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Ramanthapur 21 August 2015: Wishing people “Adieu,” “Sayonara”, “Adios,” seems to play an important part in our lives and these words add a deeper meaning when it is meant for someone who is dear and special. Don Bosco Navajeevan, Ramanthapur family gave a fitting farewell on 21 August 2015 and we found it difficult to bid farewell to our dearest Mom Mary Frances Schmitt whom we called lovingly as Granny, who spent one long year with us and whose contribution and her animating presence was great inspiration for all of us.
Mary Frances Schmitt is 69 years old volunteer from U.S. but her service to the needy to the youth our homes commendable and enriching. Though She was retired Deist but she was moving with us as though she is in her 30’s. She became great source of asset for the trade boys to come up in their life through education. She motivated the trade children who were once dropouts and uneducated to start again their studies and to write the exams. Most admiring thing about her was she herself took the class for the children and paid fee for them to write the open tenth exams. Many of them showed lot of interest in studies and improved their interpersonal relationship with one another.
As a teacher she has spared no pains in imparting knowledge to each and every student. She made every lesson an enjoyable and interesting one, with her narrative skill and lively detailed explanation she kept them enthralled right through the year. Her meticulous planning of classes motivated the other staff members and collaborators who are involved in accompaniment of children.
As a teacher she sowed the seeds of creativity in the young minds, helping them to develop a fertile imagination. Like a loving mother her concern was always for the boys who require special attention in the class and trying to draw out the best from him. With patience she tackled the most disinterested students in class and won over their heart with love and kindness like our father and founder Don Bosco. She proved that the backbone of good student is not made from fancy classrooms and large campuses but through the imparting of the excellent education.
From the very first day onwards she was like a Mother to children in times of affection, at work she was the finest baker in the bakery, in the class she was like a most wisest Teacher, in the library she was like the perfect librarian, in the evenings she became screen player to show them movies to learn English and when it comes to the matter of helping us she was like a most generous woman on earth.
“Just like the fresh fragrance of flowers envelopes our hearts, she has filled our world with ever joy that we could imagine to be a part of our life, every one treasured her in the heart as a mother. In this graceful period of service, she has touched the lives of so many children. We appreciate her dedication, sacrifice and conscientiousness in the work that is taken up by her. We certainly miss her presence with us.
As we thank Fran for her dedicated service we also thank Sr. Denise and VIDES for sending her to our community and collaborating in our mission serving most needy youth of our society during this year of Bicentenary of the birth of Don Bosco.
Bro. Justin SDB
