SALESIAN COOPERATORS NARUKOT VISIT

Claudina Pinto
MUMBAI, NOVEMBER 22, 2010: Seven co-operators of Mumbai Province made a visit to the jungles of Jambughoda [Don Bosco Narukot] from November 17 to November 19, 2010. Fr Stanny Ferreira, Rector of Don Bosco Narukot welcomed us. The purpose of the trip was to animate the co-operators group and see the wonderful work our Salesians are doing there. On the first day we met ten co-operators of Narukot unit and had a long session with them explaining to them in a nut shell the Project of Apostolic Life and the method of conducting the meetings. The next day we met the co-operators again where we shared our experiences discussing in depth of Don Bosco's vision of his great mission of uplifting the youth in all strata of life and the mission statement drawn at the Third South Asia Regional Congress 'RETURN TO DON BOSCO RETURN TO THE YOUNG'.

The Coordinator and the committee members were so enthused with Charism and motivation of Don Bosco that they wanted to show us the work they carry on in different villages. The first visit was to Gandhra village in the mountains of Jambughoda. There we saw the water shed project carried on by the Salesian Fathers and the green fields. It was like another Scotland. Then we proceeded to Garumal and Chalwad villages where we visited the houses of the villagers and students/boarders studying in Don Bosco School.

On the second day we went to Duma village where Fr Stanny celebrated the Mass for the villagers. About twenty people with their children attended the service. After the service some of the co-operators played with the children and distributed sweets to them. Our Provincial Coordinator Mrs Claudina Pinto explained to the people the work the Salesian Co-operators do. Some of the village people showed their willingness to work for Don Bosco's mission by becoming Co-operators. On the way back we visited another village Masabar, where the Salesians conduct a Village Education Project class for children of villages who are poor. Approximately thirty such centres are being run with the help of the Cooperators. The children were so happy that they sang Gujarati songs for us. We taught them English Nursery rhymes which they picked up so beautifully and sang without any help.
At 11am we visited the Maharaja and Maharani's Palace and had a historical background of it. Father Stanny told us that Don Bosco’s Technical Institution teaches Hotel Management and Hospitality so that many tribal youth could be trained and get better living in Narukot where family could live together and thus instilling family values. In the evening we visited Zallaria and Kesarpura villages where one community centre is opened to conduct different activities like teaching cathecism, Mahila mandal, youth centre, and adult education. Here the co-operators distributed sweets and clothes to the children and adults. We also enjoyed the adivasi food.
On the third day morning after the Eucharist we visited the farm and the families of the co-operators, in the evening on our way back home we visited Snehalya Shelter Don Bosco. Here we interacted with the boys. They were very happy to meet us and talk to us. They had so much to say and we had so much to hear but the time was not enough. We are very much inspired by the work of our Salesian family members in Narukot. We could not imagine how people live there in poverty and misery but the love and spontaneous hospitality has shaken us. The cooperators thanked the Mumbai cooperators for visiting them and encouraged them to be the long hands and feet of Don Bosco.