Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Tokyo (Fides Service) - Social projects and also support for pastoral work was offered by a group of lay Catholic missionaries from Japan who spent two years in Kompong Luong a village in Cambodia where most of the people are refugees from Vietnam. The initiative was part of a two year Programme of the Japan Lay Missionaries Movement to help poor villagers in the field of education and health care especially for children.
The project was launched in agreement with the apostolic prefecture of Battambang and aims to help mainly poor fishing villages. The villages have a total population of 6,000 people, almost 70% of Vietnamese origin. Besides social work the lay Catholic missionaries also shared their experience of faith and the Gospel through dialogue of life style. They began by approaching mainly villagers who were already Christians but soon the others who did not yet know Christ asked to hear the Gospel too.
The Church in Japan is rich in lay missionaries ad gentes: lay missionaries aged between 26 and 62 have been sent on mission to Russia, Cambodia, East Timor and Palau, mostly thanks to the Japan Lay Missionaries Movement. The live as missionaries in places and contexts where it is necessary to announce the Gospel but also work for the human development of the people. (Agenzia Fides 15/5/2006 righe 23 parole 239)
