austraLasia #3483
Chiang mai - spiritual centre
CHIANG MAI: August 3, 2014 -- Mention Chiang Mai in northern Thailand, and many things come to mind in a religious context:
- the local Bishop has been applauded for his Pope Francis-like approach to his people. You can find photos of him working in the rice fields beside them.
- The Chiang Mai Declaration by indigenous peoples in 2000: "We are Indigenous Peoples and call ourselves Aymara, Igorot, Ainu, Lahu, Yau, Akha, Taiyah, Karen, Dalit, Adivasi, Limbu, Manangey, Jumma, Kadazan, Rote, Chin, Ibanag, Australian Aborigines of Meriam and Torres Straits Islander, Paiwan, Pazeh, and Naga."
- Telling the Story of Jesus, 2006, when the FABC looked at ways of evangelising in Asia and chose Chiang Mai for this Asia-wide event.
- The Chiang Mai Declaration by the World Council of Churches in 2009.
And amidst all of this is the flourishing Salesian Community, looking after catechists, young people from the hill tribes, an aspirantate, and a farm which helps support the entire enterprise.
A fruitful presence
The Salesian community in Chiang Mai consists of five men who together , under the leadership of Fr Bancha, are responsible for two presences and four different works. They run a Catechists Centre at Mae Rim (a two year course, currently with 30 catechists), the Don Bosco Centre, a hostel for young men from the hills (there are 68 of them at the moment), a junior aspirantate, again drawing from the various hill tribes (there are some 15 boys there at the moment). They also have a 30 hectare farm which helps sustain these activities.
Don Bosco Home is a youth training centre for teenage boys from hill tribes and ethnic groups in norther Thailand including Pagayor, Akha, Yao, Lahu, Hmong and local groups, where they can continue their education in a 3-year career training program. By so doing, the teenagers gain sufficient knowledge and competence to be able to make a decent living, support themselves and their families, and live their spirit-filled lives with dignity in society. They are also guided to be ethical and moral individuals.
The tribal peoples and youth are facing new socio-economic challenges in the new urban environment. They are, however, learning and creating new livelihood options and developing their own organisations and networks to solve the problems they face. This creates a social and political space for better living in the city.
Because it is so close to Myanmar, Chiang Mai is also a place where many people come, fleeing difficulties over the border. Chiang Mai is also a mecca for tourists. Add these factors, plus the local 'Red Shirt' reputation of the Thai countryside, and one does not have to have struggle too hard to see that it could be a volatile context. Perhaps this is where Chiang Mai's 'spiritual' reputation, though, plays its part, and where the Church and the Salesians stand out as an example of calm, practical spirituality .
Chiang mai - spiritual centre
- the local Bishop has been applauded for his Pope Francis-like approach to his people. You can find photos of him working in the rice fields beside them.
- The Chiang Mai Declaration by indigenous peoples in 2000: "We are Indigenous Peoples and call ourselves Aymara, Igorot, Ainu, Lahu, Yau, Akha, Taiyah, Karen, Dalit, Adivasi, Limbu, Manangey, Jumma, Kadazan, Rote, Chin, Ibanag, Australian Aborigines of Meriam and Torres Straits Islander, Paiwan, Pazeh, and Naga."
- Telling the Story of Jesus, 2006, when the FABC looked at ways of evangelising in Asia and chose Chiang Mai for this Asia-wide event.
- The Chiang Mai Declaration by the World Council of Churches in 2009.
And amidst all of this is the flourishing Salesian Community, looking after catechists, young people from the hill tribes, an aspirantate, and a farm which helps support the entire enterprise.
A fruitful presence
The Salesian community in Chiang Mai consists of five men who together , under the leadership of Fr Bancha, are responsible for two presences and four different works. They run a Catechists Centre at Mae Rim (a two year course, currently with 30 catechists), the Don Bosco Centre, a hostel for young men from the hills (there are 68 of them at the moment), a junior aspirantate, again drawing from the various hill tribes (there are some 15 boys there at the moment). They also have a 30 hectare farm which helps sustain these activities.
Don Bosco Home is a youth training centre for teenage boys from hill tribes and ethnic groups in norther Thailand including Pagayor, Akha, Yao, Lahu, Hmong and local groups, where they can continue their education in a 3-year career training program. By so doing, the teenagers gain sufficient knowledge and competence to be able to make a decent living, support themselves and their families, and live their spirit-filled lives with dignity in society. They are also guided to be ethical and moral individuals.
The tribal peoples and youth are facing new socio-economic challenges in the new urban environment. They are, however, learning and creating new livelihood options and developing their own organisations and networks to solve the problems they face. This creates a social and political space for better living in the city.
Because it is so close to Myanmar, Chiang Mai is also a place where many people come, fleeing difficulties over the border. Chiang Mai is also a mecca for tourists. Add these factors, plus the local 'Red Shirt' reputation of the Thai countryside, and one does not have to have struggle too hard to see that it could be a volatile context. Perhaps this is where Chiang Mai's 'spiritual' reputation, though, plays its part, and where the Church and the Salesians stand out as an example of calm, practical spirituality .
