austraLasia

?

Shortcut

PrevPrev Article

NextNext Article

Larger Font Smaller Font Up Down Go comment Print Attachment
ALA_5262

20191129_VIE.jpg

Heart in Hand Volunteers learn true service among tribal peoples

By Mr. John Ngoc Son
Heart in Hand (HIH) volunteer


Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, 29 November 2019 -- I’m Ngoc Son, 24 years old. The impression that how friendly and forward the Salesians are, attracts me a lot! These impressions developed my relationship with Don Bosco until now. And the Salesian missionary somehow effects my lifestyle. As a young Catholic, I realise my responsibility in society especially for peers who lack good life conditions. This is the reason that urges me to embark on the voluntary journey. I had served at the remote village – Ban Toong in Lao Cai Province with extremely difficult economy because most of that area is mountains. The road from the town to this village seems a venture ride, one side is the cliff and the other is the abyss. It takes around 2 hours by motorbike and not recommended for heart-attack disease prone people. Moreover, during bad weather, this way is not possible to go and the other way to get to this village is on foot.


There are 30 households and they are ethnic H’mong. The simple national identity remains here. There is no modern equipment because of no electricity, no gas even no clean water but full of warm human relations. The children are simple as they could enjoy their life in their way like hanging around, swimming at streams or singing when they are climbing up the hillside. We struggled with them in communication when trying to explain any academic words. We know that in the short period of time, we cannot help them gain massive knowledge through lessons, but the only thing we believe is through our presence and behaviour, somehow we can be an effect on their perception, helping them to be aware of good manners. We are the young people full of energy and enthusiasm, who spend time to integrate into local life. It seems the perfect way for a missionary volunteer. Giving time, spreading love to others are foremost about service.


What makes you joyful as a volunteer? 

The most incredible joy when I was in the volunteer time is the moment observing the children smiling around me. The children’s smile may be brighter when they seeing a stranger live with them as well as spend time on them without any hesitation.


What was your main challenge as a missionary volunteer?

The biggest challenge which I had to manage is life without electricity. The situation was worse to a municipal boy like me. The only power source relied on the small water generator from in a stream, which always breaks down whenever having heavy rain. I need to learn how to cook the food by myself and know to adjust the fire to prevent my food being burned or not properly enough cooked.


How does the Heart in Hand volunteer experience affect you personally?

This journey impacted me not much, I don’t hope that 1 month to live with the Highland youth could change their life totally but some tiny aspects of their life would be influenced by us. The parents can change their mindset about the educational problem when encouraging their daughters and sons go to school and getting out of the poverty circle. Through that, I am in process to become a better version of myself. I believe that I have the ability to use my knowledge to make impacts on not only for the village where I volunteered but also for my community where I belong to.


What is your message to other youth?

Don Bosco has the greatest passion which I need to learn from. In Don Bosco, I don't feel alone when there are thousands of people who have the same thinking, same doing, being together to give a hand to Don Bosco’s affairs in particular and God’s work in general.


Related news article

AustraLasia 5261 - Volunteer Receiving community learns from the young 

https://www.bosco.link/webzine/53232



20191129_VIE1.jpg


20191129_VIE2.jpg


Attach

Drag and drop your files here, or Click attach files button.

Maximum File Size : 0MB (Allowed extentsions : *.*)

0 file(s) attached ( / )

  1. 6003(II)_Meeting - Training Salesian Teachers

    By Viet SC Phuoc Loc, Vietnam, 20 June 2023 -- A Teacher Training and Meeting Day was held at Don Bosco Phuoc Loc Technical School from 17-18 June 2023 with the theme: Be YEAST in today's world. The day brought together more than 100 te...
    Date2023.06.21 CategoryVIE Reply0 Views294 file
    Read More
  2. 5995(II)_Entrance Examination for the Prenovitiate House of Don Bosco

    By Viet SC Caubong – HCM City, Vietnam, 3 June 2023 -- Every year, after the great celebration of Mary Help of Christians (May 24), the Salesian Province of Don Bosco Vietnam organizes an entrance exam for candidates who will enter th...
    Date2023.06.03 CategoryVIE Reply0 Views392 file
    Read More
  3. 5993(III)_Exchange session between Novices and Prenvices 2023

    By Viet SC Bathon, HCM City, 1 June 2023 -- According to tradition, after the feast of Mary Help of Christians the two classes of Novices and Pre Novices have an exchange day. Continuing that tradition, on 25 May 2023, two classes, Novice a...
    Date2023.06.01 CategoryVIE Reply0 Views316 file
    Read More
  4. 5991(VI)_Salesian Province of Don Bosco Vietnam: Ordination Mass of Deacon and Priest

    Rise up, let us go” (John 14:31) By Augustine Phuc, SDB Xuan Hiep, HCM Vietnam, 28 May 2023 -- At 8:00 a.m. on 26 May 2023, Bishop Joseph Do Quang Khang - Bishop of Bac Ninh Diocese - celebrated Mass for the Ordination of Deacons - Pr...
    Date2023.05.30 CategoryVIE Reply0 Views267 file
    Read More
  5. 5988(I)_2022-2023 school year closing ceremony, Don Bosco Tac Van’s Charity School

    Tacvan, Camau, Viet Nam, 22 May 2023 -- A closing ceremony for the 2022-2023 school year was held in Don Bosco Tac Van's Charity School at 07:30 am, May 19, 2023 in the presence of Fr. Joseph Dinh Thanh Dat – person in charge, Mr....
    Date2023.05.22 CategoryVIE Reply0 Views364 file
    Read More
  6. 5984(I)_Vietnam - Decline in religious vocations and in the Salesian Family

    By Vietnam Salesian Family HCM City, Vietnam, 16 May 2023 -- Since the end of the Vietnam War the Catholic community of this large South East Asian country is known all around the world for a large number of religious and priestly vocations...
    Date2023.05.16 CategoryVIE Reply0 Views367 file
    Read More
  7. 5981_Exchange session between Vietnam's SDB and FMA Novices 2023

    By Viet SC Thu Duc, Viet Nam, May 1, 2023 -- The SDB and FMA novices held an exchange session at the Sacred Heart Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians with the theme: The Yeast of Love. The purpose of the exchange was to bu...
    Date2023.05.08 CategoryVIE Reply0 Views436 file
    Read More
  8. 5978(II)_Don Bosco Student Congress 2023: LIVE “ONE WAY”

    By Viet SC Dalat, Vietnam, 2 May 2023 -- On April 29, 2023, at Don Bosco Post-novitiate in Da Lat City, more than 350 Don Bosco students from Saigon, Can Tho and Da Lat attended the 1st Don Bosco Student Congress organized by the Youth Mini...
    Date2023.05.02 CategoryVIE Reply0 Views282 file
    Read More
  9. 5965(II)_Formation Course for Brothers in time of Practical Training

    Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, 2 April 2023 -- The Vietnam Formation Department organized a training program for 20 confreres serving as practical trainees in various Salesian Communities of VietNam, from 27-30 March 2023 at the Franciscan Mona...
    Date2023.04.02 CategoryVIE Reply0 Views365 file
    Read More
  10. 5964_Aspirants of Don Bosco Viet Nam: Retreat and Congress 2023

    Lam Dong, Vietnam, 31 March 2023 -- The Youth Ministry Commission of the Salesian Province of Don Bosco Vietnam organized the Retreat program and the 2023 Aspirants Congress, from March 25 to 27, 2023, at the K'Long Retreat Center. The ...
    Date2023.03.31 CategoryVIE Reply0 Views282 file
    Read More
List
Board Pagination Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ... 38 Next
/ 38