The discovery of my vocation

After finishing six years at primary school, I entered the Junior High School around twelve kilometres away from home. (Junior high school is three years, just like year 7, 8 and 9 in Australia). This school is run by the Franciscan order (Catholic school). It was formally the fist time I lived out from my family. During this time, I started to live independently based on the rules given by our school. I encountered a new world, many new things appeared, such as; the rules, every morning has to attend the Eucharistic celebration; I faced a new kind of food, which was far from my expectation. I questioned myself whether I would able to face these challenges?

As time went by, at the end of the third year, I was the one of two students were chosen to take the test in order to enter the seminary. After graduation from the junior high school I joined the seminary as I successfully passed the test. The seminary is situated in the west part Flores. It is around 150 kilometers from home. The real challenges were facing my life as a seminarian. There were many demands from the institution, such as from the academic field: I had to meet a minimum score for all the subjects. The shortage of water became a big issue in the seminary. The entire seminarians have to run around 10 kilometers away from the seminary to get the water.
When I was facing these challenges, I tried to rethink about my vocation. Have I come to the right place? Even I asked God, Why are you calling me through this way?

I blamed my teacher who had chosen me to join the seminary. I did not give up, however. I believed that God who has called me to follow Him always give me the way, as he says that I am the way and the truth and the life, those who believe in me have eternal life. This verse has strongly encouraged me not to give up, because there would be the way for me. And yet I was surviving from all the challenges I faced during fourth year. It was 2002 after finishing the minor seminary, I formally joined the religious order ‘SOCIETAS VERBI DIVINI”(SVD) which also known as DIVINE WORD MISSIONARIES’ the order I belong now.