Today was the first full day of the Asia Lay Mission Forum and the morning was spent in site visits with different groups of forum participants going to several projects run by the mission groups in Cambodia. Then in the afternoon Bishop Olivier gave his vision of mission in the Phnom Penh diocese and in the even Fr. Gerald Vogin spoke about a perspective on mission from an external viewpoint.
In the morning, one group of forum participants went to the Maryknoll Deaf Development Programme where Charlie Dittmeier spoke to them about deaf ministry.
The participants spent a bit of time in vans during the forum, traveling from site to site and to different activities.
At lunch time members of the group chatted outside the dining room before the meal.
Andrew Jilani (R) made a big point as he discussed with a member from Korea.
Then the conversations continued inside the dining room.
Bishop Olivier arrived to eat with the group before his afternoon presentation and he went around and greeted all the participants, some of whom he knew from before when they worked in Cambodia.
The dining room where we ate all our meals.
Valeria and Elena, friends from way back, had a chance to reconnect here in Phnom Penh.
After lunch all went back to the meeting room, took off their shoes, and prepared for the afternoon sessions.
Bishop Olivier spoke about mission in Cambodia and especially in the Phnom Penh diocese since he became bishop.
Three of the participants listening as Bishop Olivier spoke.
After Bishop Olivier’s talk, we went outside for a group photo with everyone, and then different country groups had their picture taken with Bishop Olivier. Here Hong Kong lines up with him.
Then Fr. Gerald Vogin (R) presided at the mass for the day and after supper spoke on mission from the viewpoint of us expatriates coming into a mission country.