Lasallian Vocation: the joy of serving in Africa, beyond borders and opting to serve those most impoverished

What drives a young person today to leave everything behind, to cross the borders of their country and to consecrate their life to God as a religious educator? What inspires them to join the Brothers of the Christian Schools, “who have come together to run schools in the service of the poor, wherever they may be sent”? 

Five young Africans from the De La Salle Novitiate in Karen, Nairobi (Kenya) share their vocational testimonies at a time when they have expressed their desire to take a further step, to embrace God’s call by consecrating themselves as Brothers of the Christian Schools. They are Jackson João Pedro (Mozambique), Jude Dutse Ahon (Nigeria), Miguel Sebastião Julião (Mozambique), Merga Terfasa Kajela (Ethiopia) and Honezimo Cornélio Jacinto (Mozambique).

“I discovered that the best way to serve people is through education,” says Jackson, who wishes “to continue to serve people, especially the poor, through education and the Gospel”.

For Jude, the Lasallian vocation, as a religious Brother, “is a calling to follow Jesus Christ by educating the young, especially the poor, as inspired by our Holy Founder, Saint John Baptist de La Salle”.

Miguel, for his part, highlights that his call to the Lasallian Educational Mission is linked to the imperative to “teach the minds and to touch the hearts of students, as well as to provide catechesis, to make the children to know the Gospel values, to know Jesus through evangelization”.

This conviction is also shared by Merga, who feels “deeply motivated to help people and follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ through our Founder”.

“The first steps, every commitment, every person who has been part of this journey,” are a source of gratitude for Honezimo. “Responding to God’s call is not just a dream; it is a mission,” he says. 

The stories of Jackson, Jude, Miguel, Merga and Honezimo are expressions of hope. Being a De La Salle Brother is an act of commitment and selfless dedication to seeking the greater glory of God and transforming the lives of society’s most vulnerable and impoverished through a high-quality, human and Christian education. 

We invite you to watch their testimonies in the following video.