austraLasia #2720
On a day that missions are remembered in a special way ...
MELBOURNE: 26 September 2010 -- On a day that 40+ Salesian missionaries (sdb, fma, lay) are formally commissioned, according to a tradition that goes back to St John Bosco's first sending out of missionaries 135 or so years ago (this is the 141st expedition but some years more than one group were sent out), and on a day when many of those missionaries are actually from or coming to the EAO Region, it seems appropriate to highlight another activity working to the same end - help for underprivileged youth especially in developing nations - what is formally known as ASMOAF or the Australian Salesian Missions Overseas Aid Fund. It is almost certainly the largest Salesian Missions operation of its kind in our region, and it focuses mostly on our region, though in several other nations too where Australian Salesians have been long at work (such as Sudan, Guatemala, India ...). ASMOAF is managed on a day-to-day basis by Bro. Michael Lynch, Mrs Olga Elliott (who ahs been working at this task now for 30 years).
An overview of activities in the past year might give an idea of the extent of assistance ASMOAF provides: 2 million Australian dollars raised and sent in varying contributions to the Don Bosco Technical Centre at Alafau in Samoa (with some consideration also to the new Technical Centre hopefully read to open its doors in 2011 at Salelologa on the 'other' island of Savai'i, Samoa); sustaining the work of orphanages, education of boys and young women and a home for the disabled in Vietnam; the continuing work in Timor-Leste, orphanages, agriculture, self-help programmes, and a luncheon programme for schools in Bacau, Comoro, Fuiloro and laga; the vocational education and technical programme in Lahore, Pakistan; programmes organised by the Salesians in Sudan for orphans and displaced persons; homes and displaced persons in Ethiopia; the vocational skills programme at San Pedro Carcha, Guatemala; homeless and displaced people in the Philippines ... but these are just some of the disbursements. There have been projects in the Solomon Islands (Tetere, Gizo); Myanmar; in India in Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Shillong, Guwahati, Tripura ...
The activity goes far beyond simple disbursement of funds. The Chairperson of ASMOAF (Australian Provincial, Fr F. Moloney) put it in context when writing an introduction to the annual report: "Our Christian faith and practice insists that it is our business to look at the world around us and see where we can reach out to do something helpful and constructive. Too many, too often, shy away with the “none of my business” line on their lips. Readers might expect me to say this, given that I am writing these few words in this Newsletter of appeal for ASMOAF".
"But the principle of keeping our minds, hearts and hands open because we care for the world around us reaches well beyond a call for financial help for people in missionary lands who need our support".
"These days we are aware that it is not only people whom are suffering. The very world we live in is beginning to groan as human beings exploit its beauty and its fruitfulness. To take an active interest in the Salesian Missions means more than offering financial support to people in need. It is also a sign that you care about others, and about the world we live in, when there might be the temptation to say, 'It’s none of my business'."
_________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com . Use Bosconet-wiki to be interactive. RSS feeds - just go to Bosconet, click on austraLasia 2010 in the sidebar. You will see the RSS orange icon in your browser address bar - add it from there. Or be interactive with the EAO blog Cetera Tolle. Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at http://sdl.sdb.org
On a day that missions are remembered in a special way ...
MELBOURNE: 26 September 2010 -- On a day that 40+ Salesian missionaries (sdb, fma, lay) are formally commissioned, according to a tradition that goes back to St John Bosco's first sending out of missionaries 135 or so years ago (this is the 141st expedition but some years more than one group were sent out), and on a day when many of those missionaries are actually from or coming to the EAO Region, it seems appropriate to highlight another activity working to the same end - help for underprivileged youth especially in developing nations - what is formally known as ASMOAF or the Australian Salesian Missions Overseas Aid Fund. It is almost certainly the largest Salesian Missions operation of its kind in our region, and it focuses mostly on our region, though in several other nations too where Australian Salesians have been long at work (such as Sudan, Guatemala, India ...). ASMOAF is managed on a day-to-day basis by Bro. Michael Lynch, Mrs Olga Elliott (who ahs been working at this task now for 30 years).
An overview of activities in the past year might give an idea of the extent of assistance ASMOAF provides: 2 million Australian dollars raised and sent in varying contributions to the Don Bosco Technical Centre at Alafau in Samoa (with some consideration also to the new Technical Centre hopefully read to open its doors in 2011 at Salelologa on the 'other' island of Savai'i, Samoa); sustaining the work of orphanages, education of boys and young women and a home for the disabled in Vietnam; the continuing work in Timor-Leste, orphanages, agriculture, self-help programmes, and a luncheon programme for schools in Bacau, Comoro, Fuiloro and laga; the vocational education and technical programme in Lahore, Pakistan; programmes organised by the Salesians in Sudan for orphans and displaced persons; homes and displaced persons in Ethiopia; the vocational skills programme at San Pedro Carcha, Guatemala; homeless and displaced people in the Philippines ... but these are just some of the disbursements. There have been projects in the Solomon Islands (Tetere, Gizo); Myanmar; in India in Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Shillong, Guwahati, Tripura ...
The activity goes far beyond simple disbursement of funds. The Chairperson of ASMOAF (Australian Provincial, Fr F. Moloney) put it in context when writing an introduction to the annual report: "Our Christian faith and practice insists that it is our business to look at the world around us and see where we can reach out to do something helpful and constructive. Too many, too often, shy away with the “none of my business” line on their lips. Readers might expect me to say this, given that I am writing these few words in this Newsletter of appeal for ASMOAF".
"But the principle of keeping our minds, hearts and hands open because we care for the world around us reaches well beyond a call for financial help for people in missionary lands who need our support".
"These days we are aware that it is not only people whom are suffering. The very world we live in is beginning to groan as human beings exploit its beauty and its fruitfulness. To take an active interest in the Salesian Missions means more than offering financial support to people in need. It is also a sign that you care about others, and about the world we live in, when there might be the temptation to say, 'It’s none of my business'."
_________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com . Use Bosconet-wiki to be interactive. RSS feeds - just go to Bosconet, click on austraLasia 2010 in the sidebar. You will see the RSS orange icon in your browser address bar - add it from there. Or be interactive with the EAO blog Cetera Tolle. Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at http://sdl.sdb.org
