Salesian Youth Pastoral Sudan Delegation AFEsu

Special edition vol .1 No. 3

Dear Readers, Greetings from the youth pastoral office in Juba and those of you following our blog must have seen our new Sudan delegation office in Juba at sudanbosco.blogspot.com Thanks for your powerful encouragement as our visitors on line have already passed the four thousand people mark. This also reminds us that a good number of our young people are actively on line. We have a phenomena 50% of the our students and young people in our parish and youth centre using the mobile phones that are also online compactable and even having the possibilities to watch the Television Stations and some of us are thinking more in that direction especially in the capital city of Juba where it seems that the population and the speed of growth is moving faster than we can effectively communicate the gospel to the young. May it never happen that as the city is growing higher our joint capacity to daily reach out to the young people with the gospel message is growing lower (that is a prayer). In this edition of the youth pastoral magazine we present you with a special report from our prestigious mission of Tonj that has been on the media front on YouTube, face book and now in the cinemas with the very successful youth groups, radio station and huge media coverage on the late Salesian Missionary priest Fr John Lee (sdb) from south Korea. After receiving a couple of requests from our readers, benefactors and superiors I am glad to present the first part of this special report on Tonj. Due to the heavy work load on ground especially during the festive season and the visit of the relic of don bosco, including the ongoing set up of the new don bosco senior secondary school in Juba, this edition has taken a long time to be published even if work started more than 4 months ago. The good news is that the second and last part of this special report of the youth group of Tonj is almost ready so we hope it would follow shortly and this will be our 3rd and 4th editions giving the youth pastoral office publication an average of 1 issue every 3 months. It would be important to clarify that this edition is not a full report of the Tonj mission but only about the youth groups that started in December 2007. it does not cover the very vast and broad village sub stations, village schools, don bosco bongo primary school, don bosco secondary school, Aspirantate programme, etc. References made to those other sectors are limited to their linkage to the holistic youth animation in the Town. This first part covers 2007 to 2009 and in the next publication (which we promise to be in a matter of days from now) we will conclude with the years 2010 and 2011. the mission is so vast that each sector would need a book of its own! The report of the youth group of Tonj will not only give a picture of those who have requested for it but also assist in preparing the Educative Pastoral Plan (EPP) for all our communities as we are doing these days. One interesting desire is the ever challenging call of Jesus to ask the Lord of he harvest to send more workers in his vineyard and our prayer is that all our youth education and pastoral work will invest heavily on the vocation option. In the nearest future our social communication department just set up before the meeting in Kigali about 6 months ago, will definitely come out with more publications and magazines for the Salesian family and other forms of media materials. From the youth pastoral office we offer you this little publication as we have been doing for some time now. Thanks a again for your encouragement we really appreciate them.
cyril sdb

Salesian Youth Pastoral Sudan Delegation AFEsu

The signing of the peace agreement and the official commencement of the training of the don Bosco 45 strong-youth brass band (by the Late Fr Dr John Lee sdb, MD) in 2005 could be practically considered the strengthening of the Salesian youth group youth group don Bosco Tonj which has always been in existence since the various stages of history of the Salesian mission in the diocese of Rumbek DOR. It is particularly important to note that at this time the don Bosco primary school (later renamed with an official state government documents as Don Bosco Bongo Primary school Tonj-Warrap state, catholic diocese of Rumbek) don Bosco Tonj band members was also at this time of the peace agreement (2005) looking forward to begin the Secondary section to create more opportunities of youth to remain in Tonj instead of having a regular exodus of primary school leavers to bigger towns like Rumbek and Wau were there were the only options of some secondary school education in a radius of about 100 km. More recently, with the don Bosco Nursery school and 7 village schools, a much larger and signifiPupils of Bakhita School (FMA) Tonj cant field of youth ministry catechesis was created by the Salesian community of Tonj.

DON BOSCO YOUTH TONJ

WARRAP STATE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF RUMBEK (DOR) Part 1
This situation of the facilitated the gathering of different young people with various dreams and goals to achieve with the presence of the primary school, secondary school, brass band and boarding opportunities for primary school boys and girls from various villages of mainly dinka, Luo , Bongo and Balanda tribes.

Don Bosco Bongo primary Tonj

Basically the academic atmosphere and gradual opening of new schools like the FMA (Salesian Sisters) Nursery and Primary school called Bakhita Educational Centre and the renovation and reopening of 5 other government schools like the Madol school, William Deng Nhial school, Tonj Academy school, Tonj Secondary school, etc.; brought about the accumulative concentration of young people from nearby villages into Tonj (of over 5,000 primary and Secondary school students) which will later influence the Salesian parish and youth centre progressively year by year. And remains the platform on which the don Bosco youth group Tonj has its foundation.

Children of don Bosco Nursery Tonj

THE SCHOOL WAS THE FIRST MAIN ATTRACTION AND THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF RUMBEK AND THE PERSONAL DIRECT FOCUS OF THE LATE BISHOP MAZZOLARI SPOKE VOLUMES TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE LOOKING FOR SO MANY ANSWERS TO VARIOUS CHALLENGES OF LIFE
Students of DB secondary Sch. Tonj

DECEMBER 2007

Salesian Youth Pastoral Sudan Delegation AFEsu

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At the end of 2007 with the don Bosco secondary school having its first year, the youth began reorganising themselves in the Salesian run parish of the sacred Heart of Jesus located right in the most busy market area of the Town. The first activity was to prepare for the Late Bishop Mazzolaris visit for confirmation of children that have been prepared by the APOSTOLIC youth group and Catechist organised by the Parish Priest Fr John Peter SDB and assisted by Sr Celestina FMA. The Late Fr Lee had prepared the music youth group, the choir Confirmation 8 dec 2007 tonj mission compound and the band . The Mass (like other big occasions up to this time) was celebrated in the old mission compound since the expanded local canopies had not yet been put in the church compound and the little church was still sizable for the regular Sunday Mass then.

Dec 2007 Chronologically, the December holiday period

BB team training for the competition was animated with basketball training and band and choir daily practices in preparation for a basket ball sport tournament that was being organised by the government authorities in Wau and also for the Advent and Christmas liturgical events like the first Christmas carol singing by the youth from house to house accompanied by the priest and young Salesians for blessings and prayers . The immediate response from these events propelled the influx of the parents and students who came in large numbers (more than one thousand during the admissions to the don Bosco school at the beginning of the next school year of 2008 which saw to a very competitive and extensive entrance examination for new intakes mainly from Tonj and a few from the states capitals of Rumbek and Kuajok as well as Wau.

Late Fr Dr Lee taking a pix of the Late Bishop on 8 Dec 2007 at a community reception after the confirmation and bro Joseph Chan presenting a gift while Fr. John Peter applauds

Salesian Youth Pastoral Sudan Delegation AFEsu

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DECEMBER 2007-Feb 2008

The holiday period was quite a long one December 2007 to April 2008 . These 4 four months became an opportunity begin the daily youth gathering in the parish church in the evenings when the weather was not so hot. The first activities ,were very informal meetings, choir practices, Music, preparation for Sunday Liturgy and sharing ideas on how to set up the youth group.

Fr Andrea sdb the founding principal of don Bosco secondary sch tonj handing over in dec 2007 at the end of its first year

Youth house to house Christmas carol dec 2007 this was the first youth organized event in view of the new year calling for commitment during the holiday that will last till April the following year

Db boarding boys mending the hostel roof dec 2007. the boarding boys would be the catalyst of the parish youth groups

Selection was most difficult for the p 1 in the absence of a nursery school and entrance exam day saw more the double the population of the school of new candidates seeking admission

Daily meetings and gathering in the church compound of the young people from various schools created the initial bounding experience of the future youth group

Salesian Youth Pastoral Sudan Delegation AFEsu

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-Feb APRIL 2008

CATECHISTS CAMP TONJ FEB 2008

The first Activity of 2008 was a in training for the leaders of the various chapel and outstations. In the month of January there was no activities and the feast of Don was not yet celebrated in the parish publicly at this time. These catechists are the back bone of the villages stations where they serve as local church leaders, lead the community in prayer and also follow up the village schools as head teachers. Their training included skills in youth animation and faith formation. Led by sister Celestina FMA and assisted by br Joseph Chan sdb under the coordination of the parish priest Fr John Peter sdb. They were also prepared to begin the school year and animated on how to organize their various chapels for the seas of Lent and Easter. Meanwhile I the level of the diocese there was the annual DOR assembly and for 2008 the main emphasis of the bishop was on Education and youth ministry which was to be shaped up in the diocese.

DOR assembly Feb. 2008

The daily gathering at the Church at the beginning of 2008 with the girls group led by sister Juliet FMA and the previous view of the front of the church with the parish priest fr John Peter sdb and some youth already thinking about the expansion in the front (above))

During this same period at the beginning of 2008 there was the historical visit of the contactor Vijay and the PDO director Fr George planning to begin the construction in the new sdb land the secondary school and the new the youth centre gallery hall were to be the first structures . And the youth were told to shift their activities from the parish church to the new ground . this arrangement gave hope to the youth and motivated them

LENT AND EASTER 2008 After 2 general monthly meetings and formation of some sub-committees the youth planned for their first official

At this time the number of people coming for the Sunday mass had also greatly increased and it seems the young people found the secret to get themselves and some of their family members and classmates to come for the weekly masses. Also at this time the morning mass in the parish was introduced in addition to the mass in the mission for the boarding boys and girls. The sign boards indicating time for masses, confessions etc as well as other signboards for the school, hospital, Salesian residence were prepared and fixed in 5 places in town.

Easter Sunday 2008

lunching and inauguration in the month of August 2008) this was met with initial doubts of how the outcome

Bishop opened the good Friday prayers would be. Since 6 more months of regular meetings and preparations still needed to be constantly sustained..

On e of the assignments shared among the 4 groups was to animate the weekly way of the cross in turns. which was done effectively by the youth of the town from what they had learned from the boarding students who had gone home on holidays.

Preparing to begin the school year 2008

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By the months of April , May and June The response of the youth and (new) students of the school

PTA meeting at the beginning of the 2008 academic year

Sr Celestina FMA and br Joseph Chan sdb preparing at the beginning of 2008 getting the school materials ready and new applicants coming f

Teachers outing in Wau and thanksgiving in St Joseph parish before classes began in 2008

that saw to a population increase from 700 to 1,300 greatly influenced the Salesian youth group of Tonj. During the period of Lent and weekly way of the cross and daily rosary now taking place simultaneously in the usual mission compound and now also in the parish church it was possible to beginning the formation of the sub-youth groups. The young people were told to choose names of patron saints for their groups and given printed guidelines and basic rules on organising sodalities in the church and with the formation of the Salesian youth Movement in Mind. The first 3 groups that were formed were St Bakhita society, St Dominic Savio society and St Joseph society.
Teachers preparing their lesson notes before school opened in 2008

APRILMAY 2008 youth meetings

At the beginning, a new notice board was quickly designed by the Salesian brother in Practical training, Joseph Chan. Pictures of these saints were pasted with little articles and some calendar of church and group events like separate weekly meetings of the groups and monthly general meeting. The foundation members of these groups were going round the town and especially with their classmates and getting more members to join them. Also at this time a pastoral meeting was called for in the mission to plan on how to accommodate the increasing number of children and animation during Sunday masses. With the support of the Rector Major, a small youth hall and library was constructed attached to the old church building as the youth centre structure. Some school books and shelves were

Youth hall built attached to the parish donated by the Rector major 2009

The youth team in the mission Br Karuiki sdb (R) Sr Juliet FMA (L) and Mr. Clint from the Salesian lay missionaries USA

made and 2 volley ball nets fixed on some poles to facilitate the oratory in the church compound. At this point the other youth in the town that use to flock the freedom square in the evenings started having another option of having their recreation inside the church compound. At first this was very difficult but as they slowly began to join the youth groups and getting ready for the launching, the influence of the Church activities and sacraments started to bear fruits.

JULY TO SEPTEMBER 2008

THE YOUTH LAUNCHING September to December 2008 The youth launching at the 3rd quarter of 2008 basically reshaped the youth centre of the Tonj. The community had been working for months. Smaller committees that had organised HIV awareness, Media awareness, animation of the Way of the Cross, etc were appointed to go round the town and solicit for support from their families and neighbours. Invitation were sent to all the parishes of the diocese and beyond. The little Islamic community of Tonj were also represented. While attending a youth pastoral and vocation commission meeting in Khartoum earlier that year Fr John Lee saw to the procurement of some 400 t-shirts for this launching not know that the momentum of the young people had already resulted in each group having more than one hundred registered members. Those below 15 were not registered as there was another plan to have a different group for the younger ones which was going to come after setting up of the present youth group with the dynamics of the subgroups that seems to have been yielding some fruitful responses from the young people. On the day of he launching, (also published in ANS) the young people put out their best to their parents and local community leaders some that openly said they had never entered a church for decades. Many gave financial support and many parents allowed their children to join the parish societies. The male ad female religious of the diocese together with priests that came for the function (some staying for the entire weekend) saw this event as something that could be multiplied in all the parishes of the diocese and at the 2 months later, the bishop set up the youth pastoral commitSome guests on the high table from DOR tee of the diocese and a very vigorous preparation started for what later would be the first Diocese of Rumbek catholic Youth congress that would be held during the end of year holiday in Rumbek in 2008 with delegates from 12 parishes of the diocese.

Over 400 young people in four societies launched the don Bosco youth group in 2008 and had to make local tents for each group outside the church for shelter

Parish priest fr John peter (right) address the youth on the launching day. Br karuiki, Sr Juliet and Dr Teresa (left) with violinists from the parish

Parish admin council leader Mr Mayen (L) and parish council chairman Mr Arcangelo (R) delivering their speeches

OCTOBER TO DECEMBER 2008

The youth group practically used these major events in consolidating their leadership and managerial skills especially in their capacity to rise up to the occasion when ever it arises. The Eucharistic procession on the feast of Christ the king (Nov 2008) was a spiritual captivation of the town the various youth groups and children prepared extensively and the initial doubt that the local people may not understand the significance of a Eucharistic procession around the town was cleared permanently and even revealed a spiritual desire of the people. This procession like other youth animated activity would now become an annual event for the next 3 years. The societies had increased to 4 (st

Dominic Savoir, St Bakhita, St Joseph and St Kizito for the teachers , working class youth including the volunteers from VIS and Salesian lay Missioners USA and NGO members of staff catholic community in Tonj). During this period a Radio Listening workshop was conducted for the youth leaders as an DB sec school first batch June 2008 initiative on Media Education. The NGO and their facilitators have been moving around various parts of south Sudan introducing the radio culture to the young people and the don Bosco youth was one of the target group . At this time there was no radio in Tonj and the mobile phone started working only in the month of May 2008.

Communication workshop held in Tonj for elected leaders of the parish youth groups attending Fr Laul presenting a bible to a winner as the delegate fr Jacob watches the conclusion of the bible quiz competition

END OF YEAR 2008

FIRST SYM MEETING IN SOUTH SUDAN NOVEMBER

FIRST DIOCESE OF RUMBEK YOUTH CONGRESS DECEMBER

In the second week of November, after a previous meeting with the community of Wau the first Salesian youth Movement gathering Wau was successfully organised; and for the 60 (20 representatives from each sub-youth group of Tonj) it was an induction into the dream of the future of the Salesian youth movement in the Delegation.SYM. The assembly of Salesians in the Sudan in 2007 had decided to have this programme for the communities in the south (Wau, Tonj and Juba). Juba was not able to send their representatives for this inaugural induction of the SYM and the programme was conducted in Wau for the communities of Tonj and Wau in November 2008. The Same committees and leaders

Db youth delegates at the first diocese of Rumbek youth congress 2008 opening match The vocation possibilities that were identified from these animations guaranteed the need for consistency and further reflections on this line..

Marian procession in Tonj October

There was an average of 4 processions in Tonj town every year There were about 100 youth leaders in the Salesian Youth Movement congress and after 2 years the organizaheld in Wau 2008 with participation of 4 sisters FMA tion of these processions became easier understood as feats of the that organised and participated in these events would be the town. Good Friday way of the cross, Mary Help of Christians, catalysts for the organization of more systematic (monthly ) Holy Rosary and corpus Cristi.

animations for the other youths of Tonj and the surrounding villages.

Don Bosco youth centre Tonj 2009 in review

After a very successful reorganization and carrying about 13 programmes in the year 2008 there was a need to create a pattern of youth pastoral formation that would not only be consistent but lead to vocation discernment . After the evaluation of the 13 programmes of 2008, it was agreed to improve on the quality of these programmes and to categories them to meet a formation that that spread our in modules through the year and has a full package of spiritual and human development answering to the needs of the young people in the context of Tonj and the vision of the Diocese of Rumbek. The capacity for the young people to bring their own peers to the Church and salesian family would be much needed for us to evangelize the now growing population of the young people in Tonj. The annual salesian youth movement meeting and the annual Diocesan youth congress of the Diocese of Rumbek would remain for the next 3 years the point of reference and conclusion of the 12 months youth programmes in the salesian parish and youth centre in set a pattern for the other parishes and their growing youth groups in the diocese .

JANUARY 2009

With the ill health

and absence of the late fr lee, 2009 began with a lot of uncertainties and worries. The late Fr Musos visit in January to support the pending plan of 2008 to begin the setting up of the salesian radio station in Tonj and the house for the lepers shifted the concentrations St Bakhita society( of 70 youth) animating the feast with Bakhita attire purchased from el-obeid of the energies and pastoral plan of the mission. However, the animations of 2008 had already mapped out some steps and commitments for the students and other youth that follow the youth centre programmes. The diocesan youth commission was having at least 4 annual programmes on leadership, vocation and health A dynamic aspect of the animations was to get the entire town to come to church as the centre and communication (with the setting of 2 radio stations in the diocese). There was an appointment with the youth of the first SYM of 2008 that we would try to have the second one with the youth of Wau and Juba looking forward to coming to Tonj and the logistics, finances and security were all going to serious issues for the parents of these youth, the Evaluating 2008, the feast of don Bosco 2009 was made a priority. Sdb cooperators (Above) Salesians and Salesian communities involved the cooperators were having classes every Sunday after the 2nd mass for 1 year 2008 and the young people themselves, despite their enthusiasm. The Music band was running out of old members to pass on their knowledge to the new members as some of the first batch of members of the ban were to graduate after the secondary and would have to move on in life outside Tonj

JANUARY 2009HIGHLIGHTS

The feast of Laura Vicua was organized by the FMA and well attended

Feast of St Josephine Bakhita group FMA girls day (Laura Vicua programme) Feast of St John Bosco Launching of Salesian Past Pupils association and Blessing of first Salesian Cooperators Tonj chapter by Rector and parish priest Fr John Peter Establishment of the catholic women association (L) confirmation (top) and past pupils (below) Preparation for the dramatization of the way of the cross by Br Karuiki Peter sdb Local contribution for lepers house parish level including each youth group Confirmation Gathering of children since Dec 2008 to begin the nursery school in the parish

One other factor that influenced the youth centre of Tonj was the presence of Volunteers (Tonj community has the highest number of volunteers and group-visits of visitors in the delegation in the last 5 years of more than 26 people from various countries staying for different durations ranging from some few weeks to 2 years ) and so with the others that have been helping before and the experience of the community in the years of the peace agreement; there were possibilities and reason for hope. Paramount among these were the VIS volunteers, the Spanish Sport agency, reporte, the South Korean Volunteers, the tonjproject Onlus volunteers from Italy and the Salesian Lay missioners USA that had long term visions for the people of Tonj through the Salesian community. These would be followed by the Salesian volunteers from Slovakia who were already been contacted and getting their volunteers ready for Tonj for a long term service. It was clear that so many people had the youth of Tonj at heart and this encouraged the many young people of the town and local authorities who were also getting into direct communication with them on personal and group level. Many of these groups have made multimedia documents on the youth of Tonj, on line, videos, magazines and so many photos also accessible by citizens of Tonj in the diasporas and with fast communication these days the young people are able to keep up with these and gives them a lot of hope of their potentials and future possibilities with the Salesian mission. For example in background picture of the official webpage of Red Deporte y cooperacion is a basket ball action from the Salesian youth of Tonj. (http://www.redeporte.org/eng/ index_eng.php)a the famous video on late Fr Lee focused on many issues especially the young people of the don Bosco brass band of Tonj which he founded in 2005 (www.youtube.com/watch?v=34_No6iVIgg ) the video titled do not cry for me Sudan has not only be watched in Tonj but all over the world and with a vast online information.

VOLUNTEERS AND THE YOUTH OF TONJ

Secondary Arts and Science Teachers from Kenya, Uganda and Sudan

A group of village catechists and teachers in the parish village schools

In the Salesian community plan for the year 2009, 13 youth animations were identified and these would be more than one per month in the local level, with the community of Wau, with the Diocese of Rumbek and maintaining the dynamics of these animations with the liturgical calendar of the church, relations with other schools of Tonj and the keeping to the nucleus of the group of the Salesian Aspirants that was beginning to take shape. The wave of the youth centre in Tonj starting having positive effects in the other parish outstations as 2009 was set aside to have a parish youth congress as a preparation for the annual There were 4 weekly youth meetings of the various groups at different days each of their choice. Those diocesan congress. All parishes in the dioabove secondary school were encourage to apply as cese was encouraged to do this .
local volunteers

A group of volunteers/visitors in tonj

The best fruit of the volunteers is that fact that after 2 years some local youths from Tonj volunteered with an option of not having any financial compensation or salaries to work in various sectors of the mission for 3 months (radio, hospital, parish office., band group, nursery school) The first group was mad up of 11 local Tonj volunteers and the second group was made up of 10. this was highly unexpected.. Certificates of recognition was awarded to each of them by the youth pastoral office of the delegation that was located in Tonj until it moved to Juba after independence. Thieth sub station of the parish developed a strong youth They were awarded the certificate in leadership as well looking forward to the second diocesan youth congress since they did not attend the first a community gathering of the SDB and FMA organised for hem in Tonj.

Visit of Daughters of charity to the parish priest fr John Peter

Medical volunteers from S Korea

2009 LENT

Salesian Youth Pastoral Sudan Delegation AFEsu

Sports week 2009

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Sports week was held for 5 full days during the oratory time after school in the evenings using the public freedom square. After the experience of 2008 it was held in 2009 before the rains started.

New leaders of the womens group had a preached retreat during lent of 2009

The acting of the passion through the 14 stations of the cross along the streets of tonj was directed by br Peter Karuiki and extremely successful the youth received a gift of one live bull from the parish council chairman that year. The impact of the experience was a vital catechetical and liturgical memory for the rest of 2009.

SPORTS

Salesian Youth Pastoral Sudan Delegation AFEsu

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The don Bosco school sports festival has been the biggest sporting activity in Tonj and with the increasing number of students (1400) in 2008, there was a possibility to have varieties of both track and field events. With the support of the Spanish NGO Red Deporte y cooperacion the interest in sports as

a means of youth education took a stronger appreciation in the school, in the oratory/youth centre and in Tonj at last. Series of sports programmes were organised with a good media coverage from Spain. These were events that began in the classrooms with some drawing competition and moved on to the playground with teams and groups of boys and girls and were repeated over the next 3 years keeping the experiences of the previous year to sustain and stabilise the following events . In the subsequent years, the programmes will be organised not only for students of don Bosco but for the other schools in Tonj as well and venues rotated in different parts of the town in the following year 2010 the new principal of the school Fr Sunil SDB would get more participation of the teachers and organise the sports festival in the new Salesian compound As a long term plan, the NGO also invested on the preparation of a play ground in the new Salesian compound which was not yet developed at that time and would need a lot of work to set up due to the bad terrain of the Land. Some of the members of the group assisted in the school and youth centre taking turns for different weeks.

DEPORTE sports FESTIVAL Tonj

2009 SPORTS EVENTS

Salesian Youth Pastoral Sudan Delegation AFEsu

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Preparation of the new sports ground in the new compound of don bosco tonj (by a local construction company) sponsored by Red Deporte y cooperacion. This gave a lot of hope to the young people

2009 SPORTS EVENTS

Salesian Youth Pastoral Sudan Delegation AFEsu

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Salesian 150 years Anniversary sports festival (one month) Part of the 150 anniversary celebrations was to have a moment of renewal of consecration by the members of the Salesian family and this was organised as a liturgical ceremony and animation

This was mainly a football competition that involved about 8 different teams from Tonj. Registration was don in the Salesian youth centre office and at halftime the Rosary was prayed together with the public address system (top left). It was one the initiatives for the 150 anniversary of the foundation of the Salesian congregation

School cultivation 2009

Farming was re-introduced to the school as its was practiced in the past. The farming was not only for the school students but also for the parish youth groups. Each youth society was encouraged to have a farm land. The most successful group for cultivation that year was Bakhita Society who got a piece of land from the FMA Salesian sisters about 4 km outside the town. They walked up there every weekend and during the weeding season more than once a week. The group was united and had a good harvest from which they were going to assist their members to participate in the next diocesan congress in Ghodim more than 250km from Tonj.

for the young people. It was well attended especially by the youth of the parish and the group of aspirants to the religious life.

2009 June corpus christi

Salesian Youth Pastoral Sudan Delegation AFEsu

The decision to have another Eucharistic procession 7 months after the first one was welcome with less doubts and anxiety as first one had been successful and in the holy week of 2009 there was also mass movement of a few thousand people during the acting of the way of the cross. For this procession stops were made at the Tonj local prison with the prisoners allowed to

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2009 June African Child

The idea to have the African child day celebration held in Tonj came from Mr Marko of the world Vision NGO. He came to the office of the principal of don Bosco and after some planning involving the other primary school (there were only 2

come out for the blessings (after previous arrangements and preparation that will later lead to having weekly Saturday masses with the prisoners). The second stop was at the Tonj market roundabout and finally back to the parish church that was now using the entrance door as the alter and the open space in front of the church as the gathering place for the parishioners since after the youth launching of 2008.

primary schools at that time) it was very well organised using the Salesian parish as the venue with the senior students of don Bosco secondary school also participating it will become an annual event for the next 2 years.

St Dominic Savio feast 2009

Salesian Youth Pastoral Sudan Delegation AFEsu

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The 3 youth societies each celebrated the feast of their patron saint one year after the formation of the groups with the their leaders, family members, villagers and the Salesian community . After st Bakhita celebrated their feast st Joseph and Dominic Savio would letter celebrate theirs as well. These were moments to evaluate the consistency of the group, their capacity for leadership and an opportunity for them to animate the entire parish and also advocate for new members. The feast of st Dominic Savio started with a weeks programme visiting homes and families of their members and the local authority who are parishioners for the praying of the rosary and encouraging them to come to the

Making of the don bosco tonj dinka gospel music video

The production started in July/August 2009. the recording was done outdoors with amateur camera recorded by Mr Clint one of the Salesian volunteers in the mission at that time and was having a few weeks to complete his one year mandate in Sudan. The programme for the recording was organised

The feast of st Dominic Savio was organized by the youth group of Dominic Savio and after the mass in the parish church, a cultural event was organized in the mission compound. Some members of the womens group came with their newly purchased uniform in 2009

church and their children to join the junior youth group for the kids and one of the 3 main youth groups for the young people or Saint Kizito for the teachers and volunteers and working class youth group. There was enough variety and space for the various categories of young people in Tonj. From the school child to the NGO staff both local and foreign, male and female.

in such a way as to get the children of the town involved with clips from traditional events, cattle camp, tonj bridge, boarding boys and girls, alleluia dancers in the parish, market square, secondary and primary school students ... It was a long process but kept the youth together. They sang the songs and they were looking forward to making the video. The mastering of the audio clips were done at DBYES Nairobi in December 2008 (since the radio station and donbosco record music studio was not yet set up in tonj). The video was also mastered by a private company in Nairobi The project was sponsored by an African benefactor . Copies of the CD were later distributed to various parishes and Salesian communities free of charge.

2009 vocation camp

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Tonj youth university studies in Korea After the first diocese of Rumbek youth congress in December 2008 it was scheduled to have a vocation camp from specifically recommended youth that are being accompanied by their parish priests. The vocation camp was held in Rumbek at Pan door while suggestions and resolutions from the first youth congress included the possibility of having a diocesan youth centre headquarters for animation. The aspirants from Tonj (boys and girls) were selected to go Towards the end of 2009 2 youths from Tonj were selected to go and study in South Korea with arrangements previously made by the former youth pastoral delegate and economer of Tonj, Fr Dr John lee who at this time was very frail. John Baboya was already studying medicine in Khartoum when the travelling and admission arrangements were completed and he moved to South Korea. Mr Taban (R) who was still in Tonj said goodbye to his fellow youth who saw him as their university ambassador in Korea. Since both of them were active in the Band group and had passed their exams very well, the impact of their scholarship abroad was heavy!

and attend this camp. They were not sent as youth group members but were selected by the parish priests. In the local context many other young people had some days of discussion on why these secondary school boys and matured girls were seeking more information on vocation specifically to the priestly and religious life. At this point in the recent history of the youth group of Tonj many members started thinking personally and reflectively about their future. The programme was organized by the youth committee of the diocese of Rumbek. At this time each parish had already prepared their parish youth annual programmes which was more or less similar in all the 12 main Churches and their numerous sub-stations and communication had been tremendously improved as people could communicate with the mobile phones that were already about 1 year old in most of the villages and every 3 months there was a joint programmes for vocation, leaders, schools and congress.

Mr Taban at the oratory in 2008

The arrangement for their studies had been made by the late fr John Lee who already had a long term plan for the most promising students of the school as they were growing up. Together with other benefactors in the Republic of South Korea the plans slowly became a reality. The first 2 students to get the scholarship were admitted in Korea to study medicine and this would prepare for the future of the Tonj Hospital that fr Lee constructed and was already functioning for some years now.

October 2009 Rosary month and PARISH YOUTH congress TONJ

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The e month of October was special as the new principal Fr Sunil had organised a one month Marian devotion with lots of varieties and ways of praying the Rosary daily for the entire month. Though it was in the rainy season, the young people and the parishioners gathered every evening inside the mission compound for an organised Marian activity that was well prepared and published on the notice board for all to see what was coming up day by day. Towards the end of the month of October Above , the final day of the parish congress and below the night programmes of the congress. the hospital compound was used as the venue due to lack of space in the old mission compound there was the parish youth congress which was a proposal from the diocese youth ministry committee after the first diocesan youth congress of 2008. the idea was to help each parish to develop the substations with youth programmes throughout the year and not to concentrate only on the youth in the main parish centres so that at the end of the year (preferably in October during the feast of St Daniel Comboni) all the sub-station could gather together in a designated place within the confines of the parish territory and have meaningful conclusion of the year. It was also designed to be a moment of evaluation of the school year coming to an end, selection of new leaders for the general youth animation of the parish and choosing the official youth representatives to go and represent the different parishes in the diocesan youth congress that comes up in December every year. In the diocese 3 parishes were able to implement this in the first year and Tonj was one of them. Some of the best moments of these kinds of local organisations and animation is the consistency it gives to the group of the young people who have a full year formation plan that is attractive and involves the pastoral community and local village chiefs, the civil authorities and parish councils. The dialogue and understanding that comes from these moments of animation have many educative and Salesian values that completes and reveals the depth of the academic process going on the classrooms daily, the family spirit of the teachers and staff, the application of the preventive system and the witness of the Salesian community and family/ At the end of the pariah congress and Rosary month, new parish leaders were elected using a style that is participatory and inclusive, gender balanced and sensitivity to the various tribes, villages and station s of the parish. The elections were coordinated by the parish council committee which needs to support these leaders of the youth if they have to succeed anyway!
Rev Fr Sunil (R) and some of the flower girls on the concluding night of the Rosary month during the parish congress

Nov/DEC 2009 2ND SYM congress TONJ

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Towards the end of the year in the month of November the second Salesian Youth Movement congress was held in Tonj. Most of the meetings and planning and programmes since the beginning of the year were all focused on these climaxes. Mothers, teachers, all were involved as a family (the parish youth congress involving leaders from all the village chapels), the Salesian youth movement congress and the Diocese of Rumbek Congress. The various committees for logistics, food, inputs, accommodation, The Sudanese Salesians spoke on vocation as the sym fund-raising, communication, security, transportation , were not getting more experienced from the continuity of the same formative programmes every year while the older youth are moving for marriage and university out of the It was a fully packed programme day and night town, the younger ones are following in their steps learning from the Salesian style of aniSr Ruth FMA one of the animators of the SYM in tonj mation always involv- One of the mini buses with the youth from don Bosco Wau and the ing those sleeping g room with mats for the sym members later used as food store for the UN food distribution programme who make part of the educative community at large especially the parents, members of the Salesian family (FMA), the diocesan clergy There were various methods of animation in the sym of nearby parishes, the church administrative and pastoral councils. They all gave their very visible support. Ones again it became a village affair and at this time Tonj was getting a new name,: the Salesian town and every Fr John Peter (L) and Fr Marko month the number of parishioners and new members Sr Juliet FMA and Sr Ruth FMA (L) and dancing to the thanksgiv- to the Church was on a steady increase. We just found the way!
ing song to don bosco at the end of the final mass

DEC 2009 2ND DOR congress GHODIM

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3 parishes from the diocese of wau joined in this event

Don bosco youth (a group of 60) led by Sr Juliet during the congress The Eucharistic night and penitential day are special

Adoration vigil and procession

The second Diocese of Rumbek annual youth congress was held in Ghodim. It was long distance away from Warrap and Lakes states but at that time (2009), it was The nuncio had a full day of animation in all congresses still part o f the Diocese of Rumbek. Young people coming from Aliap had to spend 3 days on the way with vehicles due to the bad road and more than 500km to be covered. Those from tonj had to cover 300km and those from Rumbek 420 km those from yirol, 520 km and so on. The request of 3 parishes Songs were composed and prefrom the diocese of Wau to join the second congress was approved after a meet- sented on the congress them: ing with the bishop or Rumbek and the youth committee. The total number of we want to see Jesus parishes were 16 and the youth groups represented were more than 60. we
The wedding of Santino and Rosa 2 youth at the congress

ran out of supply for everything, t-shirts, writing materials, candles, canopies, time for group presentation, time for sleeping, ... As one of the youth leaders put it: the village youth groups were more than the 500 leaders that came from the other parishes. The one thousand estimate of participants was under-estimated. The young people defeated the organisers a second time in a role. Thanks to divine providence, there was always food and water and enough class rooms for sleeping places. At this point , the congress had come to stay..

Summary of Don Bosco Tonj Youth annual Calendar

Daily Oratory with animators and aspirants . Weekly . Youth meetings, choir practice, prayer meetings. Monthly: General youth meeting in church or family houses of church leaders. Annually Parish congress, Diocesan congress, SYM congress January 1. Salesian week (Francis de sales, Laura Vicua, St John Bosco) Feb. 2. Bakhita group feast March April : Lent and Easter programmes.: 3. way of the cross animating weekly by youth groups, practice for the 4. acting of the way of the cross on Good Friday round the town, 5. Pentecost week full retreat and charismatic prayers.. 6. Easter football tournament for junior boys May month of Mary procession, grotto in the church, 7. St Joseph youth group feast . 8. Vocation camp with diocese of Rumbek, 9. PENTECOST Charismatic prayer week and public service June 10. Dominic Savio group feast 11. African Child day celebration including other schools and organisations in town

July

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12. leadership training for parish youth leaders and preparation for December congress of the diocese August 13. bible competition one group per week for 1 month. September 14 sports programmes Town October 15 Comboni day, 16 parish youth congress , selection of delegates for diocesan congress and SYM at the end of the year. 17 Special Rosary animation in the church , Marian quiz November 18 Animators camp, preparing for holiday camp in December for children and SYM and diocesan congress presentations, materials for preparation, 19. Christmas carol practice and advent programmes animating Christ the king procession December 20. SYM congress (Salesian youth leaders only) 21. Diocese of Rumbek Congress 22 Christmas carol house to house programme 23. Childrens Holiday camp with animators prepared in November , new school students
Average number of youth animation per year = 23 almost 2 per month.

conclusion
As a conclusion to this third and special edition of the Sudan youth pastoral magazine published by the youth pastoral office now located in Juba the capital of South Sudan, I wish the other youth centres in the delegation a fruitful and formative animation of the youth either in the school, parish or youth centre with or without structures. The activities gives a school structure to the youth animation in such a way that progress is made daily. In the next edition of this publication we will present to you the second part of this special edition. In the meantime each community is encourage to publish, print, record as much a possible, the pastoral journey with the young in our communities. If you can go online, do not hesitate as you check your e mails daily, write something small as well with some pictures or video.
God bless. sudanpastoralsdb@gmail.com

for Tonj