Teachers of future missionaries - Dalat volunteers

By Mr Michael Gordon, SLM (Salesian Lay Missioners, SUE)

Dalat, Vietnam, 26 April 2017 -- At present there are not less than seven international Salesian volunteers teaching English to our youth, young Salesian candidates and confreres in five different houses of Vietnam. Their experience is highly appreciated and they spend the whole day teaching or conversation 1:1 or in small groups. Their example may be helpful for starting a local volunteers as well. First sharing is from Dalat Don Rua.

My motivation to spend two years volunteering with the SLM program came primarily from my parents. My mother and father volunteered with the Jesuit Refugee Service in their youth, helping the Vietnamese refugees in the Philippines and Hong Kong (where I was born) acquire visas to western countries. Growing up, I saw how my parents’ experience as volunteers shaped the rest of their lives. They used what they learned during their time abroad, and instilled in their children the values of faith, community, and simplicity. As I came to understand this, I realized how a similar experience could be crucial to my own development as a Christian, so I signed up. I spent a year teaching in South Sudan, and now, by the grace of God, I find myself living in Vietnam, working among the same people my parents did a generation ago.

The SLM program offers a comprehensive orientation to prepare us for mission life, emphasizing cultural, vocational, and spiritual readiness. Orientation begins with cultural training, encouraging us to be open-minded and understanding of different cultural practices, that we may more easily foster relationships with the people we serve. Next, we participate in a variety of ministries to instill in us a joyful spirit of service and familiarize us with Salesian practices. Lastly, orientation ends with a week-long retreat, where we reflect on what we have learned and hope to learn, share with each other, and pray for God’s guidance in the coming year. More practical components of training, such as teacher education or language immersion, are lacking; the SLM program considers these skills to be of secondary importance. I had to do a lot of on-the-job learning in those areas, so perhaps I wasn’t initially very useful to my mission site. Looking back, I feel the orientation prepared me well, although many of the most difficult aspects of mission life can never be taught or even anticipated.

My experience living at Don Rua has been wonderful. I feel so blessed to have a role in such a vibrant, active community. I have witnessed such authentic, dynamic faith, the likes of which I have never encountered in my home in the United States. One of my primary roles, as an English teacher, is to be a good listener. The stories of my students have been a profound source of inspiration for me. I have learned a great deal from their invaluable insights into Vietnamese history, culture, and faith. In many respects, I am the true student.

For the Vietnamese university students volunteer experience possible. I have found that most are not overly optimistic about their job prospects after graduation. I haven’t researched the economics myself, but if what they say is true then a volunteer program might be a very popular option for Catholic youth in this country. I’ve talked with several young people who have directly expressed interest in volunteering. One particular student, a nuclear physics major who will graduate this year, plans to spend his summer working with the Salesians, tutoring disadvantaged high school students in math and science. He hopes to turn that experience into a career in humanitarian work. I have no doubt that the spirit of service is alive in this country, we just need formation and clear vision about it.

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