Laos - Don Bosco outreaching Christmas gifts

By Fr Paul Trung, SDB

Vientiane, Laos PRD, 22 December 2018 -- Vientiane, with some 700,000 population has its rich and its poor, as in every other big city. The rapidly developing capital of Laos PRD sees any number of village families living on the outskirts of the city, who work in the 'garbage community' (dumping site of the capital city).

Salesians SDB and Salesian sisters FMA have reached out to this community with three local volunteers and shared a few simple gifts - essential daily needs - with their children. The point is not so much the gifts, but reaching out some 35 km from the city centre and showing interest and love through these simple gestures.

The Apostolic Vicar of Vientiane, Cardinal Louis-Marie Ling, often encourages the tiny Catholic community members to witness to effective Christian charity, wherever possible, through simple gestures. A few weeks after visiting Catholics serving flood victims in the south of Laos, near Attapeu, our Vientiane community and mission partners have once experienced the genuine joy of sharing.

Merry Christmas from Laos!

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