Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. - Mt 16:25
Port Moresby, PNG, 21 August 2016 -- I come from a Catholic family and am the fourth in the family with three brothers and one sister. My father is from Bunai village in Manus Province and my mother is from Malol village, Aitape District in Sandaun Province. My father is a teacher while my mother is a house wife. My vocation interest began at an early age of three years, thanks to the teachings and Christian principles given by my parents. They were the ones who brought us to the village rosaries organized by different communities especially in the month of October.
Every Sunday, my parents made sure we attended the church. As I grew, I realized that the name Bernard was given to me by a former Passionist Brother. The good catholic family upbringing enabled me have a great respect towards Religious Priest and nuns and other lay people as instruments of God, spreading His word and love.
Hence, I always try to conduct myself in the right way. As a young person, I would correct my friends when they swear or do something wrong, and then they would jokingly call me Pater (Priest). Even my aunty back at home will also call me Pater because of my good behaviour. But I have to admit that sometimes I was naughty and disobedient to my parents. However, the good influence of Catholic principles had already become part of my life.
Though the above signs of a vocation were present, I still did not have clear direction towards becoming a religious. This was made clear when I entered Don Bosco Vanimo in the Sandaun Province in the year 2003. I remained there for four years as a boarding student and completed my grade nine (9) to grade twelve (12) from the year 2003 to 2006. I was so happy that my vocation to become a religious was strengthened with the help of the Salesians. The good learning environment was conducive to guide me as a student in all aspects of mental, social, physical, emotional and most especially spiritual aspects, created a big impact in my life.
The things in school that helped me become a religious was praying the rosary every day, availability of our Salesian priests for confession, retreats, the good morning and good night talks. Apart from this, the Salesians were always present with us on school outings, in the playing field and other school related activities. This encouraged us who felt that we were not capable of performing well in our academic studies or other areas of formation.
With this direction and guidance in my life, I decided to join the vocation group and later made my decision after grade twelve in the year 2006 to enter the Savio Haus Seminary. In the year 2007, I was selected to do my studies in Don Bosco Technological Institute in Port Moresby while being an aspirant at the Savio Haus Seminary. But around the month of May in the year 2007, I was severely affected by cerebral malaria and was admitted to the Pacific International Hospital in Port Moresby for a week after which I was sent back home to my mother’s province in West Sepik. I thought this was the end of my vocation and study career.
But God still called me. I reapplied to the college and expressed my desire to be an aspirant and was accepted back at the seminary and to continue my studies at DBTI. I then completed the four years of college and graduated in the year 2011. Seeing my batch mates going out to work made me to pull out from the seminary. My parents also wanted me to stay out for a while and work to help finance the family. I had to also detach myself from a girl friend who was studying at the University of Goroka in order to answer this special call from God.
It was quite challenging for me to come up with such a decision. But with prayer, with understanding from my biological family, and support from Salesians in the formation house I applied for Pre-novitiate and was accepted to go to Don Bosco Formation Centre in Philippines’ Cebu in the year 2012 to 2013. I continued on to do my Novitiate in the year 2013 to 2014. The two years of formation have helped me take a closer look at myself and with the help of God through his instruments like Formators, Spiritual Director, and Novice Director, I finally made decision to be a Salesian of Don Bosco.
What really motivates me is the untiring effort of Salesian missionaries here in our country, Papua New Guinea, who continue to help, mould, shape and formed our young people to become good Christians and honest citizens. But above all, it is the God who calls me to be his instrument of change in transforming my life and the lives of those to whom I am called to serve, especially the poor and most abandoned by following in the footsteps of Don Bosco as a Salesian cleric journeying to be a future Salesian Priest. I end my vocation story here with the inspirational phrase from the Bible, (Matthew 17:25-26), “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?” This phrase has always strengthened me in my Salesian vocation journey.
