Somebody said it could not be done!!!
He chuckled!!!... and replied “Maybe!” But he would be the one and yes, he did it.
And HE INDEED DID IT!!!... and in style.
When Fr. Magi first proposed an international trip for the staff, the idea felt and came across as preposterous and unattainable for a few. But there were still a few who were overjoyed and were very grateful for this opportunity. Some knew that under the guidance of Fr. Magi, the support staff had pulled off a successful trip to Dubai and so could we. To make the Dubai trip a success, we had seen firsthand the sacrifices the support staff had made to pool in and save that money to realise a dream. For many, it was a first international trip. For some, it was the experience and joy of their first ever flight. They all came back with a life-changing experience.
Right at the onset, Fr. Magi had made it very clear that there would be sacrifices along the way, that we would have to endure to make this trip a success.
Sacrifices that meant foregoing the cash envelopes we all looked forward to on Teacher’s Day and during Christmas. Sacrifices meant letting go of the wonderful lunches that the school would organise. There was then a lot of hard work that went behind organising and staging Androtsav. This helped in adding to the funds. Fr. Magi kept guiding us and slowly and steadily we managed to build a fund.
Even with all these sacrifices not once did we feel that we were missing out on the fun. Fr. Magi kept us in high spirits and our minds motivated.
There were instances during the school journey where we experienced the humility of our Principal. Once, when the Andrean staff was on a trip to Goa, on the second day, we were delayed for some reason, and we reached the hotel at 4 p.m. for lunch. Despite being diabetic, Fr. Magi waited patiently for his staff. He did not have his own lunch, but he waited patiently with a smile. This gesture brought a tear to many eyes. Fr. Magi is truly a shepherd who leads his flock with love. This is the dedication of a true loving father.
This international trip wasn’t easy. There were many setbacks. Yet every setback proved to be a stepping stone for success. However, one thing remained unchanged – our unwavering trust in our School Principal.
Slowly but surely the fund was getting built but we still hadn’t achieved our target and then finally when it happened, we had to pinch ourselves to believe we were going to Sri Lanka.
It happened so suddenly but then came the part of pulling it off in an impossible time frame for which we have to thank our senior staff Ma’am Rachna and Ma’am Lydia for working out the entire trip, handling the logistics and converting our Fr. Magi’s dream into a reality. A big thank you to Ms. Bhavna Thakker of Vayu Holidays, who ensured that all paper work, all bookings and all the excursions were spot on. Right from booking tickets to securing our e-visas, arranging a four-star hotel stay with sumptuous meals and sightseeing in a luxury bus, all this and more was done overnight.
One moment we were in discussions and the next we had set foot in Sri Lanka.
It was an extremely well organised trip with the best of facilities that gave us a truly luxurious experience and memories to cherish for a lifetime.
A cliched saying but holds so true… ‘Together we work, together we sacrifice, anything is possible.’
Ask us ANDREANS we know…
You Did it, Fr. Magi!
And you made us believe that we could do it too and WE DID!!!
- Ma’am Jessie, Ma'am Rachna, Ma'am Lydia
