Winter Camp for Boys from the Roma Quarter in Stara Zagora

From 15 to 17 January, we had a winter camp for boys who come in our center in “Lozenets” – the Roma quarter of Stara Zagora. We know that no one could live without examples, without “heros”, who influence his life, thoughts, values etc. Therefore, most of our activities in this camp were connected with a boy who has lived in 19-th century in St. John Bosco’s house, named Michael Magone. Just like most of our boys, he spends most of his childhood on the gutter until he meets St. John Bosco at the train station. Then Don Bosco offers Michael to join him, to begin studying and to change his whole live. When Michael comes to the center, immediately the program and the atmosphere transform him. The studying, the fun, the sport, the games and the responsibilities organize his day and he feels that always when he has done fooleries at the gutter, he has dreamt of such a place in fact. Following the example of St. John Bosco in his way to show Michael Magone that there could be life of full value, through thematic games, topics, walks and studies, we wanted to show these boys the better way of life. We wanted to show, that in fact order, discipline and entertainment in a good environment could influence their thinking, way of life and could cultivate them better. We hope that what we have planted will stay for a long time in those boys and it will help them to grow and to change their thoughts, and this will also motivate them to have better future.