3816(II)_Fr. Simon Lee, SDB awarded the Prime Minister's Volunteer Service Award

By Bro. Hilario Seo, SDB

Seongnam, Korea, November 25, 2015 - In celebration of the Development Assistance Day in Seong-nam City Fr. Simon Lee, SDB was awarded the Prime Minister's Award. Korean Government celebrates the Development Assistance Day through the KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency) in memory of participation in DAC (Development Assistance Committee) of OECD every 25th of November. In this day, awards are given to those volunteers who bring up the Korean image through their dedicated work abroad.

Fr. Simon was dispatched to Mongol in 2001. He did Oratory and other various work for the sake of poor children in Ulaanbataar and Darkhan. Recently, due to the poor publication situation in the area, he is exerting his effort to make the books needed for education as well evangelisation.

In one hand, to honor the late Fr. John Lee who passed away while doing his mission activity in South Sudan, the Taesok Lee Award, enacted by the Foreign Ministry is also given in this day. This award was given to Sr. Scolastica Yoo, who belongs to the Congregation of the Sisters missionary of Jesus and works in Ecuador and Colombia for many years.

Fr. Simon's award this time would reveal that the contributions of Korean Salesians who are actively working not only in their own territory but to various country since 1990, even in social and national level, could be done in the development of people among the poorest locals. At present, the Korean Salesian dispatched 8 confreres(1 in Japan, 1 in Mongol, 1 in Solomon Islands, 1 in Cambodia, 1 in USA, 1 in South Sudan, 1 in Malawi and 1 in Mozambique) including Fr. Simon. Not only these but there are more than 10 lay missionaries dispatched for doing voluntary service in Cambodia, South Sudan and Malawi for a long term of more than one year.

Particularly through the operation of the Salesian Mission Procure since 2011, helps and animates systematically the growing up atmosphere of the volunteer service in abroad among the youngster.

As Pope Francesco recommended, Salesians must continuously liven international potential of the Salesian Society, providing opportunities for young people to share and experience the world of the family. And while actively sharing their culture and resources, each could grow more in faith and hope of a better world.