austraLasia #2010

Mission procurator from Holland visits Thailand, Cambodia

SIHANOUKVILLE: 18th December 2007 -- While Brother Gerard Schoorl SDB, Mission Procurator in the Netherlands, was visiting both Thailand and Cambodia, our correspondent in Sihanoukville was kind enough to have him interviewed by his class.  It makes interesting reading.  Below are excerpts from the interview which was an exercise for the students in the social communications class at Don Bosco Sihanoukville:
Brother Gerard, what is it like to be mission procurator in the Netherlands?
    It is an activity demanding attention to many things, but the most important aspect is that you are working in close relationship with people.
How long have you been in the job?
    Three and a half years, since September 2004.
Why did they make you mission procurator?
    Because of my experience, my knowledge of the Salesian Congregation, our missionaries and missions today.
Where have you been as a missionary before?
    In Rwanda for three and a half years, from 1984 to 1988.  We were invited by the Central African Province.  They needed someone who was an expert in financial administration. I was asked to introduce ideas on financial administration to young African confreres.  The provincial in Central Africa had already invited the provincial at the time from Holland to visit Zaire, Rwanda and Burundi, then my provincial asked me to go there as Holland's contribution to the work in Africa.
And life in Africa, how was it?
    The people are poor but they have not lost their smile because of poverty.  One thing I learned is that in Europe we tend to think that poor people are sad people; that is not necessarily so in Africa.  I also found that people in Rwanda were motivated to make progress, that is to say that parents work hard to give better possibilities to their children, and children are motivated to learn in school.
    In Kigali we had a boys school, workshops for boys and adults.  It was a large work.  But I also had to take financial care of other technical schools, a school for vocational training, three or four parishes. I regretted that I was only there for administrative tasks, so I spent all my free time in the oratories and pastoral centres, teaching catechism and so on.  I did not speak the language but I was able to motivate the youth. Fr Jacques Ntamitalizo, the Rector, understood my desire and gave me responsibility for working with the nurses in the dispensary.  This activity was very close to my heart, because I was dealing with poor people and the nurses who have to deal with them.
    One day when I was pressed to go home for lunch I passed by a property where there were some very poor people.  I heard a little girl cry out in their language "that damn white man, what is he looking for?"  The mother answered "Take care, he is the Good Shepherd of the dispensary". They were the few Rwandan words I understood and I was very proud.
Which other countries have you known as a mission procurator?
    Venezuela, Thailand, Cambodia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Italy, Rome for meetings, Belgium because we are united with the Belgium province,  and we have two mission offices.
Which countries do you have best memories of?
    Every country, but each memory is different. In Bulgaria it was the Orthodox Church and the people gave me a good impression, promoting ecumenism. That was the most beautiful impression. Of course, the Salesian confreres there are specialised in the religions of Eastern Europe; they did studies in a specialised institution for it in Rome. That it is what I am happy about, that in our congregation we have initiatives to meet the people.
    In Venezuela I gained knowledge of the South American culture, especially faithlife in the Salesian centers, not only of confreres but also of people generally.  I was stunned by the situation of the poor people there, like the slums of Caracas.
What do you think of Cambodia?
    A beautiful country. What impressed me are two extremes: the cruelty of the Pol Pot regime and freedom as people live it today. I am also fascinated by the traffic! I did not see accidents in Phnom Penh: I spent hours in the car in Phnom Penh, but I did not see accidents. I think that it is very nice the way the Cambodian people are patient, wait for the other.
    The day before yesterday I saw a lonely policeman doing his utmost to bring order in the traffic. My driver stopped, I saw that he was surrounded by motorbikes like a cloud of mosquitoes. Then a motorbike passed the policeman on the wrong side and the driver gave the policeman a friendly nod to make way for him. Everyone else waited. At that moment the policeman saw me laughing in the car and then he started laughing too. That's one of my special memories of Phnom Penh. 
    Also I want to tell you that for two years we prepared a film about Don Bosco Cambodia in Holland. The mission office helped with the cost of that film. Now I am happy that we did it. One of the most beautiful moments in that film is the encounter of the film producer Bob Entrop in the slums with the grandmother of four children from the Don Bosco Children Fund. The grandmother speaks in the film with great esteem for Don Bosco and the Salesians. Now walking in the slums I recognised her. And she saw me and she knew immediately that I came to see her. She embraced me like a mother. I spoke a long time with her and her grand daughter who was a very kind girl and a good interpreter.
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