2012 Vietnam

Daughters of Mary Help of Christians
(Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco) Mission

Lason, Iabang, Dak-Doa Province, Pleiku City, Vietnam (location of Sr Madalena’s mission)

All of Vietnamese Salesian Sisters know Sr Madalena who is about 70 years old but still full of zeal and passion to bring God’s love to her people. She was the Superior of Vietnam for more than 20 years (an exceptional case). After the Revolution in 1975, all the missionaries were expelled from Vietnam. By that time, the Salesian Sisters in Vietnam had just completed 14 years of service, so the native Sisters were very young. Sr. Madalena was one of first few Sisters, and she was only 33 years old then. Despite the many challenges and difficulties (such as hunger, prison, property confiscation of the Communist) Sr Madalena always collaborated with her Sisters and guided the Institute in Vietnam. Despite the hardship, the vocations and mission grew.

The mission was given a house by the SDB fathers during the FMA 50th Jubilee year in Vietnam. They need funds to improve the physical environment for about 100 ethnic (JRAI) students from 2 villages They go to the school in front of the sisters’ house from Mondays to Saturdays and have lunch there.  Every Sunday, the poor will come to ask for clothes, food or medicine. 

In early Oct 2012, Fr Gregory van Giang and Deacon Clement from OLPS visited Sr Madalena’s mission with ACTS member, Shanny Ho. [Maybe Shanny can add some comments?] The sisters are happy to see that these students have a place to eat and have their activities. 

Through the parishioners of OLPS, Fr Greg donated S$15,000 to Sr Madalena’s mission. Another S$17,500 was donated by a Vietnamese working in Singapore and an ACTS member. With the funds, the sisters are able to create a better environment (such as a new kitchen, storeroom, toilet facilities as well as tables & chairs) for the JRAI people as well as Vietnamese children.

 

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