Page 12 - Salesian Bulletin 2016 [01] January-March

From left to right: Daniel, Sandra, Linda (the author), Kunda and Minerver.
Before travelling to this land- locked Christian nation in Africa, I had always tried to organise my days to the very last minute. However, I learned relatively quick- ly that I needed to have patience, and that trying to organise my days while I was there wouldn’t always work out. This attitudinal change travelled home with me on my return to Ireland. I’ve noticed myself to be a lot happier and content since my return, as I’ve learned to roll with what life gives me. I’m also calmer, and a lot less stressed. To quote the film ‘Frozen’, which was wildly popular with the girls of the City of Hope, I’ve learned that when it comes to everyday life, sometimes it’s best to just ‘let it go’.
as a French and Spanish tutor to the Grade 9 students of the City of Hope secondary school.
A CHANGE FROM RUSHING
Before I went to Zambia, I was a lit- tle caught up with the fast-paced nature of everyday life. I was always in a rush, and I never really stopped to enjoy myself the way everyone should. Time works a lot more slow- ly in Zambia. There are ten-hour power outages! The water cuts off frequently, and there isn’t anything else you can really do besides wait- ing patiently. I suppose one of the biggest things I learned in Zambia was patience!
ILinda Costello of Killorglin, Kerry, spent part of last summer in the City of Hope, Lusaka (Zambia). Here she shares what that experience has meant to her...
t’s often said that travel broadens down a pathway to further spiritual the mind and changes you in and emotional development. What I ways that you can’t expect and did not anticipate however, was the
for which you have no way of extent to which those seven weeks preparing yourself. I’ve travelled a would change me for the better.
lot. However the seven weeks I spent volunteering through VIDES in Zambia could not have represent- ed this more than all my other voy- ages abroad. I knew before I went to the City of Hope that I would be embarking on a rich spiritual jour- ney, and one which would guide me
To provide some context, I stayed in the City of Hope, a Salesian Mission in Lusaka, Zambia, from late June to early August 2015. I served primarily as an English teacher in the Auxilium Skills Centre, teaching students from the University of Lusaka. I also served
SPIRITUAL TOO...
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Besides the emotional and attitudi- nal changes that I’ve described above, my time in the City of Hope fostered a profound spiritual devel-