Introduce yourself?
I am Joshua Tarere from Papua New Guinea. I am a member of the Salesians of Don Bosco, doing practical training at Don Bosco (Araimiri) Technical Secondary School in the Gulf (Kerema). I am the eldest in the family of 3 sisters and a brother. I belong to the Vice Province of PGS.
What inspired you to make this choice to become a missionary?
I have always wanted to serve people in my life. This conviction came to me not because of the sake of serving but because I realized that ‘serving’ makes my life meaningful. When I joined the Salesians of Don Bosco, I was inspired by the missionary confreres working in my country. They came to my place to serve the young people. This experience of service and availability to others helped me to identify myself with their missionary vocation. At the end, I discerned and decided together with my spiritual guide to see if my desire to the Salesian Missionary vocation was truly a calling from God. After a long period of discernment, I finally decided to apply and volunteer for the mission wherever needed.
Are you happy about the new place where you are going? Have you any fears and inhibitions of the place, culture and place?
I am sent as a missionary to South Sudan, Africa. I basically have two feelings. Happy and fear. On one hand, I am happy because I am going to see another country, experience new perspective in life and learn new things from the people. On the other hand, I am afraid of the new environment. I have heard of stories, and even read in news of how difficult my mission place is. There is constant war going on especially in the North Sudan and people are displaced. All these events seems discouraging.
But what is consoling for me is that the more I am afraid the more I am inspired to be courageous. I know fully well that the Lord who has sent me for His mission will surely take care of me. My fears have not overtaken my great desire to serve, to love and to be one with the new culture and place.
How did your family members, friends and confreres react when you told them about your missionary vocation.
My parents are very supportive of my decision of going for the mission. They allowed me and respect my decision to go for missions. My friends and confreres are also supportive. Their kind words of advice and encouragement inspired me to continue optimistically with this decision to be a missionary.
What are your plans and dreams about your missionary life?
I do not have any specific plan of what to do in the mission. My only concern is live well my religious life and integrate my Salesian identity into the new context, so as to be faithful to the charism of Don Bosco. Of course there are also other concerns of making friends, learning the language. My only desire is to serve and work as a servant of God for the young, loving the people and being available to them.
Have you in mind some great model of missionaries whose style and life you want to follow?
There are so many good and great missionaries, who inspire me, and I identify my Salesian missionary vocation through them. However, for me the great model of a missionary is none other than Jesus, the Good Shepherd. I want Him to make use of me as His instrument, to love, to proclaim and to offer myself for others.
What is your message for young people about missionary choice and vocation?
My simple message for those aspiring to be missionaries is that they should ‘be open’. To be a missionary is an attitude of availing ourselves to be used by God. Through discernment and prayer the missionary aspirations can always be strengthened and enriched. If we are open to God’s grace, He will show the way and lead us, and help us live our life meaningfully.
