In the first instance
an apology for a
long break in service - your correspondent was away in
places where
there was no internet connection or so poor it was not
possible to send
this item. Shall try to catch up over the next few days with
items sent
in - they will all be a little out of date, of course, that
can't be
helped.
QUETTA: 5 January 2012 -- All the SDBs working in
Pakistan
gathered together in Quetta for our Christmas celebration this
year
which was made even more special by the presence of Bro.
Edward
Villordon (FIS Provincial Economer) and Bro. Jean Paul Muller
who
arrived here last December 23 and 24 respectively. Their visit
is one
of the fruits of the meeting held in Rome last July 25, 2012
together
with the Rector Major and all the stakeholders of our mission
in
Pakistan regarding the current situation and challenges facing
our
presences here in the country.
Salesians arrived in Pakistan 14 years ago and are now in 2
communities—Lahore and Quetta, both working in the area of
education
and youth formation. The development and expansion over the
years have
been truly amazing yet the difficult situation in the country,
the high
turnover of confreres/limited number of confreres, the problem
of
having visas approved for new missionaries and the whole
process of
transition and consolidation of our work post some real
challenges to
all concerned.
The visit of Brothers Jean Paul and Ed is an assurance of the
closeness
and support of the whole congregation to all of us here in
Pakistan.
Among the plans outlined in the July 2012 meeting in Rome was
the
strengthening of the collaboration between Pakistan mission
and the FIS
province to where it is attached as well as the creation of a
closer
relationship among confreres at various levels (province,
region and
world) connected with this work. And so this encounter, as Br.
Jean
Paul has made clear from the very beginning, is a “fraternal
visit” so
that they on their part are able to deeply understand and
personally
experience the life of the confreres here and meet and listen
to their
stories and experiences.
Bro. Jean Paul stayed for four days while Br. Ed is staying
for a full
week—listening, learning, and living our life here,
particularly in
Quetta. We on our part have been surely enriched and
encouraged by
their presence. And in spite of the certainly difficult days
ahead, our
reflections and sharing of these past days allow us to look
ahead just
the same, with hope and optimism knowing that we are not
alone.
And isn’t this what Christmas is actually all about—knowing
that we are
not alone, knowing that in spite of the seemingly dark and
desperate
situation we might be in our God is with us. He is Emmanuel!
