A Cambodian short film version of the Don Bosco’s founding dream.

When Saint John Bosco was nine years old, he got a prophetic vision that revealed his life’s mission and vocation. It was a gift from God that guided him throughout his ministry to the poor and abandoned youth. In the dream, John saw himself in a field with many unruly boys who were cursing and fighting. He tried to stop them with his fists, but a mysterious man told him to use charity and kindness instead of violence. The man also said that John would be the leader of these boys and that he would teach them to be good Christians and honest citizens.

The man in the dream was Jesus Christ, who entrusted John with a special task: to be a father and teacher of the young. He also introduced John to his mother, Mary Help of Christians, who would be his teacher and support. Mary showed John a large flock of sheep that turned into wolves, and then into lambs, symbolizing the transformation of the boys through John’s work.

The dream of the nine years of saint John Bosco was the foundation of his educational program for the young, the Salesian Preventive System. Next year there will be the celebration of the 200 years of that dream and the Rector Major made of it his 2024’s Strenna: “The dream that makes you dream.” A heart that transforms “wolves” into “lambs.”

In Cambodia, the social communication department of Don Bosco Kep put the topic into a short film with three purposes: To explain to the Cambodian youth, inside their own culture, the meaning of such a dream of the saint and to put it into a theological background.

The making of the film involved the teachers and students of social communication and some kids from the Don Bosco Kep Sun Children program in a production that involves acting training, theological reflections and environment care and sustainability. Using the minimum resources and exploring the talents of the youth, the production team studied the deep meaning of the theology of Saint John Bosco, especially the belief in God the Creator, Jesus the Good Shepherd and the role of Virgin Mary as a guiding and loving mother.