Pastoral

Evangelization in karen environment

 In the early hours of the mission, nearly fifty years ago, the region had no roads. The pioneer of the Karen mission, Father Joseph Quintard, walked the mountains on foot to visit isolated villages, taking tiny paths in the heart of the forest. The tours last several days, and the father is lodged every night in a Karen family, where he says Mass, prays with the inhabitants, before joining the next day another village. Today, all the villages that have sheltered the father have Christian families! The missionary only followed the recommendation of Jesus sending his disciples (Mark 6: 7-13): He said to them again: "When you arrive somewhere, stay in the house where you will be invited until the moment where you will leave the place "visiting, like Jesus in the towns of Galilee, the inhabitants, eating and sleeping at home.The missionary model in the Karen region, even though the means of transport have greatly improved, has not changed: even today pastoral tours consist of simply visiting the communities, sharing their meals and praying with them.

 Karen Christmas

 No wonder then, if the biggest feast among Christians is the feast of Christmas: it is the celebration of the coming of the Lord in the life of men. If the child wanted to be born in a stable in a poor village of Galilee, then he will not be reluctant to visit the poor bamboo houses of our villages. God has come to stay with us, this is the mystery that deeply moves the karens, and they welcome each year with rare fervor this newborn born poor among the poor.

 Christmas to the Resurrection

 This is when the missionary's second mission begins. If the gospel is received by the poor, it is to restore their dignity as men, and lead them out of sin and death, out of the night into the light of Easter. Development projects, education, health works, contribute to this. Evangelization is not an end in itself, if it does not lead to the Resurrection.

 

Back from a patoral travel... during the rainy season!