IVOR VAZ
BORIVALI, OCTOBER 26, 2010: ‘At your service with love’, the catch-line of all Don Bosco institutions clearly avers. This simple yet profound proclamation summates what you can expect when this elite band of Salesian priests and their vibrant parishes embark on a mission. Vision, toil, persistence and a passion that is hard to match – these are the hallmarks of the projects they undertake. Take for instance the recently concluded Mission Fete at Don Bosco’s Borivali, the proceeds of which went to the Kapadvanj Mission in Gujarat, where Fr Isaac and his team of Salesian priests tirelessly graft it out day after day, so that the residents of this tribal settlement can also enjoy the privilege of schools, roads, employment, and not to forget – a better meaning to their existence.
Sunday October 17, 2010 was chalked as a red letter day in Don Bosco’s Parish, Borivali. It was a time for the entire community to come together and dig deep into their pockets and their hearts. The venue for the Mission Fete was our very own ‘Flushing Meadows’, the tennis courts located between the Secondary School and the Primary School. Tall stalls flanked on either side of the grounds, totally transforming the ambience to carnival.
Each of the thirteen zones of the Parish had a food stall each, selling a wide assortment of food items such as hot dogs, sandwiches, croquets, cutlets, potato chops, dosas, vindaloo, sorpotel, xacuti, pickles, curries, sweet items, pulao and biryani.
The highlight of the day, however, had to be the eleven game stalls, set up and excellently run by the children from the Confirmation Batch. As one of the organisers so aptly put it, “The games are lucid and easy to follow, and infectious to keep you coming back for another go. They are especially designed to tickle your curiosity, challenge your skills, and give you an experience on the edge. And the best part is that anyone from nine to ninety can participate.”
All things considered, Sunday October 17, 2010, witnessed the harvest of love’s labour for the parishioners of Don Bosco’s, Borivali – and that’s just one way of looking at it. True, it’s only a drop in the ocean in the context of the requirement of the Missions. But, as we all know, every drop counts in the longer run. The bigger picture, of course, will be the smiles on the faces of hundreds of men, women and children in Kapadvanj, Gujarat, when their living standards eventually improve. And they will, make no mistake about it. As Fr Isaac says, “To actually witness that, we must make a physical journey.”
BORIVALI, OCTOBER 26, 2010: ‘At your service with love’, the catch-line of all Don Bosco institutions clearly avers. This simple yet profound proclamation summates what you can expect when this elite band of Salesian priests and their vibrant parishes embark on a mission. Vision, toil, persistence and a passion that is hard to match – these are the hallmarks of the projects they undertake. Take for instance the recently concluded Mission Fete at Don Bosco’s Borivali, the proceeds of which went to the Kapadvanj Mission in Gujarat, where Fr Isaac and his team of Salesian priests tirelessly graft it out day after day, so that the residents of this tribal settlement can also enjoy the privilege of schools, roads, employment, and not to forget – a better meaning to their existence.
Sunday October 17, 2010 was chalked as a red letter day in Don Bosco’s Parish, Borivali. It was a time for the entire community to come together and dig deep into their pockets and their hearts. The venue for the Mission Fete was our very own ‘Flushing Meadows’, the tennis courts located between the Secondary School and the Primary School. Tall stalls flanked on either side of the grounds, totally transforming the ambience to carnival.
Each of the thirteen zones of the Parish had a food stall each, selling a wide assortment of food items such as hot dogs, sandwiches, croquets, cutlets, potato chops, dosas, vindaloo, sorpotel, xacuti, pickles, curries, sweet items, pulao and biryani.
The highlight of the day, however, had to be the eleven game stalls, set up and excellently run by the children from the Confirmation Batch. As one of the organisers so aptly put it, “The games are lucid and easy to follow, and infectious to keep you coming back for another go. They are especially designed to tickle your curiosity, challenge your skills, and give you an experience on the edge. And the best part is that anyone from nine to ninety can participate.”
All things considered, Sunday October 17, 2010, witnessed the harvest of love’s labour for the parishioners of Don Bosco’s, Borivali – and that’s just one way of looking at it. True, it’s only a drop in the ocean in the context of the requirement of the Missions. But, as we all know, every drop counts in the longer run. The bigger picture, of course, will be the smiles on the faces of hundreds of men, women and children in Kapadvanj, Gujarat, when their living standards eventually improve. And they will, make no mistake about it. As Fr Isaac says, “To actually witness that, we must make a physical journey.”