Our mission is primary evangelization of the poor, particularly in the remote areas. We accomplish this missionary task by leadership formation, community organization and self-sustainable development projects. It all means the full presence of priests, brothers and lay missionaries with the people, learning their local languages and working together for the enculturation of the Gospel.
We serve in three countries in Africa, 2 countries in Asia and the indigenous people in three countries in South America.
Fr. Juan Pablo Aguilar, MXY shares his experience in Thailand. I have been serving in Thailand for eleven years. I arrived in Bangkok, Thailand’s capital in 2010. I studied the Thai language in Bangkok for one year and then I was sent to continue my language study and serve the diocese of Chiang Mai at the northern Thailand-Myanmar border. I was in charge of the Pastoral care of Kareni, Kayan, Koyao and Karen tribes for 5 years. The majority of them were refugees from Burma.
This was a beautiful and amazing experience of faith as I witnessed the lives of these tribal people strengthened by the Gospel and their fraternal experience of faith. Thai was neither their mother tongue nor mine. However, it was the only common language for all of us and because of our faith, each one of us gave a great effort to communicate, receive and celebrate the Good News in this language.
For the last 5 years I have been in Thailand-Laos border serving the people from the Hmong and Akha tribes along with the Ursaline sisters.
I am humbled and blessed by the strong testimony of faith I receive from the Ursaline sisters. Their Christian love, life of prayer, care and appreciation of the various cultures and languages in this region constantly remind me of the invitation by Pope Francis; “it is imperative to evangelize cultures in order to inculturate the Gospel (Evengelii Gaudium 69) and the invitation of Jesus in the Godpel: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind… Love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22: 36-37)”
By Fr. Tulio Ramirez, MXY, Yarumal Mission Society, NY office