austraLasia #1826

Yet Another 'Valdocco' - this time Laos

VIENTIANE (Laos): 23rd April 2007 --  'Are there Salesians in Laos?' is a question that is often asked - the simple answer is 'yes', and that Don Bosco Vientiane is YAV, 'Yet Another Valdocco', since 'Valdocco' accurately evokes the firm planting of a charism, Don Bosco's charism, in a place.  And yes, the charism is planted, but no, there is not currently a community of SDBs living in Vientiane.  That will come in time and indeed in the near rather than the distant future.
    But in the week past there were certainly a number of Salesians in Vientiane, amongst whom the provincial of nearby Thailand, Fr Theparat, Fr Tito Pedron, rector of Sampran in Thailand and the Laos DB presence delegate, and Fr Klement, Regional for EAO. They were there from 19-21 April to visit the DB Centre, run by a Thai Salesian Past Pupil. The visit, as well as encouraging the active Salesian educational presence now in Vientiane, enabled the visitors to look at several acres of possible land for purchase, to enable the next step.
    The visit included a close look at two ventures by communities of Sisters, one a school for the handicapped run as a joint venture with the Ministry for Health, the other a school run by the Sisters of St Vincent, a group with a substantial number of local Sisters.
    DB Centre is now three years old and has made excellent progress.  It has a small moment of crisis in 2006 when the Government suggested it close down as an 'illegal business', but that was more a misunderstanding than anything else.  In fact they have 12 teachers and 24 students, which might be something of a record for student-teacher ratio's in schools!  And the quality of technical, (mechanical) education is well-recognised. They are also linked in with 14 companies in the automotive and electrical fields.  The presence is ripe for development into a fully-fledged technical school with a much larger quota of students and staff.
    There is no doubt about DB Centre's 'Valdocco' status - it is Salesian to the core. Each day includes not one but three 'Good-' talks - a morning, afternoon and concluding talk. Each Wednesday the rosary, remembrance on important days that mark the Salesian month, e.g. 24th, a six day working week (Saturday included) with football games during lunch breaks, staff and students all in.  Much is modelled on DB Technical School in Bangkok where Mr Sanya, now in charge of the Centre, himself had a happy experience.
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