Subject: 'austraLasia' # 239
SALESIANS IN REFUGEE CENTRE KUPANG: FIRST-HAND.
Ephrem Santos
KUPANG: 25th Sept -- Almost two weeks ago, the Salesians left Dili by air
and by land. Fathers Andrew Wong (Provincial), Rolando Fernandez and Manuel
Pinto led the refugees who used the Indonesian transport planes. Their group
is housed in the Sports Hall of Kupang (about 10.000 persons), where the
refugees use every corner of this building, including the corridors and the
roads leading to it.
The ones that went by land were led by Fr. Edmund Baretta who managed to
rescue two vehicles of the community from the hands of the militia. This
group of two thousand was assigned to a government training centre about 45
minutes away from the City of Kupang.
In general, the confreres are alive and walking around. Yet one can see,
etched in their faces, the fatigue and the anxiety brought about by the
situation. Even in Kupang, the militias enter the refugee centres with
impunity and search for persons. Aside from this, the Salesians have to cope
with caring for the sick, looking after some families, consoling the
anxious, hiding the hunted, and calming those in fear. There is lack of
water, sanitation and privacy. Those sleeping inside the halls or rooms have
to bear the heat and the stuffy ambience because there are no windows.
Crying babies followed by weary voices of mothers trying to offer comfort
continually interrupts the nights. Those sleeping outside in the corridors
or in the open tents are subjected to strong cold winds.
After one week of tension and adjusting to the new situation, the Salesian
community had begun to settle down and assume the normal community routine.
At 4:45 in the early morning, they get up and Fr. Andrew drives the van to a
nearby convent of the Sacred Heart Brothers, which is 15 minutes away from
the refugee centre. They take a bath and have the Holy Mass with the
Canossian Sisters who have taken refuge in this convent. After the mass,
follows Lauds, meditation and peaceful silence. By 7:00 AM they are back in
the refugee centre for breakfast and the usual rounds with people scattered
all over the sports Hall. In the evening, amidst the noise and movement of
people, the community gathers for vespers and spiritual reading. Dinner is
followed by Rosary with the people. The community "house" is a floor space
of 4 x 2 meters. With mats on top of it, they pray and eat in that space.
There are five other families in the room where we have the community.
The Sousa family, belonging to our Dili parish and who has a son in the
congregation, takes care of cooking the three meals of the community.
During this week, Fr. Rolando has had an attack of malaria while Fr. Wong
has cough colds and a sore throat. The other Timorese Salesians Fr. Manuel
Pinto, Br. Agapito and Raimundo are seemingly okay. Fr. Edmund, who stays
with another group of refugees, is showing signs of an impending malaria
attack. They are much preoccupied attending to the needs of others that they
tend to set aside personal medication.
Fr. Andrew Wong, SDB wishes to thank all of you for the letters of support
and prayers for them. They are happy to know that our superiors in Rome have
been most solicitous regarding the young vice province of Indonesia-Timor.
Despite all the bad things that have happened to them, there a thousand
reasons to rejoice and to be thankful. Things could have been worse. Just
being there in that refugee centre today is a miracle enough. Thank you for
your prayers.
Ephrem Santos, SDB
Don Bosco Tiga Raksa, Jakarta
sdb@bit.net.id
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