austraLasia 813
PAKISTAN: A MISSION TO
REFUGEES
Salesians a sign of hope in difficult border
zone
ROME: 20th March, '04
-- In a brief visit to Rome en route to his home community in
Quetta, Fr. Peter Zago, now 44 years a missionary in India, Philippines, PNG and
now Pakistan, speaks words of hope. This is the hope he personally feels and
others, including the Ministry of Education in Islamabad, recognise in the kind
of education offered in Don Bosco's name.
There are six Salesians in
Pakistan, three in Quetta and three in Lahore. The latter deserves comment
in its own right, but for the moment, the focus is on Quetta. Just 100 or
so kilometres from a difficult border, the world knows that thousands of
refugees are to be found there. For the past two years the Salesians have
run the parish in Quetta, where some 1,200 Catholic families are to be
found. But the work extends far beyond these religious confines.
There is a youth centre open to all youngsters, and especially the young Uzbek
refugees to be found in the immediate vicinity. With financial assistance
from the Rector Major and the Bonn Mission Office, the Salesians run a school
for 120 Uzbek youngsters, and a further Learning Centre for some 650 Afghani
refugees.
In the meantime, an approach was made to the
Salesians to manage three separate learning centres for the Pashtun, Azari and
Tajid refugee camps. With the help of Misereor, the Salesians manage these
three centres and reach out to 1,800 other young people. They provide
educational materials, one meal a day and other facilities such as toilets,
water. The staff are local people but receive updating and
guidance from the Salesians. The Salesians also provide a teacher to
teach English for an hour a day. Altogether, between the Uzbek Learning Centre
and the other refugee camp centres, the Salesians are responsible for around 50
teachers.
The relatively new Salesian
presence in Pakistan has made a favourable impression on educationally-minded
Government officials who welcome assistance from the private sector in areas and
circumstances that are difficult for them to provide for. And the local
Bishops have been likewise impressed. There is already a potential
presence in Rawalpindi, with buildings on offer, if only the Salesians can
provide the men to staff the enterprise. Fr. Zago was never one to allow
difficulties and challenges to hinder Don Bosco's contribution to the poorest of
young people. He radiates warmth and hope for the future.
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