Sunday = Fun Day

Animators being animated.

Every Sunday afternoon, around 100 children come to the Salesian compound for Sunday school, or as they say in the Salesian family, Oratorio.   They spend about 3 hours singing, playing and learning other lessons such as English.  The children are led by the Sisters and several young “animators”, high school girls who also grew up through Oratorio.   

This is a special time for the children as it gives them the opportunity to have fun, be creative, and learn other valuable life lessons in a caring, supportive and educational setting. Most of the children who attend are young girls from the ages of 5-12 that come from the town while on the other side of the compound, the Fathers hold Oratorio for the boys. 

Seeing their bright faces and smiles on Sunday afternoons 

is the highlight of my week.

A mural at Don Bosco High School.

The Salesian tradition of holding Oratorio started with Don Giovani Bosco In Turin. He gathered the boys who were being exploited during the Industrial revolution and taught them work-life skills.  Around the same time, Mary Mazzarello was doing the same for young girls in the Italian town of Mornese.  

This spirit of educating poor, young children has endured since then and spread across the world; the Salesians are active in around 130 countries.  I am happy that I have chosen my mission to help the children/students of Dilla, even if it’s only by teaching English.  As Don Bosco once said, “educating the poor is the highest form of charity.”