During the Eucharist, on the feast of Don Bosco, Fr Maravilla congratulated Fr Mbandama and the local pioneer community. ‘The fact that this presence is an initiative of the ZMB Vice-Province, led with enthusiasm and commitment by an African Superior, and that the pioneer community is made up of African confreres, says a lot about the whole Africa-Madagascar Region and the whole Congregation,’ the General Councillor stressed.

‘This new presence, like the one in Niger, is proof that we are seeing the fruits of Project Africa: Africans are boldly launching themselves into countries where the Congregation is not yet present! So, on this feast of Don Bosco, I launch an invitation to the whole Region to live the missionary audacity of the first missionaries of Project Africa,’ Fr Maravilla added.

The parish Mass in honour of Don Bosco on 1 February and the one the following Sunday were held in the Mass centre with the small Catholic community of the working-class neighbourhood of ‘Monarch’, which the late Bishop of Francistown, Bishop Antony Rebello, SVD, had offered to the Salesians with the intention of making it a parish. These visits to Monarch made it possible to meet the first group of young people in the area, organised by Fr Irvin Lumano, who is initiating the new oratory experience for young people.

During his visit, Fr Maravilla, together with Fr Mbandama and the three pioneer Salesians, had several meetings to discuss the way forward in establishing the Salesian presence in Botswana. They also visited some potential sites and met with the apostolic administrator of the diocese.

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