BANPONG: 14th February 2005 -- The 37 Senior High School aspirants and 3 University level postulants at Nazareth House Banpong, and a further 42 Junior High aspirants 'down South' at Hua Hin have been a welcome 'visiting' experience for East Asia-Oceania Regional Fr Vaclav Klement.

    Quite apart from the obvious freshness and vocational fruitfulness of the Thai Salesian Province as represented by these young candidates, Fr Klement finds their questions interesting and thought-provoking.  He has taken to providing a small reward for those questions he considers to be the best.

    From the older group come some of the more probing questions: What Asian country needs the most workers for evangelisation? What is the missionary thrust of the Salesian Congregation in 2005? Tell us about Salesians in....Africa, Australia, India, Middle East, Japan.  What precisely is the role of the Salesians in Tsunami relief (an 'award' question).

    The juniors are no less perceptive in their questions: What do Salesians do for human rights? ('award') What are world trends of Salesian work?  What about evangelisation in Myanmar, China, Vietnam?

    There are the light-hearted questions from both groups, though with serious intent: Who has the finest aspirants in EAO? What did you do to become Regional Councillor?  And then there are the personal questions - personal for the Regional but also seeking response to personal need: Do you give up if you get tired doing what you do? Why did you become a Salesian? What strikes you most when you talk to young people today? How does one become a good priest?  How do I become a missionary?  If I want to be a good Salesian, what should I do?

    Life with the aspirants is much more than question time though.   At Nazareth House Banpong, Fr Klement joined in the afternoon's football game.  The fact that his despatch does not mention the score suggests that his side lost!