They live in the Northern Philippines and have retained their own way of life for two thousand years despite many attempts to make them change. The catastrophic eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991 presented a new challenge to their existence.
By Gee-Gee Torres
Sr. Juana Argota, DC is from Tanauan, Leyte and the youngest of 6 children. She has been a missionary in Thailand for the past 27 years. At present she runs the Community-Based Rehabilitation Programme for the Disabled and the Handicapped in Loei. Our editorial assistant visited her and tells her story.
By Gee-Gee O. Torres
Fr. Philomeno Mahusay is from La Castellana, Negros Occidental. He was the first member of the Missionary Society of Philippine Bishops to be sent on mission abroad. He has been on mission inThailand for almost 25 years now. We also have Sr. Mercedes Dagoob, dc from Iloilo who has been there since 1969. Our editorial assistant, Gee-Gee Torres, visited them in Thailand. Here she tells us of this encounter.
By Gee-Gee O. Torres
The village of Nong Din Dam in Thailand may seem very far away from the village of Assisi in Northern Italy but they are connected. A thousand years ago in Northern Italy, St. Francis burst upon the world to remind the Church that we must become a Church of service and a Church of the poor. Since then, thousands of people have followed in the feet of St. Francis and among them are the four Filipino Franciscan sister of the Immaculate Conception who have settled in the village of Nong Din Dam. I went to visit the sisters on my trip to Thailand. I enjoyed seeing the little ways and the projects which they have used as instruments of service for the poor and their way of following the Gospel. Let me introduce you to these four women.
By Gee-Gee Torres, editorial assistant
Sr. Mater Leal, dc comes from Quezon province. She has been a missionary in Thailand for the past 14 years and has been involved in various social works. For several years she has been assigned in Phud Hong Leprosarium. Here Gee-Gee tells her story.
It was a long trip to Nakon Si Thammarat province in Southern Thailand. We passed through rugged limestone mountains and vast plantations of rubber, coconut and pineapple. Along the way I focused my attention at the beautiful landscape of the countryside; I didn’t want to think of the people we were going to visit in Phud Hong Leprosarium. But no matter how hard I tried, something deep inside was telling me to accept the fact that I was going to Phud Hong Leprosarium to visit lepers. I was scared. Yes, I was afraid to see a leper face to face. I was afraid to touch them or even go near them lest I get infected. I wasn’t sure if I could handle myself well if a person with a decaying nose should extend his hand to me, I would soon discover.
By Gee-Gee O. Torres
Fr. Leo Ochoa, SDB is from Isabela, Negros Occidental. He was sent to Thailand while he was still a cleric and for the past 25 years he has been devoting himself to missionary work there. He kindly agreed to be Misyon’s guide in Thailand. He helped Editorial Assistant, Gee-Gee Torres, contact the different Filipino missionary groups. He drove her to almost all the places she went to. Here Gee-Gee tells her story about Fr. Leo.
By Gee-Gee Torres
We sent our editorial assistant, Gee-Gee Torres, to Thailand to visit our Filipino missionaries. Her task was to visit each of the 10 different groups of Filipino missionaries and report back for Misyon. She found no less than 70 Filipino missionaries there. Here she shares an overview of her journey.
I was thrilled at the thought of being in another country. I was especially excited because this was my first time to go abroad and I would somehow experience missionary life. This trip was a big challenge for me. I had no companion. I didn’t know the people I was going to meet. I couldn’t speak Thai.
By Sr. Roslyn Rivera, CM
Some years ago there Carmelite Missionaries left the Philippines to assist in the Pastoral Youth Ministry in the Diocese of Ratchaburi, 130 kms. southwest of Bangkok. Sr. Roslyn Rivera describes their first tentative steps in a strange but hospitable land.
We spent the first few months studying the Thai language which was difficult. This experience brought a lot humbling situations. Like when I asked or the post office, I ended up at the train station. But hospitality towards the stranger. Another day I was driving to a village under the torrent of rain to bring something to close a family. The road was so bad that I did not realize how the close I was to the edge. I ended up by going into the ditch. The car got stuck. So I had to get down and walk back to the nearest house to asked for help. Two men readily came back with me after a few minutes, more people came on their bicycles and motorcycles, including children and women bringing with them a rope, hoe and spade to help pull out the car.
By Sr. Zosima R. Dalena, OSA
I encourage the people to minimize the use of plastics by using the baskets or re-usig plastic bags instead. Through this we can keep the environment clean and green. And at the same time we can also help the government solve the garbage disposal problem. While giving free reflexology to members, I also campaign for use of herbals. People here are heavy users of drugs. Prevention is being promoted also--no sale of liqour and cigarettes in the store. I am the only one working here fully convinced of the harmful effects of heavy drinking and smoking. Education is a lifelong process. But, there is great hope.
By: Rodora Ochoa Uguil
A Filipina visit her priest-uncle in Thailand
Rodora and Estrella mother and daughter from Isabela, Negros Occidental made a five weeks visit to Thailand to see Fr. Leo S.D.B who is Rodora’s uncle and Estrella’s younger brother. Rodora’s account below tells of how they also visited many of the Filipino missionaries in Thailand.
