About Us
The Salesian Lay Missioner (SLM) program traces its roots back to 1981, when Fr. Dominic DeBlase, SDB asked Fr. A. Joseph Louis, SDB to study the feasibility of beginning a lay volunteer program to help the Salesians in their various works throughout the world. The idea was to have lay people work alongside Salesians teaching in their schools, oratories, youth centers, and orphanages. Several international site visits, various interviews, and two years later, Fr. Louis sent out the first SLM to Colombia to work with the street children.
Since that time, more than 350 men and women have been sent to over 20 countries to work on projects ranging from youth ministry to agriculture and nursing.
Each year the SLM program expands to serve more of the world’s underprivileged youth. As times change, so do the needs and the site placements. We are asked by Salesian communities on a yearly basis to send volunteers to places all over the world: from the jungles of Papua New Guinea to the frozen lands of Mongolia. And each year we carefully look at the sites to see where the most needs are.
There is a lot of information to learn about the SLM program. Take a look at the following sections to see what we’re all about:
History
See how the SLM program has progressed over the past 2 decades.
Mission
Learn more about the SLM program’s reason for existing!
Quick Facts
Here are some quick statistics and facts of the program.
10/23/2008 - SLM Launches New Program Video
An introduction to the international volunteer service program of the Salesians of Don Bosco, USA. Directed by Luke Wassermann. Music by Hans Parent. This short video features footage of our sites in Bolivia, India, and Sierra Leone, and interviews with former SLMs, site directors, and priests, brothers, and sisters in the Salesian family.
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