Fr Jimmy says thanks to Marist student volunteers

THE tradition of local students travelling to in Thailand to do voluntary work with the Marist Missions began nine years ago when Fr Jimmy McElroy S.M. spent three weeks there.

‘It was in 2007 that I first came for three weeks to stay and work with Marists in Ranong, a town of about 100,000 situated in Thailand on the border with Burma, now called Myanmar.’ he recalls. ‘ What an experience it was. It was my first time in Asia and it felt like a different planet.’ Only one thing seemed familiar - the rain as Ranong is the wettest place in Asia, he believes.

He began teaching every morning in the lashings of rain in a learning centres for Burmese children and was won over by the courtesy of the students, who were very keen to learn, The learning centres at that time were supported by Jesuit Refugee Services. Marist Mission Ranong was helping staff them. ‘ They were little more than garages and reminded me of what I thought Irish Hedge Schools must have looked like,’ he remembers. ‘One year I had three teachers and three classes and no text-books all in the one room.’

The second year he took with him two young teachers, Aoife Curtis and Karla Doran from St. Mary’s College, and six pioneering students who taught in pairs. ‘ They were courageous, braving mosquitoes and humidity and heat,’ he says.

‘We have been doing the same every year but now we take nine students and run English language camps for Burmese and Thai students. This style of camp is very popular in Asian countries as there is a desire and an economic need to learn English.’

In Ranong things have much improved. The Marist Fathers have a wonderful new school with about 200 students thanks to Misean Cara. We also are able to offer support to about 75 HIVAids sufferers.’ Fr Jimmy says he is very grateful to the teachers and students who have volunteered over the years.