Mon, 06 February 2012

HISTORY OF THE FMA IN KENYA

Salesian sister - KENYA

FROM DREAM TO REALITY     
Don Bosco had a dream on 10 April 1885 in which he saw a line drawn from Peking to Chile passing through the heart of Africa. Along this line, Don Bosco saw many Salesian Missionaries at work. This time the guide was the Shepherdess and she told him,” Your sons will accomplish all this…your sons to the third generation and beyond. The Centres you now see will give forth many missionaries because you will take care of all these works.” (M.B.XVIII, 72 -74)
Neither the Salesians nor the Salesian Sisters forgot Don Bosco’s dream and after some years they did, in fact, bring the Salesian charism to Africa.  Already from 1893, the Sisters were present in Algeria, then 1895 in Tunisia and 1915 in Egypt.  Don Bosco’s dream of our following the great Congo River came to be in 1926, then to Mozambique in 1952, South Africa 1961, Gabon 1971 and Equatorial Guinea in 1980. 
The year 1981 marked a whole new approach towards Africa whereby the Salesians Fathers, Brothers and Sisters answered the call of the Rector Major at the time, Fr. Egidio Vigano, to bring the Salesian charisma to many young people of Africa.
 The Mother General of the Sisters, Mother Marinella Castagno heard this call of the Rector Major and found the same sentiments were already in her own heart. She had already visited some of the countries of Africa and was moved at the thought of so many women and children who were waiting to be reached by the kindly hand of Don Bosco’s Family.  Whenever a Sister expressed to Mother Marinella a readiness to work overseas, she immediately thought of Africa! 
This big movement was called ‘Project Africa’ and the first Sisters to answer the call moved out in 1982 to the Ivory Coast and Togo, 1983 to Angola, Lesotho and Sudan and in 1984 to Ethiopia, Rwanda and Kenya. An invitation went out to all the communities throughout the world, inviting anyone who felt the call to be a missionary, to write a letter of application. One could not choose the country, only one could be sure it would be in Africa somewhere!

DEPARTURE FOR KENYA

Who were the first two Sisters to come to Kenya? There was Sr. Rosa Farina, an Italian Sister who had already experienced missionary life in the United States where she had learned English, and is presently in Tonj, S. Sudan.  Sr. Virginia Bickford instead was American born, from California, already an experienced teacher but ready, nonetheless to leave it all behind and come to Kenya.  The two came to Rome and remained in the FMA Mother House.  The original plan was to leave late in 1983 but permits could not be obtained in time, then there was difficulty in finding a place on the plane.  Eventually the date when everything was ready was for 13th Jan. 1984.  The 13th of every month is dedicated by the Sisters to remembering the life and inspiration of Maria Mazzarello.  Could this be a sign that she was pleased with this new development and that the Sisters were going in her name and in her company?    Under her guidance and with her help they would bring her own enthusiasm and love for Jesus to young people in a special way – the Salesian way! Sr. Lia Sperandio, Sister in Charge of the Province which was to support the new work for the first few years, the Central Province of Italy with its offices in Turin next to the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians, was to accompany them. In the diary written by Sr. Rosa we can know their feelings: “Then, finally, it is the dawn of 13th, a day which beings with it all the characteristics of a last day!  The time never seems to pass and we are tired just waiting…and at the same time the hours and minutes suddenly seem to just disappear and we find ourselves holding in our hands the reality of a huge detachment and an offering greater than we are able to make with our own strength.  Again in the afternoon, all the missionaries of Project Africa who are in the General House for their immediate preparations unite in the offering of the Mass celebrated by an Indian Salesian priest, already a missionary in Tanzania temporarily back in Rome for some updating courses. At the offertory the four Sisters who will make up the community of Siakago carry up the gifts: bread, wine, the constitutions, a passport and air ticket as they renew their offering to Christ, with Christ and for Christ.”

 On the journey from the Mother House to the airport  Mother Carmen (Councillor for the Missions) along with Sr. Antonietta and Sr. Delfina accompanied the Pioneers. Boarding  a DC10 All’Italia flight packed with people, the plane toke off smoothly in an atmosphere of peace and calm. At 6.20 a.m. Italian time, 8.20a.m. local time the plane finally landed on Kenyan soil!

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