If it is this week, it must be Cambodia

A regional workshop being hosted by Jesuit Refugee Services in Siem Reap.

It may be four weeks or less to Christmas but this does not mean that life is slowing down.  If anything, the pace is picking up.  Last week, my focus was a meeting in the Philippines with my Order but this was via skype.  It is all go.

As I look back, it is lucky, I could not go to the Philippines as I was here to literally help a neighbour in distress.  On Tuesday night, I am sound asleep to be awoken by desperate banging on my door.  It took me time to come to my senses to realize that it was real.  It sounded like there was a police raid happening.  What is going on?

It was my good neighbour arriving home in distress and without his room key as his bag with all his treasures had been stolen.  He was understandably distraught.  The task at hand was more than just get him into his room with the spare key but to listen and try, if I could, to give helpful advice.  The best advice I could give was to pray to St Anthony for the bag to be returned, and guess what?  The unbelievable happened.  The police notified him early the next morning that his bag had been handed in and so he got his bag back.  I never doubted.  St Anthony works every time.  I have great faith in him which I learnt from my dear mother.

Yes, there is a story behind the stolen bag but that does not matter.  What matters is that its finding tells me that miracles do happen, even in a Buddhist Thailand.  This is so reassuring as Christmas hastens in the midst of much activity and of an enduring sense of loss with the death in this last half of the year of three close and dear friends.  They just went but the miracle is I am here to celebrate another Christmas, while they live on in my heart and all eternity.  We are truly blessed by so much, and good friends are up there amongst the most of precious gifts we will ever be given.

So where am I?  Bangkok and approaching Siem Reap and Christmas as well, ever the most wonderful time of the year in the life of my loving parents and so mine as well. 
Ho!  Ho!  Ho!