BANGKOK (UCAN) – The new head of the Jesuit ministry for foreign prisoners in Thailand, says 20 years of devotion to foreign migrants and refugees has been a joy and not been wasted.

Vilaiwan Phokthavi, 57, could have followed a lucrative career as an accountant with the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand after graduating from the prestigious Chulalongkorn University, but decided instead to join the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS).

Vilaiwan Phokthavi preparing items to take to the prisoners

“Many people wonder why I sacrificed so much to help these people. But for me it is not a sacrifice. It is a joy to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, which is the duty of every Christian,” the laywoman said.

The decision which changed her life came in June 1989.

“When the Jesuit priest who looked after JRS accounts died, Father Mark Raper, the then JRS director, asked me to replace him,” she said.

Vilaiwan accepted the offer, even though the salary and benefits were nowhere near as good as she was used to.

“Life has to have more meaning. I have to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and live for others,” she smiled. “My father was very angry because he was worried about my future,” she added.

The job was to take a different turn when Father Raper asked her to help free a Cambodian fisherman arrested by Thai police near the border. The man’s sister, who was living in Australia, had asked the JRS for help.

“We found him and helped him get back to Cambodia. I was so excited and deeply proud. My life had value.”
The experience was the spark that set her off on her mission to work with refugees and migrants.

Soon afterward, she helped free five Myanmar migrants arrested for illegal entry.

“I explained to the police why they had to flee to Thailand, how bad the situation in their country was. Finally the police released them. I was not sure whether the police had sympathy for them or were just annoyed by my persistence.”

For 20 years, Vilaiwan combined field work with her accountancy role, revamping JRS accounting system, and became a finance consultant for JRS International.

All this work gave her a deep understanding of the problems faced by refugees and migrants, she said.

Vilaiwan was planning to retire last year but was asked to head the foreign prison ministry. Former head, Father Olivier Morin, 69, had to retire due to poor health.

Vilaiwan replaced him in July 2009 and describes her new job as “really challenging work”.

She heads a team of seven Myanmar and Thai workers who visit 1,900 foreign prisoners in 10 prisons around Bangkok and in the provinces. The team is a lifeline for inmates, mostly from neighboring Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, as well as South Asia and Africa, who have no one to visit them or provide them with essential goods.

The work involves coordinating with Thailand’s Department of Corrections, buying necessities for prisoners, raising funds to keep the ministry going and being a channel between prisoners and their relatives.

“God has called me to do this work. My life is worthwhile and meaningful. Many people told me I’m a good person who has sacrificed a lot. However, I chose to follow Jesus Christ in a way that is good for me. It’s not sacrifice.”

Source: www.ucanews.com