Yesterday, Monday 19 September, the Rector Major celebrated Mass with the community of the Salesian Novitiate in Lusaka-Makeni. This was followed by a meeting with the formation community and the novices. The meeting was attended by the Councillor General for the Africa-Madagascar Region, Fr Americo Chaquisse, who has been busy since last August with the Extraordinary Visit to the Province of East Africa.
There was a large party in the afternoon on the occasion of the Rector Major's visit to the City of Hope, an orphanage and shelter for children at risk run by the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians.
"It is a great joy for us to welcome the Don Bosco of today. We've been waiting for you!" said Sr Prisca Mwila, the Director of the Work. "It's nice for us to know that there is a father who thinks of us, takes care of us, and loves us ... as you do! This is what we have experienced! We will continue to pray for you!"
The Rector Major replied by speaking directly to the boys and girls of the centre: "Young people are the reason for our life as Salesians" he began. Then he said goodbye and mentioned specifically the FMA, the Salesians, the educators, teachers and volunteers. "Why do I mention them all individually? Because the dream of Don Bosco and Mother Mazzarello is translated into reality by each one of them!"
Then he concluded by saying: "Observing the young people here and others I met in different Salesian centres, I can say that the future of Zambia will be much brighter than the present."
Thanks to the collaboration of the ZMB Social Communication team, numerous photos of the first day of the visit of the Rector Major to Malawi are available on ANSFlickr. A video is available on the Facebook page of ANS.
