The thousand faces of De La Salle congregation’s pastoral outreach in Vietnam.
by J.B. VU
A training course for the new school year, but also a workshop for motor cycles, sewing schools, laboratories, orphanages. One sister who attended the course highlights the importance of link between profession and communication.
Ho Chi Minh City (AsiaNews) - A training course in preparation for the new school year, which ended last Saturday, is the latest initiative of the De La Salle congregation in Vietnam.
Currently there are about 90 others throughout the country. In Hue they are running a motorcycle workshop for poor teenagers and students lagging behind, two sewing schools for poor girls and an orphanage for children from ethnic minorities.
In the highlands they are doing their level best to maintain two houses to accommodate students who come from distant places to attend school and also a special college for children of ethnic minorities. In Ho Chi Minh City they run a charity school, boarding schools, several workshops as well as English and computer classes.
The workshops follow the principles of education laid down by UNESCO, that “education must be based on basic formation principals such as: learning to know, to work, to live together and to survive in society."
The training course held from August 3 to 8 (see photo) was attended by 50 brothers and associates. Among them, catechists, social workers, youth volunteers and sisters of the congregation of St. Paul, who had the opportunity to learn and share issues related to education.
Vietnam currently has an annual gross domestic product estimated at 168.1 billion dollars, with income per capita of 2,100 dollars, but only 18% is spent on education.
Education was the focus of the training course. Brother Joseph presented "Education for the 21st century”. It is a meticulous and very interesting study, because it illustrates the message of education and genius of St. De La Salle. Participants were able to learn that "the foresight and ideas that he had in the past are still necessary and relevant in Vietnam today. His lesson is new even for educators who live in the 21st century. It guides and encourages Catholic educators who want to commit and dedicate themselves to the education of young people as we confront the many challenges and difficulties in the context of society today”.
A Sister of St. Paul tells AsiaNews that she particularly appreciated the theme "profession and communication to help children living in special and difficult situations”, by Vu Nhi Cong. "The subject matter is useful for us; based on knowledge and experience, my congregation and I can apply it as a working method in our relationships with the people we assist, as well as the leaders of mass organizations, local authorities, government offices and non-governmental organizations”.
All participants also shared their experiences in working with poor communities in remote and mountainous areas. For example, the class organized in summer by the Thanh Tam community was "boi thu" (above and beyond) expectations. Many "compassionate" classes, social work and education programs have seen the cooperation and contribution of individuals, communities and even in recent times, of state kindergarten, primary and high school teachers.
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See also
Christmas celebration and solidarity for Vietnam’s Christians, Buddhists and non-religious
22/12/2020
22/12/2020
