ASIA/SOUTH KOREA - Youth Volunteer Service in Cambodia

Phnon Penh (Agenzia Fides) - An experience of poverty, suffering, hardship. An experience of profound humanity which revealed the sense of mission. This was how young Koreans described their recent participation in an International Youth Volunteer Service mission in Cambodia. The journey had two goals: show concern, solidarity, love for poor unfortunate young people living in an outer district of Phnom Penh, dedicating their time to study, prayer, dialogue, games under the banner of a path of “horizontal education” or among equals. It was also a way to introduce north Korean youth to the Gospel values of service, self-giving, the inalienable dignity of every human person, of the presence of Jesus Christ in those who suffer.
The expedition, organised by the Salesian family in Korea, was undertaken by 4 Salesian religious, one Sister of Mary Help of Christians, 15 lay people and 25 animators of the Cambodian Salesian Youth Movement. The Salesian news agency ANS reports that the group of Volunteers was flanked by members of the Cambodia Children Fund association which cares for needy children and young people in Phnom Penh suburbs. The main interventions were in the area of the parish of Saint Francis Xavier, where there are 200 Catholics families comprising 900 Catholics of Vietnamese origin, in support of a specific Cambodia Children Fund programme to save young drug addicts. This was the 9th such experience abroad of International Youth Volunteer Service Korea. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 25/1/2007 righe 26 parole 267)