126 His Mission, Our Mission buy too much again,” one brother joked, and the group laughed at my “calculations.” To prepare a batch of rice cakes, everyone had a role, each household contributing their part. Father Anthony Le Duc was responsible for acquiring the leaves. He contacted people in Chiang Mai to bring leaves from the forest, as “dong” leaves weren’t readily available in Thailand like in Vietnam. Each year, he also took charge of decorating, often with different themes, giving the young people a chance to contribute in small ways. Everyone had a job, and even small tasks required preparation and coordination. This spirit was enjoyable because everyone could join in and had to take responsibility to ensure a festive Tet. Sitting together at the end of the year, watching life rush by, these moments felt very peaceful. Speaking of “sharing meals together,” the role of the women must be mentioned. Almost every Sunday, the women would take turns preparing different dishes, ensuring that no one bore too much of a burden. This made me think of the early Church. The faithful devoted themselves to prayer and breaking bread together. The SVD community in Thailand gathered the faithful in a simple and warm manner. Searching for identity My wie and I left Vietnam on our wedding night, filled with concerns and dreams about our identity in a new land. Life for immigrants is never easy. People work hard to make a living, facing many difficulties and obstacles. It’s even harder for families with young children, searching for their identity. Leaving the place where one was born and raised to find a livelihood often masks a hidden pain. For those like us who left for Thailand, a predominantly Buddhist country, finding a church was difficult. For many Catholics, it wasn’t just about earning a living but finding oneself and a new home.
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