By Fr. Vien Nguyen, SDB

About twenty young people gathered on Sunday October 22nd to enjoy three hours of playing volleyball with Salesian candidates, brothers, and priests as a Salesian community in Richmond. It was the third weekend on the road when the Salesians gathered with young people in the area to play volleyball and share friendships. The evening began with a short welcome with pizza and some soft drinks prepared by the Salesians. Some young people also brought snacks to share with the whole group. After about 15 minutes of greeting and sharing food, everybody joined in to set up the volleyball net and prepare the game.

We started our game with three teams and added an additional fourth team for the people who joined later in the evening. Each team was a good mix of newcomers and experienced players. We did not play to compete, it was always about the experience, and just as well many players did show off their skills and talents. There was laughter, teasing, and joking around, either when someone had a good spike or missed the ball. It was all about joy and peace amidst the chaos of players running around. The evening ended with a short prayer of thanksgiving and protection for a safe drive home and a peaceful night.

The Sunday Night Volleyball is one of the community’s initiatives in reaching out to the young people in the area who may not go to a Salesian school for different reasons. The community in Richmond wants to create a safe place where young people feel safe and welcome. It is also an opportunity for us as Salesians to minister to young people in an informative setting.

Beyond the volleyball night, hopefully, there will be more opportunities to bring young people together, such as exploring nature and feeding the hungry with the Salesian brothers and priests. 

“Da mihi animas Caetera tolle.”