Fr Ferdinandus Ola Amang better known as " Fr. Juna", 37 years old, of Kalimantan Utara, Indonesia, is a member of the 151 Missionary expedition (2020) but is able to participate only this year in the Orientation Course for New Missionaries due to COVID 19. He is a missionary sent to the PGS Vice-Province (Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands). “My missionary vocation was born upon my meeting of exemplary Salesian missionaries. Their witness of life made me interested in becoming an Ad Gentes Missionary myself. Since I was an aspirant I had a particular interest in missionary life. But during my initial formation, we were told that we needed to remain in Indonesia to make Don Bosco’s charism take root in our country. Thanks to Fr. Henry Bonetti, my Rector in Paranaque, who encouraged me during my theological studies to discern, deepen and strengthen my missionary vocation.”
“Papua New Guinea is not an easy place for many but I was able to overcome my initial fears and difficulties. Thanks to the confreres of my new Vice Province (PGS) from different countries who made me feel welcomed and appreciated since day one of my arrival. My dream for my missionary life is to have a greater love for the people I serve, especially young people, which will push me to be useful to the mission and to put myself at the service of people in need.” “This Orientation course,” Fr. Juna stressed, “helped me not only to appreciate the efforts I have done in my new context, but also made me realize some mistakes in my approach that I need to correct. The visit to places connected with Don Bosco and reading the 'Memoirs of the Oratory' in the very places where events narrated took place made us all understand better our charism and heritage.”
