During the dry season in Cambodia, water needs to be pumped from the river or wells to irrigate the crops. The running costs of using diesel engine to pump water is very high.
After an initial study, our friend Dr Eckardt Bihler from Stuttgart generously funded a pilot project to provide a solar powered pump for water irrigation. Materials were ordered and shipped to Siem Reap in March 2010, and we were in Siem Reap from 19 to 22 April 2010 to install and test the system. With the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the system was successfully installed and preliminary data shows that it was pumping water from the river at the rate of approx 80 litres per minute.
if you are interested in supporting the next phase of our project, please feel free to contact us.
Please click on the album for photos on the system installed.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Below are extracts from a message from Fr Heri, S.J., to share some beautiful happenings in the Catholic community in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Quote:
On February 21, on the First Sunday of Lent, we had the Rites of Election in Siem Reap. There were 67 adults called by Bishop Kike during the Mass . Of these, 3 people are from Kompong Thom, 22 people from Taom, 16 people from Prek Toal and 26 from Siem Reap. As for the plan of baptismal ceremonies, in Siem Reap parish, we arrange as follows. Easter Sunday, baptism in Siem Reap. On Thursday, April 8, baptism in Taom and on Friday, April 9, baptism in Prek Toal floating village.
On Sunday, February 28, there was the rites of Election for communities near Battambang. I heard that there are 41 people who joined in the Rites of Election, 5 of them are from Prek Toal.
The baptism in Taom will be vey special. First, we will commemorate the 129 years anniversary of foundation of the Catholic community in Taom. Secondly, since 1970, the church was deserted, because the Vietnamese Catholic in Taom (and elsewhere in Cambodia) had to leave Cambodia due to Vietnamese war and the political tension between Cambodian and Vietnamese governments. Now, after 40 years of absence, a new Catholic community will be born anew. Before, it was Vietnamese community, now it is Khmer community. We celebrate a new church being reborn. That is why Bishop Kike will come to Taom and Prek Toal for baptism.
The Apostolic Nuncio will come from Thailand and join the celebration. During this visit, the Nuncio will bless our new Library in Taom (the one that the students from Holy Innocents and from Anglo Chinese built) and bless 20 wells that we built last year for the families in Taom. He will also put the first stone that will be used as the corner stone for the building of An Education and Pastoral Center in Taom. Mgr. Kike, our Bishop, told us that we will make this celebration a big one for the people. We will invite priests, religious and representatives of the people from every community in the Diocese of Battambang to attend our celebration.
The baptism in Prek Toal will mark the birth of a new floating Catholic community whose members are all Khmer people. We have prepared the people and we have been waiting for this moment since 2006. There are 33 people who have recieved the first Blessing but only 26 will be ready for baptism on Friday after Easter, on April 9. May be soem children will also be baptised on that day. For your information, now in Taom we have over 30 old people who started preparation for the First Step earlier last month. More are coming still. Hopefully many of them will receive the First Blessing next year before Christmas and may be in 2011, they will be ready for the Rites of Election. It seems that the harvest of soul is coming.
We are also preparing for the Episcopal ordination of Fr. Olivie to become Coadjutor Bishop of Phnom Penh. The ordination will be on March 20. Please pray for him and for the church in Cambodia. I hope these short news give you some ideas that our church is growing as we pay more attention and love to the poor. Thanks again for your Love, for your prayers and for your generous support to our Mission. God bless you abundantly. Please continue to pray for us as we also pray for you. How we would be very happy if you can join us in these celebrations. If not, at least you can pray for us. We need a lot of it.
Unquote
Quote:
On February 21, on the First Sunday of Lent, we had the Rites of Election in Siem Reap. There were 67 adults called by Bishop Kike during the Mass . Of these, 3 people are from Kompong Thom, 22 people from Taom, 16 people from Prek Toal and 26 from Siem Reap. As for the plan of baptismal ceremonies, in Siem Reap parish, we arrange as follows. Easter Sunday, baptism in Siem Reap. On Thursday, April 8, baptism in Taom and on Friday, April 9, baptism in Prek Toal floating village.
On Sunday, February 28, there was the rites of Election for communities near Battambang. I heard that there are 41 people who joined in the Rites of Election, 5 of them are from Prek Toal.
The baptism in Taom will be vey special. First, we will commemorate the 129 years anniversary of foundation of the Catholic community in Taom. Secondly, since 1970, the church was deserted, because the Vietnamese Catholic in Taom (and elsewhere in Cambodia) had to leave Cambodia due to Vietnamese war and the political tension between Cambodian and Vietnamese governments. Now, after 40 years of absence, a new Catholic community will be born anew. Before, it was Vietnamese community, now it is Khmer community. We celebrate a new church being reborn. That is why Bishop Kike will come to Taom and Prek Toal for baptism.
The Apostolic Nuncio will come from Thailand and join the celebration. During this visit, the Nuncio will bless our new Library in Taom (the one that the students from Holy Innocents and from Anglo Chinese built) and bless 20 wells that we built last year for the families in Taom. He will also put the first stone that will be used as the corner stone for the building of An Education and Pastoral Center in Taom. Mgr. Kike, our Bishop, told us that we will make this celebration a big one for the people. We will invite priests, religious and representatives of the people from every community in the Diocese of Battambang to attend our celebration.
The baptism in Prek Toal will mark the birth of a new floating Catholic community whose members are all Khmer people. We have prepared the people and we have been waiting for this moment since 2006. There are 33 people who have recieved the first Blessing but only 26 will be ready for baptism on Friday after Easter, on April 9. May be soem children will also be baptised on that day. For your information, now in Taom we have over 30 old people who started preparation for the First Step earlier last month. More are coming still. Hopefully many of them will receive the First Blessing next year before Christmas and may be in 2011, they will be ready for the Rites of Election. It seems that the harvest of soul is coming.
We are also preparing for the Episcopal ordination of Fr. Olivie to become Coadjutor Bishop of Phnom Penh. The ordination will be on March 20. Please pray for him and for the church in Cambodia. I hope these short news give you some ideas that our church is growing as we pay more attention and love to the poor. Thanks again for your Love, for your prayers and for your generous support to our Mission. God bless you abundantly. Please continue to pray for us as we also pray for you. How we would be very happy if you can join us in these celebrations. If not, at least you can pray for us. We need a lot of it.
Unquote
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
2008 Mission in Siem Reap
The city of Siem Reap, known to many tourists as the entry point to the famous Angkor Wat temples, houses one of Jesuit Service Cambodia's major works.
In Siem Reap Province, there are two Catholic churches catering to two small Catholic communities, one in Siem Reap town, the other is the floating village of Chong Khnies, about 10 km south of Siem Reap town.
In Siem Reap town, the Catholic Church is located on the east side of Siem Reap River (opposite the Grand Hotel d’Angkor), in Slorkram Village. It is a simple wooden church, built in 2004, offering catechism, liturgical celebration and charity service for the poor. In Siem Reap, there are about three hundred Catholics. The patron Saint of Siem Reap church is Saint John, the Apostle.
Besides the church in Siem Reap, there is another church in Chong Khnies, in the floating village. This floating church, which is also known as the Karaoke church because it was formerly a Karaoke parlor, serves the needs of seven Catholic families consisting of about seventy people. The Patron Saint of this church is Saint Peter, the fisherman.
One of the priorities of the Siem Reap Jesuit mission is to help the children and youth, who are very important to the future of the country. Special attention have been given to children and youths by setting up several learning centers in which educational activities are offered, including: Khmer dance practice, value education, basic hygienic education, English classes, Khmer literacy class, library and reading communities, and leadership training. At present there are seven learning centers reaching out to more than one thousand children and youths.
Between 9 ~ 11 December 2008, we visited 3 Learning Centers for Children set up by the Jesuit Service in Cambodia, to appreciate the condition and needs of the community so that we can develop programs to help them in future missions. We are thankful to Fr Erbin Fernandez, Asst Parish Priest of the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, in providing us spiritual guidance throughout our mission in Cambodia.
In Siem Reap Province, there are two Catholic churches catering to two small Catholic communities, one in Siem Reap town, the other is the floating village of Chong Khnies, about 10 km south of Siem Reap town.
In Siem Reap town, the Catholic Church is located on the east side of Siem Reap River (opposite the Grand Hotel d’Angkor), in Slorkram Village. It is a simple wooden church, built in 2004, offering catechism, liturgical celebration and charity service for the poor. In Siem Reap, there are about three hundred Catholics. The patron Saint of Siem Reap church is Saint John, the Apostle.
Besides the church in Siem Reap, there is another church in Chong Khnies, in the floating village. This floating church, which is also known as the Karaoke church because it was formerly a Karaoke parlor, serves the needs of seven Catholic families consisting of about seventy people. The Patron Saint of this church is Saint Peter, the fisherman.
One of the priorities of the Siem Reap Jesuit mission is to help the children and youth, who are very important to the future of the country. Special attention have been given to children and youths by setting up several learning centers in which educational activities are offered, including: Khmer dance practice, value education, basic hygienic education, English classes, Khmer literacy class, library and reading communities, and leadership training. At present there are seven learning centers reaching out to more than one thousand children and youths.
Between 9 ~ 11 December 2008, we visited 3 Learning Centers for Children set up by the Jesuit Service in Cambodia, to appreciate the condition and needs of the community so that we can develop programs to help them in future missions. We are thankful to Fr Erbin Fernandez, Asst Parish Priest of the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, in providing us spiritual guidance throughout our mission in Cambodia.
The Floating Church in Prek Toal
Day 3 (11 Dec 2008):
Prek Toal is a floating village in the northeastern tip of Battambang Province, where a Catholic community who call themselves a Christmas Group was found in February 2006. It was started by a simple woman, a housewife, who was baptized in 1972 in Phnom Penh. Her simple, joyful and faithful life attracted many people. They call themselves Christmas Group because they came together for a big celebration only on Christmas days.
A floating church built for this community was blessed on November 12th, 2006. Two catechists assigned to work and stay in this church for several days a week conduct several programs including catechism, prayers and masses, rice soup for children, value education for children, literacy class, and English class for adults and youths, community education on relevant topics.
Prek Toal is a floating village in the northeastern tip of Battambang Province, where a Catholic community who call themselves a Christmas Group was found in February 2006. It was started by a simple woman, a housewife, who was baptized in 1972 in Phnom Penh. Her simple, joyful and faithful life attracted many people. They call themselves Christmas Group because they came together for a big celebration only on Christmas days.
A floating church built for this community was blessed on November 12th, 2006. Two catechists assigned to work and stay in this church for several days a week conduct several programs including catechism, prayers and masses, rice soup for children, value education for children, literacy class, and English class for adults and youths, community education on relevant topics.
The Old Church in Taom
Day 2 (10 Dec 2008):
Taom is a small village about 60 km west of Siem Reap town. In this village is the ruins of an old church built in 1910. Locals said that there used to be a big Catholic community in this village. The church was deserted in 1970 because of war in Vietnam and problems in Cambodia.
In 2004 the leaders of the village gave back the old church to the Catholic Bishop of Battambang. In the same year a learning centre was built behind the old church as a centre for activities for poor children. Now there are two catechists working in this village and running some learning centers for poor children in Taom, An Longsar and Botrong. In these learning centers there are programs like pre-school, value education, rice soup for the poor children, English classes etc.
(Video clips)
Taom is a small village about 60 km west of Siem Reap town. In this village is the ruins of an old church built in 1910. Locals said that there used to be a big Catholic community in this village. The church was deserted in 1970 because of war in Vietnam and problems in Cambodia.
In 2004 the leaders of the village gave back the old church to the Catholic Bishop of Battambang. In the same year a learning centre was built behind the old church as a centre for activities for poor children. Now there are two catechists working in this village and running some learning centers for poor children in Taom, An Longsar and Botrong. In these learning centers there are programs like pre-school, value education, rice soup for the poor children, English classes etc.
(click to enlarge slideshow)
(Video clips)
Peik Snaing & Farm of Jesus
Day 1 (09 Dec 2008):
Local people call the 57.5-hectare farm in New Piek Snaing village as Chomka Preah Yesu (farm of Jesus). It is located about 25 kilometers northeast of the town of Siem Reap, and about 20 kilometers north of the ancient Angkor Wat temple complex, Cambodia's prime attraction for foreign visitors.
Despite the farm's close proximity to the world heritage site, the people living nearby are very poor. After working in Old Piek Snaing for some years, Fr Heri Bratasudarma S.J. dreamed of having a piece of land to help the poor in the area. The plan was to demonstrate effective land use, to supply a variety of seedlings and to provide training for the people to grow these vegetables and trees for additional income.
Following a mission exposure trip to Cambodia in July 2007 The New Evangelization Team (NET), a group of lay persons under the umbrella of the Singapore Archdiocesan Commission for Missionary Activity, helped raised US$49,700 from their families and friends in just two months. A single donor from the United States contributed the other US$1,000 needed to purchase a piece of jungle land in Siem Reap.
Since the land was purchased in September 2007, the Jesuit mission together with local people have worked to build a reservoir-cum-fish pond, a greenhouse and nursery, a fruit garden, a chapel and a cow shed.
Local people call the 57.5-hectare farm in New Piek Snaing village as Chomka Preah Yesu (farm of Jesus). It is located about 25 kilometers northeast of the town of Siem Reap, and about 20 kilometers north of the ancient Angkor Wat temple complex, Cambodia's prime attraction for foreign visitors.
Despite the farm's close proximity to the world heritage site, the people living nearby are very poor. After working in Old Piek Snaing for some years, Fr Heri Bratasudarma S.J. dreamed of having a piece of land to help the poor in the area. The plan was to demonstrate effective land use, to supply a variety of seedlings and to provide training for the people to grow these vegetables and trees for additional income.
Following a mission exposure trip to Cambodia in July 2007 The New Evangelization Team (NET), a group of lay persons under the umbrella of the Singapore Archdiocesan Commission for Missionary Activity, helped raised US$49,700 from their families and friends in just two months. A single donor from the United States contributed the other US$1,000 needed to purchase a piece of jungle land in Siem Reap.
Since the land was purchased in September 2007, the Jesuit mission together with local people have worked to build a reservoir-cum-fish pond, a greenhouse and nursery, a fruit garden, a chapel and a cow shed.
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