Joyfully planting the Salesian Charism in Central Vietnam
Ky Anh, Vietnam, 29 March 2017 -- Do you know the Salesian Valdocco of Central Vietnam? Only 10 years ago (November 2007) the Ha Thinh Province People's Committee decided to set up Ky Anh Vocation Training Center. At present the community of 11 Salesians with 30 teachers and instructors (Rector Fr. Thomas Aquinas Tuan) is entrusted with 220 trainees integral education (one year course, 4 sections - electricity, welding, mechanics and automotive).
A typical Salesian Vocation Training with Boarding facility (170 Boys and 27 Girls) is slowly growing into a Vocational Technical School (3 year course) due to be upgraded in 2018. Joyful and family spirit of the young is the trademark of Don Bosco Ky Anh. In spite of the video game addiction and other minor issues faced in the education, the Salesians and Lay Mission Partners see everyday the transformation of our youth.
The vibrant, youthful and dedicated community (3 Salesian Brothers, 2 Clerics, 1 Deacon and 5 Salesian Priests) is very closely following the growth of not-so-easy young people coming from mainly Catholic background. The whole Educative and Pastoral community starts the day with the Eucharist at 5:30 AM, during the day there are not less than 3 opportunities for a 'Good Talk' (morning, afternoon, night) to the young people. Vocation training, study time, sports (favourite is soccer - with the regular tournament on Sundays morning) and prayers (Rosary).
Most of the 400 graduates (since 2011) are working already abroad, some of them employed by the Formosa Steel Company in Ky Anh (Vung Ang Economic zone) or returned to their families. The community is reaching out to the local society (drinking water project), to the local Church (vocation group and mobile oratory in the parishes) and also the first groups of Don Bosco Past Pupils and Salesian Cooperators are being slowly born.
From Ky Anh to the next Salesian communities is quite a long distance - probably Vientiane (People Democratic Republic of Laos) is the nearest, next would be Thai Binh (Cat Dam) or Chu Prong (Kontum province) - at distance of 500 km. The closest FMA community is about 2.5 hours drive by car in Vinh City (7 Sisters). We pray, the sharing of the Charism in the Central and North Vietnam provinces will continue day by day.
