Vunabosco, Kokopo: Don Bosco Technical Secondary School, Kokopo celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Pioneering Salesians who arrived in Araimiri, Gulf province two weeks ago on June 5th, 2020.
The school’s Missionary group, headed by Fr. Rector and Fr. Möise Paluku together with all its members gathered the school body in the gym.
The celebration started with the hymn – Galilee Song: “So I leave my boats behind, leaving them on a familiar ground…”
The hymn, serving as a reminder of how the pioneering Salesians,
Fr. Valeriano Barbero sdb,
Fr. Rolando Fernandez, sdb, and
Bro. Joseph Kramar, sdb,
who left the Philippine Salesian Province to sail to the seacoast of Papua New Guinea.
To bring back sweet and fresh memories of that early expedition in Araimiri, one student read the historical diary written by Fr. Valeriano himself when they first arrived on June 14, 1980.
Listening to the chronicles with matching old photos brought great flash back.
The situation on the ground since setting foot on PNG soil, the malaria, the mission place, the struggles and difficulties of how the pioneering Salesians started to work in the Lord’s vineyard.
Everything, by God’s grace and love.
Together with the 40th year, the school also celebrated in a simple and meaningful way the 30th year of Don Bosco Kokopo.
Slides and pictures showed the establishment of Don Bosco Rabaul in 1990.
As part of the celebration, the school awarded winners of the drawing contest of MHC last May 25.
And congratulated artists for their love and devotion to our Blessed Lady.
To conclude the celebration, Fr. Rector gave thanks to the early Salesians.
He also acknowledged the support of the School’s Lay Mission Partners who have journeyed with the salesians in the past 30 years in Don Bosco Kokopo.
Expressing gratitude toward long serving teachers for being part of the Salesian Family in Kokopo and for enthusiastically and joyfully serving the school.
The celebration concluded with the closing remarks of the first lay mission partner, Principal Richard Buanga, whom also a graduated from Don Bosco, Kokopo.
