Author: Charles Dittmeier

Siem Reap MKLM Retreat

On the morning of the final day of the MKLM retreat, we had another session with Beth Goldring.
Then we had a closing liturgy. Beth introduced it with a Buddhist chant wishing the well being of all living things and all creation.
We then continued with a simple mass.
The rooms at the center are simple but quite adequate.
The environment cooperated for this retreat. There were a few rain showers but the weather was not uncomfortably hot and we didn’t miss air conditioning. There were some mosquitoes but they were contained by repellent and the mosquito nets.

Siem Reap MKLM Retreat

Friday / 28 October 2022

For this retreat, the Maryknoll Lay Missioners were served all their meals in this dining area at the rear of the property instead of in the big dining hall. This is Friday breakfast.
Jesuit Refugee Services (JSR) is one of the leading actors in the campaign against landmines, both in Cambodia and in 50 other countries. This Metta Karuna Center also provides jobs for people disabled by landmines and so all the buildings are accessible. Here a long wheelchair ramp provices access to the second floor.
Beth Goldring (R) presented in morning and afternoon sessions about precepts and ideas from Buddhism and there was much discussion about how they could apply to our lives and our ministries and how they relate to nonviolence.
These are two of the Khmer-style statues found on the center grounds.
This evening we watched an hour-long video on the peace marches of 300 Buddhist monks walking through former Khmer Rouge territory to support and inspire the people in the aftermath of the Pol Pot regime.

Siem Reap MKLM Retreat

While the Asia Area Director, Steve Veryser, is in Cambodia, the Maryknoll Lay Missioners here are having a short retreat experience in Siem Reap where Angkor Wat is located. Today was a travel day.

A pleasant initial surprise was how well organized and clean the Larryta bus service is! Their terminal is really well planned and their staff very helpful. Here a manager in a tie assists an elderly woman to a seat in the waiting area.
There were two stops in the six-hour ride to Siem Reap. At this first site, Cambodia’s obsession with heavy, immovable, impractical tables and stools made of luxury wood was obvious, but the restaurant was most pleasant and friendly.
Another characteristic of Cambodian travel spots are the men’s urinals open to public view.
At the second stop, two hours beyond the first, it was again spacious and clean and very well organized.
Another feature of every stopping place on the trip is the ubiquitous spirit shrine, this one quite large.
Julie Lawler and I traveled together in the van above. Here at the Larryta terminal in Siem Reap, Julie negotiates with tuk-tuk drivers for a ride to the Jesuit reflection center.
Finally we arrived at the Metta Karuna Center. It is a delightful and most accommodating center for retreats and reflection groups with spacious grounds filled with all sorts of meaningful layouts and statues and thought-provoking arrangements. Here is a statue of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet.

Beth Goldring is a Buddhist nun who is leading our reflection, working from her Buddhist studies and experience to help us develop a theme of nonviolence.

Topics: Fire

Cambodia is trying hard to be a more modern country and in some ways–more paved streets, high-rise buildings, horrendous traffic–it has succeeded. But there are other elements of daily life that hearken back to the 18th century and beyond. One of those is the use of firewood for cooking. 80% of Cambodia uses wood or charcoal to cook every day, both at home and in the restaurants on the streets. It takes a tremendous toll on the remaining forests of the kingdom.

More than one problem here…

On the surface, this lead-in to an article in the Khmer Times seems hard to believe–that there could have been police raids on 10,000 gambling dens IN ONE MONTH! I doubt those gambling sites were all set up that month so this looks like an on-going problem. And it may well continue to be a problem if only 200 people were sent to court as a result of 10,000 raids. If there is such minimal enforcement and consequences, why stop running a gambling den?