Responding to Pope Francis' call "Out of the safe zone… to the peripheries", the Vietnamese Province and the Thach An community set out for Suoi Tuong mission, in Dong Nai Province. There is about 10km of road which is muddy and slippery during raining season, and dusty during dry season which makes it difficult to travel. Moreover, this 10km long road passes through a national preserved forest before reaching the Tri An lake which makes this mission more challenging.

The people we serve are mostly Vietnamese born Cambodian. Many of them have no birth certificate. They returned to Vietnam with hope for a better life. They have lived in floating village in small and simple floating houses. However, for many reasons, they have no citizenship: neither Cambodian nor Vietnamese

Following the journey of the previous RNDMs, in March 2023, I started camping on this land, a poor land with only sun, wind and dust, but here there are many children who are eager to know letters, to know how to write their names.

There are about 80 to 100 children aged 6 - 18 years old who cannot go to public school because they do not have birth certificates. We RNDM [Our Lady of the Mission] Sisters opened classes for them to study. We provide basic education for children and young adults who lack required documents to attend school, thus living with illiteracy. We organize summer classes for primary school students. Sisters help them to improve the quality of their studies so that they can do better in public school.

We empower children, encouraging them to dream of a better future. We help parents to see the importance of education and become more supportive of their children in their studies. We want to be witnesses of God's love and closeness to the marginalized people.

 In the classroom, the children learn to read and write, to play, to be loved, and most importantly, they hear the name of Jesus: they know they are loved by God, and call Him Father. Even though they do not share my faith, the children always sing the song, "I love the Lord, Lord, you are the greatest happiness in my life..." And the prayer "Our Father" is always recited solemnly by them at the beginning of every class.

The call to follow in the footsteps and mission of Jesus still echoes every day for the RNDM sisters. Jesus still needs me and needs you in order to share the joys and sorrows of human life, especially to share His self-sacrificing love so that many people may come to know it. He said, "I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already blazing!" (Luke 12:49). Yes! The Fire of love, the fire of forgiveness, the fire of God's mercy and compassion.

Lord, I always believe in the good things You are accomplishing here and on this earth. I hope that our hearts will always blaze with the fire of love for You and with zeal to share Your Divine Mission with everyone, just as our Foundress Eurphrasie Babier loved and lived.

Sr Teresa Lan Kim Pham RNDM