I'm back

It has been a long time since I put something on this blog site. I guess I just got lazy or into a daily routine (or rut) where I became comfortable and that just does not include bothering about this site - even in Bangkok where life is never dull. Then today I got an email from a niece and she inspired me to get back into this site. So here I am. Where have I been?

Bangkok, doing my normal work. Most days, I come to the office at Caritas Thailand. I work on project reports and proposals that aim to help poor Thai farmers through applying sustainable agriculture and also help Burmese and other migrants (as they call them in Thailand). Then I also go to the Bangkok Refugee Centre where I meet people who have feld some of the most desperate hotspots in the world, like Somalia and Congo. They end up here but find no solution just more problems. My heart goes out to them. It is like what can one do but they give you the message - do what you can and that is enough. So I continue on.

Then Sunday my day was a little bit different. I went to Bangkok Cathedral for the Installation of the new Archbishop of Bangkok. This was a grand occasion for the Thai Church. To put it in persepctive, Cardinal Michael Michai has been the Archbishop here for 36 years and so this is the end of an era for the local Church. Cardinal Michai is a gentleman and has been a good leader for his people. So now we see a 'new day' here in the local Church with Archbishop Francis Xavier Kriengsak. He begins a new chapter for the Church in Bangkok. I was present for this bit of history and felt quite honoured to witness this great moment, this handing on of the baton. What I noticed or felt being there was the immense pride of Thai Catholics as they gathered for the occasion.

As result of this change in Church personnel. My thai priest boss at Caritas, Fr Pibul, is to be the new Bishop of Nakhon Sawan where Archbishop Kriengsak had been the Bishop. To give you some perspective, Nakhon Sawan Diocese covers a huge area in Thailand with a population of eight and a half million people but with only 10, 000 Catholics. That gives a typical look into the Thai Church. It is small and has never really tapped into Thailand as to be Thai is to be Buddhist. That is part of their culture. Still the Thai Church does its bit and makes its mark. In Nakhon Sawan Diocese, two vulnerable groups are the ethnic hilltribe people and the Burmese. The latter have fled an oppressive situation in Myanmar and live in refugee camps or on the edge in Thai communities. To the Thai Church's credit, they are there making their contribution to these people as best they can and will continue to build up their good efforts. Fr Pibul will be there leading this push to do good. Such is part of the story of the Thai Church.

So Carmel, thanks for inspiring me. Hope you enjoy this little contribution to the world.