Page 13 - Salesian Bulletin 2016 [01] January-March

opment in me also. I really appreci- ated and admired the way in which the Zambian people worship and express their faith. I was really amazed by the ways in which the people I met expressed their devo- tion to God through not only prayer, but also song and dance. I had always been accustomed to a form of worship that was more reserved, so I was pleasantly surprised by the spiritual traditions of the people of Lusaka. This gave me a more nuanced understanding of religious worship, and also developed a deep appreciation of the power of religion in connecting people and building a
Linda with other Volunteers and some visitors from Zimbabwean and Zambian congregations on pilgrimage for St John Bosco's bicentenary.
sense of community . During bicentenary of St John Bosco, for example, hundreds of people from congregations around Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Malawi gathered in celebration of the birth of the founder of the Salesian Order. We sang together, danced together, ate together, walked in pilgrimage together, and worshipped together.
phones were not conducive to real happiness. Some of the happiest children I met were those of the tai- lor at the City of Hope, Obed. Obed made all the clothes for the girls who lived in the City of Hope, as well as the nuns’ garments. His chil- dren Kunda, Kabwe, Daniel, and Sandra were some of the happiest children I had ever met. While I’ve seen nine year olds with iPads on trains here in Europe, nine year old Kunda was content with a toy gun made out of a length of hosepipe, with one end bent and held together with ducktape. I would like to say that I really appreciated the time I spent with these children, and I miss this family very very much.
these girls, their parents were not alive to take care of them, for others their families could not afford to do so. My time with these girls made me appreciate the family that I have, and how lucky I am in my circum- stances.
THE SIMPLE THINGS IN LIFE
To summarise my time in Zambia, I would have to say it was one of the best decisions I ever made. I grew in so many ways, and learned so much about a country and culture so pro- foundly different to my own. I would like to sincerely thank every- one in the City of Hope for making my experience as memorable as it was, particularly Sister Ryszarda, Sister Prisca, and Sister Chanda. You gave me a wonderful opportunity , and I feel that even though I went to the City of Hope to teach, I learned so much as well!
Something else I learned particularly from the children of the City of Hope, was an appreciation of the happiness to be found in the simple things in life. I think that with the rise of technology, people in more developed countries are more dis- connected from each other. We’ve become more and more materialis- tic, replacing bonding and relation- ships with gadgets and tools. I will admit that I had begun to fall into this trap a bit myself. However upon spending time with these children I came to remember that items like
Upon reflection, I can say my time in the City of Hope deepened my appreciation for the things I have, and how privileged I am in my cir- cumstances. The City of Hope was, in part, a home for girls who were not in a position to be raised by their respective families. For some of
Should you wish to volunteer in the coming months, please contact Sr Dympna Clancy at 086-3708652 or 061-348510.
the
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