A visible touched Bishop Mizobe shared his deep inner joy in seeing the Salesian Mission dream of the Japan Province in Solomon Islands slowly taking shape and becoming a reality.
Asked about his feelings he replied with tears in his eyes and a very gentle typical smile "I am very, very happy to see the dream of the province slowly becoming a reality. Now I can see the hand of providence step by step since the beginning of our presence 6 years ago".
A man of great dreams himself, Bishop Mizobe keeps in touch with the mission and hopes to send individually the candidates of the Sendai Diocese preparing for diaconate for an immersion-exposure experience starting with deacon to be Bernard who will stay back here for few months. Together with Sem. Bernard, bishop brought with him the Director of Vocations of the Nagasaki Seminary who inquired into the possibility of a two weeks exposure experience for the Junior seminarians. Fr. Peter of the Sendai Diocese too accompanied the bishop.
In their three days stay the bishop and his party had the chance of experiencing having to turn back from a destination because of heavy floods, he enjoyed one rainy day encounter with the Sali bush Village community and one with the sunny sea side Komporo community. In both communities the guests were made to feel very much at home and welcome by the extraordinary hospitality of the Tetere parish communities. Bishop was indeed happy to hear that a 10 year extension of the Tetere mission parish has been agreed upon between the Provincial and the Archbishop of Honiara.
The students of the Don Bosco Henderson training center enjoyed the friendly conversation with their guests and welcome Deacon to be Bernard to join the family.
The students are excited in waiting for 16 Italian Volunteers for 3 weeks in June and four groups of Japanese (volunteers and seminarians) in August. Two Mission animation salesians are also expected from Europe (Fr Leo from Italy and Mimmo from Germany) in July - August.
We truly can't help but feel "it is the right time" for Don Bosco in the Solomon islands
