Catholic brother shares missionary experience

CATHOLIC brother Joseph Hoang Quoc Phan shared his experience as a missionary in the country for a year-and-a-half.
Brother, or Frater in his Vietnamese language, Joseph came to PNG through the Service of the Divine Word (SVD) overseas training programme (OTP) after completing his philosophy studies in Vietnam.
He said he wanted to experience life as a missionary in PNG, a country with more than 800 tribes.
Growing up, his family was religious and it encouraged him to pursue mission work.
“After high school, the flame of God’s call started burning strongly in me,” he said.
“The support of my family helped me keep going on the path of serving others.”
Frater Joseph joined the SVD congregation in Vietnam then pursued philosophy and theology studies.
Prior to taking philosophical studies, he obtained a degree in sociology and community service.
“Sociology and community service has human beings as its object, especially the voiceless people, and its goal is to gain advocate for their rights and to liberate them from their suffering,” he said. Missionaries usually face certain difficulties in terms of language, culture, food and lifestyle when going to a new country.
For PNG, this included transportation, diseases and access to medical supplies, especially in a rural settings, but none of those were a burden to Frater Joseph.
“I was a little bit nervous at that time,” he said recalling his experience of being robbed with guns and knives.
“Being robbed in PNG is normal.
“Practising simplicity in daily life, I got over those trials by my effort and by my acceptance of whatever I have or receive from the congregation.”
During his time serving as a missionary, Frater Joseph served at parishes run by SVD.
He worked with youths in the parish and accompanied the pastors to celebrate Sunday mass for those who could not make it.