Don Bosco, Friend of the young and the poor.

With one Hail Mary and Gods blessing. Oh Father look what you have done. 

August 16, 2015 is St John Boscos 200th birthday! This whole year is a year of preperation for this day which is going to be a great celebration. These past 3 years have been a preparation for the day that is to come by sharing and learning about Don Boscos work and spirituality.

The Vicario of the northern Mexican Salesian Proince recently came to visit our community. During a morning mass with the Salesian priests and the volunteers, he spoke about the excitement of the bicentenario that is coming up and why this preperation and this day of August 16, 2015 is so important. It isn't because we are celebrating the birthday of a saint that passed away 200 years ago. We are celebrating th Don Bosco that lives within all of the Salesian communities to this day. I think this is a powerful and beautiful thought if you really think about it.

Don Bosco Oratory in Ciudad Juarez

200 years ago ( thats 73 000 days!) a man came to be an example of how to serve and how to help. By being a friend to the young and the poor. That was 73 000 daysago. And today, in 131 countries of the entire planet earth, there are Salesian communities continuing and imitating the great work that this one man started. When he decided to love and care for the most needy, the outcasts, the prisoners and the poor.

But over all - he dedicated his entire life to the young. He believed that they were important when the rest of the world just saw them as kids. He knew they needed to feel loved. And needed to be joyful and needed a place to come to. A positve place - that would be the oratory. Don Bosco went against everything a priest should have been doing in his time and because of this, Salesians are located around the world in order to help the youth be the leaders of the future.

I have had this great privilege of spending this past year (and the next few months) in a Salesian community with 5 Salesian priests and a great number of volunteers that come from Salesian communities around the world. I have learnt so much not only by living in this house and being a part of this community but really through the work in the 3 oratories that are located in Juarez.

Mission trip to Haiti with the students of the Salesian School

Many people, including other parts of Mexico, see Ciudad Juarez as a place of violence and 'exreme scary-ness oh my goodness cat come home.' But the Salesians are located here because the truth is we have a mission, to conintue Don Boscos work. Yes, there are many things I have lived and seen throughout my mission trip that would surprise a lot of you but - it is part of the package of working and dedicating part of my life to the most needy, the poor and the outcasts. Don Bosco said it and I live by this " if i do not take the time to care for them, who will?" I had the oppertunity of literally growing up and being apart of the Salesian community in Montreal through the parish and YLC. I can say I have known the Salesians my whole life and it is thanks to the community in Montreal that I am here on my mission today. Being apart of the Salesian family, growing up in youth groups and taking part in retreats and catechism and getting to know about the mission Don Bosco had - now I can help share it and pass it on.

The best part about the Salesians is really the family feeling they give. You can go anywhere in the world and feel like you are a part of the same family because of the same values you were taught through the Salesians. Don Boscos plan then, and our plan now is to help create good Christians and honest citizens of the world. The point is to make this world a better place, to get down to the core of teaching good values and educating the young in becoming soldiers of God and good people that live on this planet. For youth to serve the youth, to be a part of a bigger picture.

Mission trip to Domingo Savio Oratory in Tijuana, Mexico

Don Bosco is celebrating his 200th birthday in heaven but I know he is looking down at all the work that is continuing on this earth where we live. I can imagine the smile on his face knowing that 200 years later, a dream he had at 9 years old is still a reality and continuing around the world. Being Salesian is contagious, if you do not know about the life of Don Bosco - I highly recomend reading up on the life story of the saint. Let us all try and live with even the smallest amount of his spirit and I can promise you this world will be better. I see it everyday, and I am just one young person in this world speaking up for the Salesians. 

LIKE DON BOSCO

WITH THE YOUNG, FOR THE YOUNG! 

- strenna 2015 

Niña de tus ojos - Jesus Adrian Romero

July was summer camp time in the oratories! Camp here is called VAFEJE ( vacaciones felizes con Jesús - happy vacations with Jesus). This is afour week program that begins with the animators at 9 am with formation and prepping our day, Children arrive at 10 and stay in the oratory in two different classes ( such as social circus, computors, guitar, arts and crafts, cooking...). At 2 the children and animators go home for lunch and come back at 430 for the afternoon of games and sports until 8 pm. Personally, I really enjoyed VAFEJE because you can see how many young people dedicate their entire day to these children who just want to play and have a positive place to be during their summer. 

At the end of July, I went to San Fransisco for a one week retreat with Salesian Volunteers. I got to meet all the new volunteers who will be dedicating he next year of their lives to see in The Lord in seaian schools and oraories in te USA and in Mexico. I also got to see all te volunteers who have finished their year and will be continuing their journey at home. I ask that you do send out a prayer for these wonderful missionaries 

After the retreat, I made my way to Montreal. I spent the whole month of August at home with my family and friends. I also took advantage of this time to rest before coming back to Juarez in September. I tried my best to visit and spend time with friends and family members and try and share my experience with as many souls as I could.  It was a good month but I was really missing my Mexican family and the new friends I know I have a limited amount of time seeing. 

Highlights of my month: 

- Best friend time. 

- Walking into CRLT again ( although Marc was never there!) 

- My day with Alex

- Zia Maria's cinnamon buns

- Re celebrating Christmas at Nonna Cathy's

- visiting godmoma in Ottawa 

- Emily driving 😳 

- pregnant lady :) 

I am now back in Juarez and ready to continue my missionary journey until MIS January. I ask that you keep my community in your prayer, keep the children and all the members of this Salesian family close to your hearts. Know I will be praying for you. 

Don't be sad - I'll be back soon :)