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
