​#English_below
នៅរាត្រីថ្ងៃទី២៩ ខែសីហា ឆ្នាំ២០២២ មណ្ឌលស្វាគមន៍និស្សិតលោកអភិបាល ប៉ូល ទេព អ៊ីម បានធ្វើកម្មវិធីប្រកួតចំណេះដឹងក្នុងការបញ្ចេញមតិ ( Debate ) ដើម្បីរកជើងខ្លាំងដែលហ៊ានបញ្ចេញមតិប្រចាំរដូវកាល។
សូមបញ្ជាក់ថាកម្មវិធីនេះមានការចូលរួមចំនួន២ក្រុម ដែលមានក្រុមស្រប និងក្រុបបដិសេធ ដោយមានការចូលរួមពីវាគ្មិនចំនួន៥នាក់ រួមទាំងសិស្សនិស្សិត និងតំណាងក្រុមយុវជននៃព្រះសហគមន៍កាតូលិកបាត់ដំបង។
លោកបូជាចារ្យ យ៉ាកុប បានមានប្រសាសន៍ទៅកាន់និស្សិតទាំងអស់ថា៖ យើងជាជាតិសាសន៍មួយ សូមកុំភ្លេចថែរក្សាការពារវប្បធម៌ឱ្យបានជាប់ជានិច្ច កុំឱ្យមានលំហូរនៃវប្បធម៌ដទៃចូលមកប្រទេសយើងបាន។
និស្សិតឈ្មោះ ជៀប ស៊ីនិត មកពីមណ្ឌលនិស្សិតលោកអភិបាល ប៉ូល ទេព អ៊ីម បានប្រាប់ឱ្យដឹងថា កម្មវីធីនេះជាកម្មវិធីមួយដ៏ល្អសម្រាប់យុវជនទាំងអស់មានចំណេះដឹងជ្រៅជ្រះ មានភាពក្លាហាន និងមានគំនិតធំទូលាយជាងមុន។
កញ្ញា ជា ស័ក្តកន្និកា មកពីមណ្ឌលនិស្សិតលោកអភិបាល ប៉ូល ទេព អ៊ីម កម្មវិធីនេះបានផ្តល់ចំណេះដឹងយ៉ាងច្រើនដល់យុវជន ដែលអាចឱ្យយុវជនមានចំណេះដឹង ចេះសិក្សាស្រាវជ្រាវ មានភាពក្លាហាន និងចេះធ្វើការជាក្រុម 
និងក្រោយពីបានចូលរួមកម្មវិធីនេះហើយ ធ្វើឱ្យកញ្ញាមានភាពក្លាហានក្នុងការនិយាយមានភាពសាមគ្គីគ្នាក្នុងការធ្វើការងារជាក្រុម។ កញ្ញាបន្តទៀតថា៖ «ខ្ញុំសូមណែនាំនិងលើកទឹកចិត្តដល់ប្អូនៗជំនាន់ក្រោយ ឱ្យនៅតែបន្តសិក្សាស្រាវជ្រាវ និងធ្វើយ៉ាងណាអោយយើងមានភាពក្លាហានក្នុងការនិយាយស្តី»។
កញ្ញា អ៊ូ ស្រីម៉ិច ជាអ្នកសម្របសម្រួលក្នុងមណ្ឌលនិស្សិតលោកអភិបាល ប៉ូល ទេព អ៊ីម បានឱ្យដឹងថា៖ កម្មវិធី ការតស៊ូមតិនេះបានធ្វើឡើងតាំងពីឆ្នាំ២០១៨ មកម៉្លេះ ដែលកម្មវិធីនេះធ្វើឡើងជារៀងរាល់ខែជាមួយនិស្សិតនៅក្នុងមណ្ឌល ក្នុងគោលបំណងដើម្បីឱ្យ
ពួកគាត់សហការគ្នាជាក្រុម ឱ្យពួកគាត់បង្កើនការសិក្សាស្រាវជ្រាវ បន្ថែមការអានសៀវភៅ និងដើម្បីឱ្យគាត់ហ៊ានមានមតិយោបល់សម្រាប់សង្គមខាងក្រៅ។ ក្នុងនាមជាអ្នកសម្របសម្រួលក្នុងមណ្ឌលសង្ឃឹមថា នៅពេលដែលគាត់ទៅសាលា ធ្វើការឬទៅណាខាងក្រៅ
នឹងមានភាពក្លាហានក្នុងការបញ្ចេញមតិនូវអ្វីដែលគាត់មានក្នុងការបញ្ចេញ។ គូសបញ្ជាក់ផងដែរថាកម្មវិធីនេះធ្វើឡើងនៅមណ្ឌលនិស្សិតលោកអភិបាល ប៉ូល ទេព អ៊ីម ដែលមានទីតាំងក្នុងបរិវេណព្រះសហគមន៍កាតូលិកបាត់ដំបងផ្ទាល់ (ពេទ្យយាយជី)។
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On the night of August 29, 2022, the Student Welcome Center, Mgr Paul Tep Im, held a Debate Knowledge Contest to find the strongest legs who dare to express their opinions for the season.
Please note that this program has the participation of 2 groups with the same group and the rejection group, with the participation of 5 speakers, including students and the Youth of Battambang.
Father Jacob said to all the students: "As a nation, we must not forget to preserve our culture forever so that other cultures do not flow into our country."
Chiep Sinith, a student from the Student Center, Mgr Paul Tep Im, said that this program is a good program for all young people with deep knowledge, courage and a broader mind.
Ms. Chea Sak Kanika from Student Center, Mgr Paul Tep Im. And after participating in this program and made her have the courage to speak, have unity in teamwork.
"I would like to encourage and encourage the younger generation to continue to study, research and make us have the courage to speak up," she said.
Ms. Ou Srey Mech, Coordinator of the Student Center, Mgr Paul Tep Im said: This advocacy program has been held since 2018, this program is held every month with students in the center in order to
They work together as a team to increase their research, read more books, and to encourage them to have ideas for the outside world. 
As a center coordinator, hopefully when he goes to school, works or goes outside, will have the courage to express what he has to express.
This program was held at the Student Center, Mgr Paul Tep Im, located in the Battambang Catholic Church (Pet Yiey Chee).

We slept in the church that night and  after breakfast next morning some parishioners took us ashore in the parish boat to rejoin our car. We then drove a short distance to the edge of the lake at Kompong Luong. Again we were met by a group of parishioners who took us in a small motorboat out into the lake towards the floating village. Hundreds of colourful floating houseboats and all kinds of businesses were anchored in street like rows. After about 15 minutes we caught sight of the tiny cross topped spire of St Peter. The parishioners were already gathered when we arrived and warmly welcomed us aboad for Sunday morning Mass.

The communities of both floating parishes celebrate Mass in the Khmer language but the gospel reading is repeated in Vietnamese together with certain additional prayers. This is to reflect the Vietnamese origin of most parishioners many of whom are also stateless and spend their time permanently on the water living as fishermen.

I was delighted to have had the opportunity to visit these parishes and meet the people bound together by their traditional faith and strong sense of community.    

It is interesting to note that most if not all the youth saw the beach for the first time since their village is far from the coastal areas in the country. It is evident on their faces how happy they were to see the beach in awe and being grateful of the wonderful creation of God. In the early morning of the following day, the youth were brought to a hill that was overlooking the entire city and the ocean for meditation and morning praise and prayer. As the group went back to Don Bosco Technical School, the place where the group stayed for the retreat, the film on the life of St. Francis Xavier Church of Assisi and St. Clare was shown followed by reflection and sharing of lessons learned and scenes that inspired or touched the retreatants. In the afternoon, the waterfall and the river offered the retreatants more admiration of God’s greatness. 

On the way to Kompong Som on August 28, 2012, the group dropped by in Phnom Penh at Banteay Prieb, a technical-vocational training center for the physically challenged adults administered by the Jesuits. The group were offered lunch by Fr. In Don Oh, SJ, the center director and had given a tour to various training courses such as carving and sculpture, garments and textile, computer, electronics, metal works, and wheelchair production. They had also visited the souvenir shop where all the products are displayed to sell. 

On August 31, the group dropped by again in Phnom Penh as they were heading home. They first went to the Jesuit Residence and the Jesuit Mission Office. They took a light snack prepared by Fr. John Mace, SJ, and then gathered at the chapel for prayer. The next mission area visited was at the Missionary of Charity Brothers, commonly called the Brothers of Mother Teresa. The center is for mentally ill people and victims of HIV-AIDS. After going around the center to observe, a lunch was prepared by Bro. Barnabas Samad, MC, a missionary from India and the superior of the community of four brothers. 

The long one way trip of about 8 hours from Nikum to Phnom Penh and then Sihanoukville and vice versa plus the visiting time at the mission places in Phnom Penh were undoubtedly tiring. However, Bro. Blas and Fr. Manoj, who took turns in the long driving and of course the youth, were happy to have the retreat and the mission exposure trip. Indeed, it was a nourishment to the spirituality and encourages social concern to each of the participants  

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The hands that I saw waving from afar became vivid to me as the children welcomed us. They have been waiting for the youth group so as to interact with them. The community of Prek Toal is in Tonlesap Lake in the northeastern tip of Battambang Province. In February 2006, the Catholic community was recognized with its members calling themselves Christmas Group. A simple housewife who was baptized in 1972 in Phnom Penh had initiated in gathering the people. Her simple, pleasant, and faithful life attracted others that inspired them to come together on Christmas days. Thus, their name Christmas Group came to be. 

There were about 130 children in the church with more than 20 adults. The guests did not waste time but started right away with their planned activities. An action song was taught by some of the youth and after few practices everyone was already performing it. After accomplishing the second action song, games were also introduced. At noon, rice soup were shared to everyone, the children formed lines as the bowls were distributed. After a little rest, playing games resumed. The group and I boarded the boat back home at nearly 2:00 o’clock. 

The visit of the Korean youth group was not the first time for the community to welcome guests. Since St. John Church in Siem Reap is blessed in receiving many guests from various countries, guests are also encouraged to visit other communities, particularly in the lake including Prek Toal. There is only one priest for both parishes. Aside from the liturgy and visitation of some guests, other ministries at St. Joseph Parish consist of the learning center which was blessed on November 12, 2006, catechism, feeding program, values education for children, Khmer and English literacy classes for adults and youth, as well as community education on relevant issues. 

I noticed that the visit was a memorable experience for both the Korean youth and the children in the lake. It was just amazing to witness how two different cultures could interrelate harmoniously. What is more moving is that the interaction was done in good faith. 

By: Blas Descallar, JVP 
Jesuit Volunteers Philippines  

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Abigael Chan, a recent graduate of NTU and a returning visitor shared, “The Cambodians, they treasure relationships very much. The experience has been wonderful.” “The people are friendly to strangers; the kids are adorable, innocent, they very easily touch my heart.” Zhan Hao, another NTU student added.

A community dinner and a small program were held on July 25 to conclude the exchange. The students from the Center presented a canvas which symbolized the friendship between Cambodia and Singapore, one student to another. Poy Borat, a student leader at the center explained the message of the gift; “Wherever you are, wherever you live, you can have friendship. We are not so divided. Together we improve, help each other. Even though we are far from each other, we can keep in touch.”

The Singaporean students in turn, expressed their appreciation through a presentation where they sang and expressed their thanks and love, as well as by sharing a photo album of their pictures. “We really appreciate all this. We are touched by the gesture and we really enjoyed our time together.” Sindhu Aramesh, a student leader from NTU shared.

This is the third year that the cultural and learning exchange program has been running since it started in 2010. 

For more pictures of the event, please visit our Facebook Page.

The training was organized to teach the young girls to learn about Khmer culture and traditional dancing. Soun Bunnareth, the dance teacher, shared “We taught them 6 dances. We have Our Father! (ឱ!ព្រះបិតា), The Holy Spirit ​(ព្រះដ៏វិសុទ្ធ),Our Mary (ព្រះនាងម៉ារី), NEARY CHEA CHUR(នារីជាជួរ), BOPHA LOK KEY(របាំបុប្ផាលោកកិ៍យ, And blessing dance (របាំជូនពរ). These dances are taught to the young girls who lived around the parish, separated in to 3 groups from 7-9, 12-13, and 13-16 years old. After a week in training, a performance was made in front of the parish community. In the future, these dances will also be performed during special events.

Sr. Kanlyan shared “We are happy that Ms. Sreymom came to teach our children. They loved it, they very happy and always came before the start of class time.”

Jesuit Refugee Service Cambodia recently released “People We Met Along the Way”, a compilation which follows and celebrates the organization’s work and history through the people; asylum seekers, refugees, staff and others, who has journeyed with JRS through the years. The book was launched last 24 June as part of the observance for World Refugee Day.

Our parish would like to congratulate Jesuit Service Cambodia for the good work they have done and continue to do for the asylum seekers and refugees in Cambodia.

For more information and to download a copy, please follow this link.

 
During the past few weeks many groups from East Anglia have been to visit our twin Diocese in Cambodia. They have come from North Walsham, Ely and St Mary’s in Ipswich. Two of our seminarians have done a placement there. Mgr. Philip Shryane spent a couple of weeks in January covering the parish of St John in Siem Reap for weekday Mass while the priest had a short break and described life there. So we have plenty of new, memories and photos, more than will get into this issue.

Over the years our Diocese has supported a very small, isolated village called Ta Om on a number of occasions, building the first learning center there in 2004 and again in 2007 we paid to put a new roof on the church.

Last year with help from other sources, they built a new learning center providing classrooms for a Kindergarten and accommodation for young people to have retreats and residential programs. It is only recently that we have been able to take groups to Ta Om, the first part of the road is greatly improved, the second is still a dirt road, very bumpy, and the Cambodians call it a free massage!

This year the group from Ely visited for the first time and saw the work our Diocese has been involved with. One of the great improvements is that through planet Water and with help from a school in the US there is now clean water in the village.

Planet waster installed a water tower and the water drops down through a series of filters and comes out clean and drinkable from the taps at the bottom. It was a great joy to be there on the day it was switched on, such excitement at clean water coming from the tap!! But it will improve their life enormously. Have a look at their website at www.planet-water.org

Just after Christmas Bishop Kike wrote to inform us what the Diocesan project would be for this year, 2012. It is to help rebuild the bamboo church of St Andrew in Nikum.  We have helped before in this village, sending money to help level their plot of land and in 2007 we gave 15,000 towards the building of their kindergarten. Fr. Manoj, the parish priest, tells us a little of the history of the church.

It all started in 1999 when two ladies who had been baptized in the refugee camp on the Thai border were repatriated to Nikum. At first they kept the faith very much to themselves and few others, meeting in the home of one of the ladies.

Sometime later Fr. Sophal, a Khmer priest heard of this small community. In 2001 they built a small wooden chapel for Mass and to use for other activities, gradually it has grown and now has many children and young people in the Catechism classes.

On Sunday usually they have 40 to 50 people join them for the Mass. Early in March Fr. Manoj accompanied Fr. Mark Hackeson to the church and he has brought us some photos. Fr. Manoj explained the bamboo and wood of which the church building was constructed is being eaten away by termites- a common phenomenon in Cambodia. In places, the termite activity is clearly visible as they reduce the church to dust!” said Fr. Mark.

“In the sacristy almost an entire corner had disappeared completely. And in the side walls there were gaping holes. Fr. Manoj hopes to replace the bamboo and wood below the windows with brick which will last longer.

The church building and the adjacent kindergarten are well use both by the Catholic community and the community at large. “The day I was there with Fr. Manoj, a group of four volunteers Spanish doctors were giving a surgery for people form Nikum and the surrounding villages providing healthcare and medication that is otherwise too expensive or totally lacking.

“They also entertained the children with some lively games and dancing during the break for lunch!”

So our Building Bridges project for this year is to help to rebuild this small church, please do what you can to help.