Sogang University students on exposure, regents on a seminarian gathering, and medical visits added vitality to this dynamic mission.
Fr Dennis Gabriel Leon "Gabby" Lamug-nañawa (PHI) completed his assignment to Cambodia and left on January 6 for home leave in Manila before proceeding to his special studies in environment in Townsville, Australia. We wish him a fruitful time in his studies.
Eleven students from Sogang University, led by Scholastics Kim Hak Joon Lorenzo (KOR), participated in a Cambodia Exposure programme from January 3 – 28. The Sogang University students were co-hosted by members of MAGiS-Cambodia, some of whom taught the visiting students basic Khmer for two days at the Catholic Church Student Center in Phnom Penh. Peer-to-peer sharing was most evident and certainly enriched both the Cambodian and Korean students especially during the weekend Experiment and cultural exchange at Banteay Prieb, our school for the handicapped.
Regents Cahyo Christanto (IDO), Kim Du-huyn John (KOR), Bayu Marsetyawan (IDO), Matthew Tan (MAS), and Kwon Oh-chang (KOR) spent January 7 with the four Cambodian seminarians and other in-formation missionaries of the MEP on another Seminarian Gathering organized by the Saint John Vianney Major Seminary. The visit to the Wat Champa Vietnamese community and the sharing of the Vietnamese priest serving the Catholics there highlighted much the role of priest and pastor to the group. The day ended with dinner on a river boat, from which to watch the fireworks display to celebrate the liberation of Cambodia from the Khmer Rouge rule.
From January 10 – 30, Korean Scholastics Lee Jae-sang Bonaventure, Cho Sung-Jae Josef, Kim Do-hyun Paul, Jo Hyung-sik Francis and Kim Hyung-wook Dominic Savio, accompanied by Fr Yi Kuen-sang Simon visited all the Jesuit stations in Cambodia as part of their exposure toward their discernment for regency.
Another medical team from the Catholic Education Foundation of the Seoul Diocese, Catholic University Medical School of Korea and Peacemakers’ Welfare Foundation, Korea, was at the Pet Viey Chi (Welcome Center for the Sick) at the Battambang Church, from January 9 – 14.
The team of 23, led by 2 priests, and made up of 5 doctors, 2 pharmacists, a pharmacist assistant, 2 nurses, 3 assistants, 1 dental specialist, 2 medical equipment technicians and a youth volunteer, treated some 1,400 patients in villages (Khnaye Romea, Chomnaom and Tapung) as well as the provincial jail and at the Pet Viey Chi clinic. The dentist and the ENT doctor were able to use the newly completed ear clinic at the Pet Viey Chi.
A medical team from France, comprising 2 ENT surgeons, a consultant doctor, 1 anesthetist and one nurse operated on 27 cases at the Emergency Hospital in Battambang from January 19 – 23. This is another project of the Jesuit Service Cambodia Hearing Program.
Fr Gabriel Je (KOR) attended the Major Superiors Meeting in Manila from January 26 – 29. He took the opportunity to visit Cambodian Junior Ham Toeun (KAM) at Arrupe International Residence in Manila. (Contributor: Sch. Matthew Tan)
