By Huy Hoang

(K’Long, Vietnam) – In the bicentenary year of Don Bosco’s birth, the Youth Ministry Commission of St. John Bosco province in Vietnam held the first training course for the Salesian youth leaders at the retreat house of K’Long from Friday 17 to Sunday 19 April, 2015.

Nearly 100 youth leaders of 14 Salesian communities and presences in the whole Vietnam came to join this training course. They gathered together at K’Long retreat house last Thursday evening to attend the two-day course.

Friday morning at 8:00 o’clock, Fr. Joseph Tran Hoa Hung, the provincial of Vietnam province, gave the opening address. He encouraged the youth leaders to imitate Don Bosco to live the joy of the Risen Christ and to commit themselves to be apostolates among their friends.

Fr. Joseph Nguyen Van Am, Delegate for Formation, gave the next talk with the title “Spirituality of Jesus Christ’s incarnation”. Mr. Ngo Minh Uy, a counceling expert, talked to the youth 2 themes: How to become a healthy young totally and Being creative to solve the problems of life. Fr. Peter Pham Huy Hoang SDB talked 2 themes concerning the characteristics of a Salesian youth leader: Identity of a salesian youth animator and Four dimensions of Salesian youth ministry.

During these days, the participants were divided into 4 groups to share, to pray, to work and to play together. They really enjoyed the family spirit and spent the time to reflect and to share the problems of the youth today.

This training course was also a good time for the Youth Ministry Commission to form and to start the SYM in Vietnam province. They hoped to follow up this project with other courses to strengthen the activities of Salesian Youth Ministry of the whole province and of the local salesian presences as well in future.