austraLasia 1315
A moving letter from the first Pakistani candidate for Salesian life
CEBU: 2nd November 2005 -- Note: what follows is from a young man who will identify not only himself but what motivates him, as he unfolds his story, very simply and beautifully. He was keen for austraLasia to publish it. May it be of some assistance to others, especially those in formation or perhaps formators themselves:
"My name is Eric. I am twenty-two years old. I am from the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad. I came to the Salesians of Don Bosco in May 2005. I believe that God brought me there. Now I am in the Philippines, preparing myself to become a good Salesian for the better future of Pakistan, as all the missionaries have been doing there. It was always my greatest wish to become a religious missionary. Pakistan is a mission land so it will be a great opportunity for me to work in my own country in the future. I consider myself very lucky because two years ago I saw the first batch of graduates from Don Bosco Lahore. I saw the great missionaries at work: Fr Peter Zago, Fr Hans Dopheide and Fr Miguel Angel. I will never forget them in my whole life and I wish to become like them one day.
I would like to share my experience when I arrived here in the Philippines. It was my first time to be in a place very far from my country and home. After a month of staying here I got fed up with everything. I was homesick and did not like the food at all, especially when I got allergic to fish. There was only one thing in my mind - that I should go back home. Everything was dark for me and I tried to control myself to cope with the situation but I could not. So I wrote an email to Fr Miguel telling him that I could not live here any more, and thought that nobody could in the future too. I told him that I was coming back.
After sending this email, I went to the chapel and spent about two hours in front of the Blessed Sacrament and prayed, "Lord, please help me".
While praying, I came to the point that I was dialoguing with Jesus and Mary. They asked me: "Why do you want to go back?" I answered, "I cannot stay here. Everything is strange here and I cannot adjust with the food and with many other things". They asked me, "but it was your wish to become a Salesian. Will you not continue?" At this I became silent for a while and then replied: "Yes, it is my wish to become a Salesian but it seems impossible for me now". They said, "but remember you made five rules of your life: 1) you will not make food your problem; 2) you will not make clothing your problem; 3) you will not make staying anywhere your problem; 4) you will not make your family a problem; and 5) you will always ask help from your Mother Mary and Jesus. Have you forgotten all these?"
At this point I paused for some time again and remembered the time when I promised all of these five rules of my life. I thought about my country which needs me for the welfare of youth to save their souls and give them good education. I asked pardon from Jesus and Mary and became very peaceful and calm deep in my heart and soul. I decided not to go back, but be back one day with success as a Salesian - a good son of Don Bosco.
I sent one email to Fr Miguel with all the promises above. And now I am fully satisfied of my being here. I am trying my best day by day to form myself to make Don Bosco alive in me. I ask all of you for prayer so that I will be able to reach my destination whatever God has planned for me.
When Don Rua told Don Bosco that he wanted to become a priest and after him John Cagliero, Don Bosco said, "There are two of you today; tomorrow, a hundred, later a thousand all working for the good of the people". I hope that the future of Pakistan will be the same.
________________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For RSS feeds, subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/rssala.xml. If you subscribe, email this information and your name will come off the regular email list. RSS eliminates problems such as multiple mailings, viruses, email bloat. Think about it!
A moving letter from the first Pakistani candidate for Salesian life
CEBU: 2nd November 2005 -- Note: what follows is from a young man who will identify not only himself but what motivates him, as he unfolds his story, very simply and beautifully. He was keen for austraLasia to publish it. May it be of some assistance to others, especially those in formation or perhaps formators themselves:
"My name is Eric. I am twenty-two years old. I am from the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad. I came to the Salesians of Don Bosco in May 2005. I believe that God brought me there. Now I am in the Philippines, preparing myself to become a good Salesian for the better future of Pakistan, as all the missionaries have been doing there. It was always my greatest wish to become a religious missionary. Pakistan is a mission land so it will be a great opportunity for me to work in my own country in the future. I consider myself very lucky because two years ago I saw the first batch of graduates from Don Bosco Lahore. I saw the great missionaries at work: Fr Peter Zago, Fr Hans Dopheide and Fr Miguel Angel. I will never forget them in my whole life and I wish to become like them one day.
I would like to share my experience when I arrived here in the Philippines. It was my first time to be in a place very far from my country and home. After a month of staying here I got fed up with everything. I was homesick and did not like the food at all, especially when I got allergic to fish. There was only one thing in my mind - that I should go back home. Everything was dark for me and I tried to control myself to cope with the situation but I could not. So I wrote an email to Fr Miguel telling him that I could not live here any more, and thought that nobody could in the future too. I told him that I was coming back.
After sending this email, I went to the chapel and spent about two hours in front of the Blessed Sacrament and prayed, "Lord, please help me".
While praying, I came to the point that I was dialoguing with Jesus and Mary. They asked me: "Why do you want to go back?" I answered, "I cannot stay here. Everything is strange here and I cannot adjust with the food and with many other things". They asked me, "but it was your wish to become a Salesian. Will you not continue?" At this I became silent for a while and then replied: "Yes, it is my wish to become a Salesian but it seems impossible for me now". They said, "but remember you made five rules of your life: 1) you will not make food your problem; 2) you will not make clothing your problem; 3) you will not make staying anywhere your problem; 4) you will not make your family a problem; and 5) you will always ask help from your Mother Mary and Jesus. Have you forgotten all these?"
At this point I paused for some time again and remembered the time when I promised all of these five rules of my life. I thought about my country which needs me for the welfare of youth to save their souls and give them good education. I asked pardon from Jesus and Mary and became very peaceful and calm deep in my heart and soul. I decided not to go back, but be back one day with success as a Salesian - a good son of Don Bosco.
I sent one email to Fr Miguel with all the promises above. And now I am fully satisfied of my being here. I am trying my best day by day to form myself to make Don Bosco alive in me. I ask all of you for prayer so that I will be able to reach my destination whatever God has planned for me.
When Don Rua told Don Bosco that he wanted to become a priest and after him John Cagliero, Don Bosco said, "There are two of you today; tomorrow, a hundred, later a thousand all working for the good of the people". I hope that the future of Pakistan will be the same.
________________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For RSS feeds, subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/rssala.xml. If you subscribe, email this information and your name will come off the regular email list. RSS eliminates problems such as multiple mailings, viruses, email bloat. Think about it!
