After a welcoming lunch, Fr Diego, superior of our group in Korea, told us of planned every day outings which would be very rich for us. We visited two or three tourist places like: the Seoul Tower, the Buddhist Temple, the Catholic Church's Cathedral, the Catholic University, etc. We sincerely thank our confrères for the family spirit they showed us. We are very grateful! They helped us feel the warmth of Asia.

Full of that joy, the 17th we packed and left once again. This time to our final destination: Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia). But before... we had the chance to have lunch with Fr Stefano Camerlengo who had just arrived to Seoul from Mongolia which he had visited for the first time.

At 03.00 pm, we were on our way to the airport accompanied by Frs Pedro, Tamrat, Cyrille and Jaire who gave us a good hand with some translations. In the airplane, we started feeling the difference of peoples and languages. We landed at Ulaanbaatar safely by God’s grace. What a joy at the airport of Ulaanbaatar when we met our “compagnons de lutte” (Frs Ernesto and Giorgio and Sisters Giovana, Lucia and Sandra).

Without having seen us before, Fr Ernesto approached us and called me: “Mon père Boniface!”, which was a good sign: they were longing for our arrival! Our community life started. On Thursday 18th the sleep was very long and at 09.00 am we had our breakfast. We were then introduced to the house and the journeys of the day.

At lunch time, the two communities (IMC – MC) met together. It became one community for lunch. In the afternoon, Fr Ernesto took the three of us to visit different places. He showed us a bit of Ulaanbaatar and went looking for accommodation for a youth gathering. The following days, we visited many places: different religious communities, a family friend, a Buddhist monastery called Gandan Tegchenling...

{mosimage}My very first impression is that the Mongolian people are a very welcoming people. A great thing is that a warm welcome was felt from everybody, from our confreres and sisters to the different missionaries and the bishop himself. From the parish to the outstation, we found the joy of people in receiving two new black brothers and a sister in their communities and words of encouragement to the new reality were spoken. So if that family spirit from the community and other Christians continues, we are already at home!

This is the fourth language I am learning (apart from French the official language in my country) and the fourth country where I have been appointed since I joined the Consolata family. The fear has always been the encounter with a new culture, a new language, new people... This fear can not be omitted in this new land of Chinggis Khan but it is reduced by this hospitality.

Those are just the first impressions and I am sure and very optimistic that with God's help and with the support of our confrères, sisters, the bishop, all religious in this land, all Christians and the whole Consolata family, all things will go on very well and the mission for which I was called in this land will be fulfilled successfully. May Blessed Allamano and our Lady Consolata intercede for us!