By Cl. Anthony Lo Po Tak, SDB
Chinese missionary in Ghana.
Ashiman, Ghana, October 17, 2015 - There are many ways how to discern the missionary vocation ad gentes of a young Salesian. One of them is to spend one or two years of practical training in a mission land before the missionary vocation ad gentes (ad extra and for life) is confirmed by the superiors.
Cl. Anthony spent the first year of his practical training in his native Hong Kong (Salesian School - Shai Kei Wan), but his second year is already busy in Africa, Ghana in order to confirm his missionary call. Already two years ago he sent his missionary application to the Rector Major and as part of his discernment he is now for one school year in African province of English speaking (Anglophone) Western Africa (AFW), the province is composed of 4 countries (Ghana, Sierra Leon, Liberia and Nigeria), has about 180 SDB, grand majority of them native Africans.
"For me, I am here in Ghana already one month and 2 days. I am thankful that I am gradually adapting to the place, cultures and languages.Surely, there are some difficulties and challenges that I am facing, but those of these are so beautiful and encouraging me to move forward, I don't need to be afraid because God is always with me, Mama Mary is protecting me ...there is nothing to let me down....up to this moment, I think that the only thing which let me be afraid is I estrange from God. God is good all the time, He grant me bountiful grace for me to experience His presence everyday, most especially in the midst of children and young people.
I am assigned in a Child Protection Center as my daily apostolate. Those vulnerable children are abandoned. Some of them do not know where their home towns are, they do not know their families, they have no chance to go to school, they are forced to work outsides unwillingly.... many problems and unfair situations that they are facing everyday. What the poor and pity children. I am here to accompanying them everyday . To play, to study and to Pray. I see Jesus in each one of their faces, they are all beautiful and really the God's children. They should not be treated like this...... My heart is melting in the Love of God, and He is always asking me to share His Love to the children. I think that nothing is greater than His Love, I need to be His useless tool to share His Love with the children here.
Please continue to pray for me, especially my Missionary vocation. Surely, you are always in my prayers. Viva Don Bosco! In Christ, Po Tak, Anthony"
3770(II)_My missionary experience in the Western Pampa (Oeste...
傳教聖召的實習
梁保得修生在他的出生地 ─ 香港，（筲箕灣慈幼學校）進行首年的實習培訓，然而第二年他被派往非洲加納作實習和福傳體驗，以確認他的傳教聖召。兩年前，他已向總會長提出申請，作為辨別聖召的一部份。他現在所屬的西非會省 (AFW) 以英語為母語，這個會省服務四個國家：（加納、塞拉里昂、利比亞和尼日利亞），會省有約180名慈幼會士，大部份為非洲本地人。
十月是特別為傳教事業祈禱的月份，他寫了以下分享：
「我已在加納生活了一個月零兩天，我心中充滿感欣，因為我開始漸漸適應這個地方和其文化及語言。無疑，我正面對著一些困難和挑戰，但這些都是美好的，鼓勵我不斷向前。我更不需要害怕，因為天主與我同在，聖母時常護佑我……沒有任何東西使我灰心喪志……到目前為止，我認為唯一令我懼怕的就是遠離天主。天主總是美善的，祂賞賜我豐富的恩寵，讓我每天經驗祂的臨在，尤其是在孩子們及青年們當中。
我被派往一個兒童庇護中心服務，可說是我在這裡主要的日常牧民工作。那裡的兒童都是被遺棄的。他們有些甚至不知道自己的家鄉在何處，也不知道有什麼家人，沒有機會上學，被迫出外工作……他們每天都要面對著種種困難及不公平的
處境。我每天在這裡陪伴他們，一起遊戲、學習、祈禱。我在他們每人臉上看到耶穌，他們都是美善的，真正是天主的子女。他們不應受著這樣的對待……我的心在主愛中溶化，祂時常要求我，向孩子們及青年們分享祂的愛。祂的愛是何等偉大，我要成為祂的工具，與這裡的兒童分享祂的愛。」
Trying out one’s missionary vocation at DBCPC
(ANS - Ghana – Ashaiman, 20 October 2015 ) – There are many ways for a young Salesian to discern a missionary vocation ad gentes. One of them is to spend one or two years of practical training in a mission land before the missionary vocation ad gentes (ad extra and for life) is confirmed by the superiors.
Po TakAnthony is a Chinese Salesian born in Hong Kong. He did his first year of practical training in his native city at the Salesian School of Shai Kei Wan. His second year is already under way in Ghana in Africa, with a view to trying out his missionary call. Two years ago he sent his missionary application to the Rector Major and as part of his discernment he is now spending one school year in the English-speaking province of West Africa (AFW). The province is composed of 4 countries (Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria) and has about 180 SDBs, the grand majority of them native Africans.
Now in October, the Month of the Missions, he writes “I have been here in Ghana for one month and two days. I am thankful that I am gradually adapting to the place, and its cultures and languages. Certainly I am facing some difficulties and challenges but they are beautiful and encourage me to move forward. I don't need to be afraid because God is always with me, Mother Mary is protecting me ...there is nothing that can get me down....up to this moment, I think that the only thing I fear is that I might become estranged from God. God is good all the time. He grants me bountiful grace to experience His presence every day, most especially in the midst of children and young people.
For my daily apostolate I am assigned to a Child Protection Centre. Those vulnerable children are abandoned. Some of them do not know where their home town is, they do not know their families, they have no chance to go to school, they are forced to work against their will... they face many problems and unfair situations every day. I am here to accompany them every day, to play, to study and to pray. I see Jesus in each of their faces, they are all beautiful and they really are God's children. They should not be treated like this...... My heart is melting in the Love of God, and He is always asking me to share His Love with the children. I believe that nothing is greater than His Love, I need to be His useless instrument to share His Love with the children here”.