by Father Robert Pen for BISMumbai

The 07 Salesian novices of STI went for their Mission Experience to Ahmednagar for 12 days from 07 to 19 March. The novices visited the Salesian communities and parishes situated in the district of Ahmednagar.

The first stop of the novices was Bosco Gramin Vikas Kendra (BGVK) which was the main centre where the novices were oriented by the life, work, aim and service rendered by the BGVK. They were introduced to the daily chores carried out there and were given work experience in the fields.

The Salesians in the community shared the various projects, plans and initiatives for the development and the growth of the villages. Further on the novices were allocated in different villages in groups, where they absorbed the daily life of the villages by being one like them.

The various villages that the novices encountered were Dongargan,Jehur, Pimpalgaon Malvi, Mathani, Ranjhni, Khandke, Agadgaon, Deulgaon, Dakshmigava, Parewati and Walki. The novices helped out in enlightening the people on the scheme devised by the central government in a number of villages for the unorganized sector and also for the migrant workers, construction workers, domestic helps, street vendors, waiters, beauticians, handicraft makers, fisher folk, agricultural labor, etc.

It was an enriching experience, where the novices got to know the true conditions and difficulties that the people face there. The novices experienced the work that the Salesians were rendering to the villages and got to see the needs and plight of the people. The novices were given opportunities in the school to teach in the lower standards and were taken around the campus of their institute.

The novices also visited the different Salesian Parish communities of St. Anne’s Ahmednagar, St. John the Baptist Bingar and St. John Bosco Savedi and got to know the role of each community in the mission area of Ahmednagar.

The novices distributed food packets to the migrants on the festive occasion of Holi.The Ahmednagar mission experience was truly rich and one which the novices won't forget. It was tough, challenging and yet it was pleasant and heart-warming. It was a once in a lifetime moment!