Port Moresby, PNG, 10 December 2017 -- We had several sessions that prepared us for our Salesian Missionary Experience which is a new formation program for first year College aspirants of our of PGS Vice-Province. During these sessions we discussed the meaning and purpose of this experience as well as what to expect and how to behave when we will be in our mission. The famous words of Blessed Zeferino Namuncurá served as our inspiration: “I want to study to be useful for my people!” Hence we call this program Namuncurá Experience.
After the much needed preparations, I was personally excited to go to but also with mixed emotions because I could not but wonder what is awaiting me during this six weeks of missionary immersion.
On the morning of December 10 we eleven aspirants received our missionary cross during the Eucharist presided by Fr. Alfred Maravilla SDB, our Provincial, in the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians in Port Moresby. As we received the cross we were also assigned the village we will work. As I received my missionary cross I really felt this will be a totally new experience: to proclaim God’s Word in little ways suit my capabilities.
Very early next morning we left Port Moresby for a 7 hour drive through rough road, then we crossed the sea in a dinghy, and then another 1 hour drive through the forest until we safely reached our destination, Araimiri the first Salesian presence in Papua New Guinea in 1980.
The next day we had our orientation visit to our presence in Araimiri and the people of the surrounding villages we will evangelise. Now we are ready to embark on our missionary experience. I know that this will be tough but I am also aware that this experience will have an even greater purpose which is to help me in my vocational discernment as a Salesian aspirant.
