Papua New Guinea - Usky's touching story

28 August 2018

(ANS - Port Moresby) - Martin Dai is one of the first 120 students who graduated from the Don Bosco Technical School, Gabutu, in 1988. Faithfully married to Rebecca for 17 years, he is the proud father of seven beautiful children. He is the principal of the Alma Mater and is personally involved in the life of almost 1,000 students of the school. He wanted to share the story of the young Usky.

Is there an experience that is particularly special?

I'd like to share a meeting with you. My wife, Rebecca, on her way back from work, saw a 19-year-old young man waiting at the bus stop. Everyone who knew him said, "He's just looking for an opportunity to steal, to take away people's bags." It was frightening to know him.

Would you like to share the story of this boy?

Rebecca decided to approach him, and it all started with a simple greeting. The young man opened up with her, offering to accompany her from the bus stop to his residence. Sometimes he offered to carry her bags, to help her. Rebecca took a risk, but was eventually repaid. She trusted him, because the boy had a good heart.

What happened after?

Rebecca introduced him to me. She told me: "This young man is honest, trustworthy and protective of women. Can we help him?" She suggested that I enroll him in the training course for the development of job-oriented skills (EOSDT) at the school, if he wanted to. And so one afternoon we met. He told me he was called Usky, that he did not know about his mother and father and he lived mainly at the bus stop.

Did he accept being enrolled in the course?

Yes, he started the welder course. The teachers found in him an honest and responsible young man, a hard worker. The school became a home for him and once he graduated he found work as a clerk.

Usky is now a full-time employee at the Don Bosco Technical School, Gabutu. The story of this young man teaches that it is up to us to find innovative ways to establish a relationship of trust. It's up to us to listen to each of them and travel with them. Jesus is our perfect example. The meeting with the Samaritan woman at the well gives us inspiration. Every praise, encouragement, challenge and motivation give hope to our young people."

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