Child Jesus Parish in Phnom Penh has since October 2009 been working with Italian NGO Il Nodo to train orphans and youths from poor families in silver and bronze work.

Eight students, aged 17-25, are now learning to make Khmer-style bracelets, necklaces, pendants and hairpins on weekdays.

The project is not only to provide marketable skills to disadvantaged youths but also to help them imbibe a love of Khmer art, said  Father Ghezzi Mario, the parish priest.

Poor youths learn how to make Khmer jewelry

“Metalwork is an easy skill that can be learned by anyone, even if they are uneducated. What it requires is effort and lots of practice,” said teacher Such Thinyi.

She said it would take one to two years for the students to be qualified craftsmen.

“Not many Cambodians are interested in learning these skills but there is a market for them,” said student Lun Panna. “So this is my chance,” said the young man who dreams of opening his own arts and crafts shop.

The training is also relatively easy, says Sien Vannak, 23, the only woman on the course.

In addition to metalwork training, the parish also provides literacy classes “because some of our students don’t know how to read and write Khmer,” said Father Mario.

He said the parish also plans to hold painting and carpentry classes in the future.

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Father OLIVIER SCHMITTHAEUSLER, MEP

Appointed as Caoadjutor Bishop to

BISHOP EMILE DESTOMBES,

For the Apostolic Viariate of PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA

HIS EPESCOPAL ORDINATION

Which will take place at the Salesian of Don Bosco School

(Phnom Penh Thmey)

Saturday March 20^th, 2010 at 9:00 am

Father Olivier Schmitthaeusler

Through the imposition of hands by the participation Bishops. The Eucharist will be concelebrated by Bp. Emile Destombes, as president, assisted by H.E. Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, the Apostolic Nuncio for Cambodia. Bp. Christian Kratz of Strasbourg, France, and by the other bishops and priest.

Kindly remember the new bishop in your prayers.

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A Catholic girl who donation her blood

On 7 February, young people—most of them Catholic—donated blood in a National Blood Transfusion Center program which took place at the Child Jesus Church in the Boeung Tom Pun area of Phnom Penh.
At 8:00 AM in the morning a van from NBTC arrived at the church to receive the blood donations which will be used to help poor patients in Phnom Penh hospitals.  About 20 persons donated blood, most of them young people from 17-20 years old.

Speaking about the patients in the hospitals, Ms. Paola Maiocchi, the coordinator of the Phnom Penh diocese’s Health Pastoral Committee, said: “Don’t think that they are not our relatives and that we don’t need to help them.  The patients in the hospitals are our brothers and sisters.”

Ms. Maiocchi, an Italian lay missionary with PIME, added that it is time to educate the Catholic people to create a new society through charitable works done because of their belief in Christ.  “What we are doing today is a small thing, just spending a short time to donate 300 ml of blood.”

Before mass started at the church at 9:00 AM, Eng Sany, 28, a novice of the Providence Sisters, told a UCAN reporter “I am happy to make a blood donation because I want to do what I can to help the poor.  In some cases, the people who need blood in an emergency don’t have anyone to help them.  This is a real work of charity.”

Lying on a bed in the NBTC van, she noted that donating blood does not cause her any health problems.  “This is my third time to donate blood here at the church,” she said.

Another donor was Veth Phallin, 20, a Buddhist girl who came to the parish to give blood for the first time.   While eating a snack after donating, she laughed a little and said “I was afraid, trembling a little, but I think my blood can help others to survive.  I don’t expect anything from my donation but only want to give.”

Another donor, Mr. Hom Touer, 28, a youth leader of the Phnom Penh diocese, said “We are the Body of Christ.  Giving blood is like giving life to people.  You can’t buy or sell blood in the markets, and it’s not easy to get.  The importance of the blood is tremendous.  I do this work of charity from the bottom of my heart and am happy and hopeful that the patient can live.”

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