian communities. We are touched by the simplicity of the children, their ready smiles and also the needs of the youth and the local people in general.
But we have also seen a new reality in these regions that we had visited. The ever changing situation brought about by the economic and socio-political factors becomes a kind of invitation for the Salesians to read the sign of the times and discern appropriate paradigm shifts. The influx of migrants and the cultural influence the migrants have on the African society is something new. Our visit has led us to see that most of the Chinese migrants are adults and come from various parts of China. They have to work hard and sometimes just concentrate on finishing their job contracts and return home. Yet there are also families with children that have migrated to Africa, looking for work and a place to stay.
Tonight we are taking the return trip to Macau and we carry with us the wonderful Salesian memories of the countless steps along the journey that took us to Africa, Rome and back.
New Frontiers in Africa: A first Step (CIN)
ROME (ITALY) 18 June 2013 -- We are happy to be part of the Salesian Provincial team to study the possibilities of reaching out to the Chinese migrant workers scattered all over Africa. Although Fr. Savio could have gone alone to make the visit, it was suggested that a richer perspective would be achieved if lay collaborators be involved in the situational analysis. Hence, we (Sophie and Kim) were invited to join the project. We thank our colleagues at school who are taking over our duties while we are away.
We left Macau for Ethiopia on May 20, passing thru Ghana, Nigeria and flew out of Angola on June 12. Those were 23 days of continuous travel, always making contacts and friends wherever we went. This was a first time experience for us. Just imagine our feelings! We were born in the former city state of Macau and we grew up here and finished our studies in this small peninsula. Yet, in the span of about a month, we had flown 10 times and crossed numerous time zones. It is indeed a journey of thousands of miles.
We are now here in Rome for a few days to give an initial informal report to the major superiors and also to Fr. Lanfranco Fedrigotti, our provincial, who happens to be here in the generalate for an updating course. We gratefully remember the many Salesian priests and brothers who received us in their communities (Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria and Angola). We prayed and ate with them. We are thankful for their hospitality and their service of taking us around the different places where we could observe the locations of Chinese construction projects and meet some of the migrant workers.
After our travels in these four countries, we are amazed at the huge amount of good that the Salesians are already doing for the people of Africa. Aside from various educational works, there are the feeding programs for the needy children and the many community health centers. We visited parishes and their vibrant Christian communities. We are touched by the simplicity of the children, their ready smiles and also the needs of the youth and the local people in general.
But we have also seen a new reality in these regions that we had visited. The ever changing situation brought about by the economic and socio-political factors becomes a kind of invitation for the Salesians to read the sign of the times and discern appropriate paradigm shifts. The influx of migrants and the cultural influence the migrants have on the African society is something new. Our visit has led us to see that most of the Chinese migrants are adults and come from various parts of China. They have to work hard and sometimes just concentrate on finishing their job contracts and return home. Yet there are also families with children that have migrated to Africa, looking for work and a place to stay.
Tonight we are taking the return trip to Macau and we carry with us the wonderful Salesian memories of the countless steps along the journey that took us to Africa, Rome and back.
