GIVE GOD A CHANCE….!

Fr. Brian Moras sdb

Deep within their hearts they felt voices whispering to them, things they could not understand, words that left them blank…

When they knew what it meant, they left their boats behind on familiar shores to follow the Lord alone…!

This year’s annual Vocation Camps at Don Bosco Lonavla were held from May 05-08 and May 10-13. The first camp was for those aspiring to join the apostolic school (std VIII & IX) and the latter was for those aspiring to join the Aspirantate (std XI, XII, post XII and the English Course). The Lord blessed us with good youngsters for the camps, full of enthusiasm and dynamism. We had 45 youngsters joining us for the first camp and 51 joining us for the second.

The camp was designed to give the youngsters a first hand experience of Don Bosco’s Lonavla and also make them aware of ‘the call’ that the good Lord gives to each youngster. This helped the youngster in discerning if the Lord was calling them to follow him in the Don Bosco way of life. It also gave the Salesians an opportunity to get to know the boys and select those who would be happy in the Apostolic school and Aspirantate.

The youngsters showed wonderful enthusiasm as they participated in the programmes organized for them, be it the singing & elocution competitions, 30 seconds to fame, camp-fire, adoration services, the holy eucharists, work and the input sessions. The trek to the Tungarli Dam and the legendry Chikki walk were the icing on the cake.

Of the youngsters who applied to come back, 41 were chosen in all; 12 for the apostolic school and 29 for the Aspirantate.

It was interesting for me to note that the boys who had made up their mind before the camp to join Lonavla stuck to their decision after the beautiful camp experience, whereas those who were in two minds remained in two minds till the end. Though some of them struggled with the choice, I wonder if the symptom of being afraid of what they will miss, of being caught up with the glamour of the world, of being afraid to move ahead leaving their companions behind, and in a few cases - of not being sure if their family would give permission…. discourages them from taking the step forward.

Answering the call (in this case joining Don Bosco Lonavla to discern a call till they reach std XII before they make up their mind), calls for taking the leap of faith, of giving God a chance and most of all of being generous with ourselves. John Paul II of happy memory would say, ‘the family is the first seminary. We need to encourage our youngsters to answer the call; and when you answer the call, do not be afraid.’

He who calls provides. God after all can never be outdone in generosity. It is time to give God a chance!