ANTHONY BABAR THORONKA
My name is Anthony Babar Thoronka. I’m from Koinadugu district, Kabala the northern part of Sierra Leone. I am a limba by tribe, and I’m 19 years old. I came from a catholic family. My father is Daniel Thoronka who is a Teacher and also partakes in Agricultural activities. And my mother is Agnes Serah Thoronka a housewife, and also partakes in agriculture. They gave birth to seven (7) children, three (3) boys and four (4) girls. I’m the fourth child and first male of the family.
I came in contact with the Xaverian Missionaries since I was still small boy, since that time, they have been working and doing their pastoral activities in my parish (Holy Martyrs of Uganda Parish). As I was closer to them, I got inspired by their works and as a child by then, I decided that, I would one day like to become part of their family that is to become a xaverian missionary. And it became part of me, even sometimes when people asked me, “What would you like to become in the future?” My reply was always a “missionary”. By then we were having a priest Fr. Jerome Pistoni, who tried to draw me closer to the church’s activities, by training me as an altar sever. There I started my church ministry and began to have little knowledge about missionary vocation.
Later, as time went on, I was losing that desire that was in me, because of lack of deep understanding and experience about their lifestyle. Then we had another priest, Fr. Joeven Vivino, who tried to gather young boys and girls in the parish and the outstations, and was conducting formation meetings for us every month. It was in that group that he appointed me to attend my first “COME AND SEE” which was held in Freetown. It helped me greatly to know about xaverian missionaries. It was conducted by Fr. Patrick and the Formation team.
It was after that “COME AND SEE” I thought it necessary that, it was for me to join the Xaverian congregation. My decision was motived by their lifestyle and missionary commitment. In fact, all of the xaverian missionaries are not Sierra Leoneans. They have left their own churches, countries and other things, just to preach the Gospel to non-Christians. So I personally meditated on in it, and decided that I should try to join the congregation, so that I too may be able to spread the gospel to non-Christians in foreign nations. To me it will be like a selfish pattern to just receive without giving out. So in joining the Xaverians for me is a good mean already to spread the gospel everywhere in the world. It is like to pay back what I have received from missionaries.
Even with the little we have, we have to feel the needs of others. We cannot make the world a “Single Family” when people are ignorant about the gospel. So because of this reason, I decided to join the Xaverian congregation. I’m currently a Xaverian Student and this is my first year.
So I pray that God may see me through in this journey, and help me to respond generously to God’s call.
My name is Anthony Babar Thoronka. I’m from Koinadugu district, Kabala the northern part of Sierra Leone. I am a limba by tribe, and I’m 19 years old. I came from a catholic family. My father is Daniel Thoronka who is a Teacher and also partakes in Agricultural activities. And my mother is Agnes Serah Thoronka a housewife, and also partakes in agriculture. They gave birth to seven (7) children, three (3) boys and four (4) girls. I’m the fourth child and first male of the family.
I came in contact with the Xaverian Missionaries since I was still small boy, since that time, they have been working and doing their pastoral activities in my parish (Holy Martyrs of Uganda Parish). As I was closer to them, I got inspired by their works and as a child by then, I decided that, I would one day like to become part of their family that is to become a xaverian missionary. And it became part of me, even sometimes when people asked me, “What would you like to become in the future?” My reply was always a “missionary”. By then we were having a priest Fr. Jerome Pistoni, who tried to draw me closer to the church’s activities, by training me as an altar sever. There I started my church ministry and began to have little knowledge about missionary vocation.
Later, as time went on, I was losing that desire that was in me, because of lack of deep understanding and experience about their lifestyle. Then we had another priest, Fr. Joeven Vivino, who tried to gather young boys and girls in the parish and the outstations, and was conducting formation meetings for us every month. It was in that group that he appointed me to attend my first “COME AND SEE” which was held in Freetown. It helped me greatly to know about xaverian missionaries. It was conducted by Fr. Patrick and the Formation team.
It was after that “COME AND SEE” I thought it necessary that, it was for me to join the Xaverian congregation. My decision was motived by their lifestyle and missionary commitment. In fact, all of the xaverian missionaries are not Sierra Leoneans. They have left their own churches, countries and other things, just to preach the Gospel to non-Christians. So I personally meditated on in it, and decided that I should try to join the congregation, so that I too may be able to spread the gospel to non-Christians in foreign nations. To me it will be like a selfish pattern to just receive without giving out. So in joining the Xaverians for me is a good mean already to spread the gospel everywhere in the world. It is like to pay back what I have received from missionaries.
Even with the little we have, we have to feel the needs of others. We cannot make the world a “Single Family” when people are ignorant about the gospel. So because of this reason, I decided to join the Xaverian congregation. I’m currently a Xaverian Student and this is my first year.
So I pray that God may see me through in this journey, and help me to respond generously to God’s call.