MISSIONARY IN FOCUS
The school
in Araimiri
began the
Salesian
history in
PNG. For
about
seventeen
years, it
educated
boys and
girls from
Grades
Seven to
Ten.
he Salesians of Don
Bosco have been
working in Papua New
Guinea since 1980.
While the struggles and
the challenges continue
to grow larger every
single day, the assistance of Divine
Providence makes its presence felt
more and more
by the
transformation of the young and the
growth of the workers in the Lord's
vineyard.
No Salesian work is simply
directed to a generic group of
clients. The young take the
preferential choice. On June 14,
1980 when the first group of
Salesians stepped into St. Peter's
Vocational School in Araimiri, the
one and sole objective in the mind of
the two priests and two lay brothers
was to assist the young of the
poorest province of Papua New
Guinea so that they may have a
hope in the future.
Nestled in the forested swamps
of the Gulf Province, Don Bosco
Araimiri faced all odds to give a
proper education to boys and girls
who were not selected in grade six
to move on to high school, simply
because the government had only
so much subsidy for a mere fraction
to those eligible. Thus, for sixteen
school years the institution turned-
out to society hundreds of boys
and girls with greater
chances to have a
living.
The school suffered
setbacks like lack of
teachers
and
difficulty to obtain
supplies. But the one
that dealt it a
deadly blow
was when
the sea
the center was but a place of
meeting for the pastoral programs of
the Diocese.
Thus, when in the early morning
of October 1 of this year, twenty
boys and twelve girls led by Fr.
Peter Baquero trekked from Lariau,
crossed the Vailala river and finally
arrived at Araimiri, you can only
imagine what memories surged in
the minds and hearts of those who
were there before. The school for
the poor has reopened on the feast
of the Patroness of the Missions, St.
Therese of the Child Jesus. A
hesitant period in the life of the PNG
Missions project has come full circle
and the Gulf Province has once
more the needed place where the
young can be educated. This indeed
is one reason to celebrate the
coming Silver Jubilee of the
Salesian presence in the country
called Paradise.
Admittedly it was 25th May when
this took place, but the Gulf province
of Papua New Guinea is, without
doubt, one of the most secluded and
unreachable parts
of
the globe, even
by
contemporary
that day, after a four year closure,
calling it `a miracle school`. And it
certainly is that for the plantation
children from Herehere, Ova`a,
Ovahuhu, Lakkavu, Hiru, Lovehoho
and Huiva villages.
The Primary School, closed four
years ago because of poor
infrastructure and staffing, was
opened in the presence of Fr Peter
Baquero sdb, Rector of the Araimiri
community and the Don Bosco
technical school there, Fr Robinson
Parappilly sdb Parish Priest
amongst the Kearu people, the tribe
to which most of the children
attending the school belong, and the
Diocesan Education Secretary Mr
Tony Malaisa. There were
thousands of people, along with the
children, who witnessed the event.
Fr Robinson felt that the most
important need for the place was a
good elementary school. "Children
of the district who have grown up out
of school have tended often to
become adults without fear of God
or man, some even turning to
rascalism and drugs", he indicated.
`Rascalism` is the PNG term for
young people who drift into the
urban areas and join gangs. The re-
opened school will accommodate
250 children, with the aim of helping
them to grow up to be good
Christians and honest
citizens.
The school is now a
permanent structure,
built with the help of
people from the villages
and funded by the
Salesians. "We have
spent more than 40,000
Kina (approx US$ 15,000)
on the infrastructure and
we are proud to invest this
money for the benefit of the
children in the Kearu
area. With the help
of
the
Government
and
education
started to eat into the property, at
one point sweeping the staff houses
with it. The decision was reached to
phase out the school and by 1997
telecommunication
standards.
Bishop Paul Marx of Kerema
Diocese blessed and re-opened the
Dominic Savio Primary School on
department we hope to improve the
living standards of the people and
especially of the children and youth",
he added.
