Hi, Angelot! Could you please introduce yourself…
Hi! My name is Angelot Dorisse Herimampionona Rakotonirina, Salesian of Don Bosco, originally from the Mary Immaculate Vice-Province of Madagascar (MDG). I come from a small rural village called Ambohimarina, 88 km from the capital, Antananarivo and now I have been sent as a missionary to the AKM Delegation (of Albania-Kosovo-Montenegro).
What inspired you to choose to become a missionary?
The first thing that drove me to become a missionary was the love for Christ the Lord and the salvation of souls. Then, the will and zeal that never cease to proclaim the Good News to the world, as St Paul did for the Church: give freely to the Lord everything he gave freely to me. In addition, the testimony of missionary life in Madagascar, simplicity and devotion, have helped me a lot to meditate on my life, to choose and to decide.
Are you happy with where you are going? Do you have any fears or concerns about the new place, culture and people?
Before, worry and fear filled my heart, especially when I made the choice. But little by little they are becoming joy. The satisfaction is obviously there, because I feel that God is with me. I believe that he called me to send me on a mission, so I also believe that he has helped and supported me in the mission he sent me to. Now I am totally ready to bring the Gospel to the land to which the Lord has sent me, because I trust in God and in his grace.
What are your plans and dreams for your missionary life?
Regarding his plans, he says: "My dream and my project in my mission are nothing more than the project of Christ through Don Bosco: the salvation of souls". Moreover, as a missionary of Europe, I hope to help re-establish the identity of Christ and his Church in Europe. I would like to be a tool to revive the charism of the Catholic Church and our Congregation on the European continent.
What is your message to young people about missionary choice and vocation?
I have seen that so many young people today live in anguish and agitation. They do not need theory, but tangible, existential evidence. They seek the greatness and mystery of life in their limited autonomy. But dear young people, dear friends, do not look for things that are impossible and that are exhausted. God gives us our knowledge to know everything, yet why do we not listen to the voice of the Lord speaking within us? And for my part, I thank you for having deepened our faith, because God is our life: everything comes from him, through him and for him.
