by Cl. Sanket Chauhan for BISMumbai

The community at Don Bosco, Chhotaudepur, bid farewell to three of their staff members – Malsingbhai Mohanbhai Rathwa, Gangliben Malsingbhai Rathwa and Remanbhai Tersing Rathwa – on the completion of their tenure as domestic workers in the presence of all parishioners and staff members, on 1 June. They have served the institution for almost forty years in all earnestness and dedication.

Malsingbhai and Remanbhai were taken into service by the pioneer of the Chhotaudepur missions, Late Fr Byron D'Silva, in the initial days of the establishment of the House. Malsingbhai and Gangliben served the institution as the house cooks and the caretakers of the residence of the Salesians, and were well-known by most Salesians in the Province of Bombay to be excellent cooks and trusted caretakers of the Salesians.

Remanbhai after being trained in catechesis became a village catechist who worked efficiently in the villages of Anthroli, Baroj and Tundva. Later, adapting to the needs of the institution, he even immersed himself in social devolpment work at the grass root level in the villages that Lok Seva Kendra caters to in Chhotaudepur District.

After the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, Fr George Carlos, the Rector of Don Bosco Chhotaudepur, presided over the felicitation of the three staff members. Remanbhai with teary eyes said, "I never saw my own father's face – he died young – but Fr Byron, Fr Stanny and Fr Elson never let me feel the absence of the love of a father. What I am today is entirely God's grace and the love of Don Bosco that I have felt through his sons - the Salesians. If my family, my sons are doing well today, I'll always remind them that it is because of Don Bosco.“

Don Bosco, Chhotaudepur, has had the good fortune of not just having honest and hardworking staff members in these individuals but also faithful Catholics. The seeds sown by the pioneering Salesians have grown to be a blessing to the mission.