BANGKOK: 6th March 2005 -- Provincials, provincial councillors and other visitors have been descending upon provincial house, Bangkok, these last several days and will be whisked south (if one can 'whisk' in BKK traffic) to Hua Hin this afternoon in readiness for the opening of the EAO Team Visit tomorrow morning, Monday 7th March.  The Rector Major and other General Councillors arrive at the airport this afternoon and will be taken immediately to Hua Hin. The 'home-makers', ITM have been in town and down at Hua Hin early, ensuring that all participants feel immediately welcome on arrival.

    The overall programme for the Team Visit, to last from 7-11 March is not dissimilar to that just completed in New Delhi, but with some elements peculiar to the EAO Region: Day 1 will look at future propsects, under the heading of a deepening of spiritual life.  The Morning Eucharist will be a thanksgiving Mass of Sts. Versiglia and Caravario and, appropriately, China Province leads events on this first day.  An assessment of GC25 implementation and the issues surrounding a planning mentality will occupy day 2.  Day 3 will be a day to experience Thailand - more on that later.  Day 4 turns to the vision-mission ideas which provinces have been working on over time - the idea now is to bring this together into a Region vision and mission statement. Day 5 will complete this, the focus being the Region and the future.

    Organisers - from the Regional himself, to the local Thai team 'on the ground' - are intending this to be a very much 'connected' Team Visit.  Participants will discover a room at Hua Hin with 15 PCs all set up to allow them connection with the rest of the world.  The Thai Province has a Salesian Information Centre run by Bro. Chitti Samuel.  He is assisted now at Hua Hin by 3 prenovices, uni students, all very competent in their information and news role.  They will put the 'TV' into Team Visit in more ways than one, with full logistical support for video and photo memory of the event.

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