Foster Growth and Healing for 200 Cambodian Youth

Prantosh Boiyda traveled about 2,000km coming from…… Barishal, Bangladesh!  He will be serving with Mission Dove helping with computer classes, English classes, and hanging out with students. When asked why he chose this organization, he wrote, “Mission Dove is an organization that works with young people. And I also love to work in such an environment. I like to motivate young people and I am also interested in doing new things with them. In that regard, Mission Dove is the best organization for me. Besides, I love to learn new things and I think Dove can teach me that.”

Additionally, Mission Dove currently has 5 international interns/volunteers who are working with the Youth Learning Center for 6 months, and the students wanted to share their cultural traditions with these international guests. 

Cross-cultural fellowship

Khmer New Year is the biggest holiday of the year for Cambodians, a little bit like Cambodian Christmas. Officially, the holiday is 3 days, April 14-16, but Cambodians will joke that it’s a 3-day holiday that lasts for 3 weeks, sort of like the Christmas season in Western countries. Many people will travel to their family’s village for the holiday to spend time families, have parties, play games and visiting their neighbours.  Usually, on that day, Cambodian people like to give gifts and presents to employees and donate necessities like money, clothes and food to poor people.

To celebrate the holiday, Mission Dove staff, interns, teachers, and students gathered together on a Sunday afternoon for snacks and fellowship, traditional Khmer dancing, and traditional games which are played only during Khmer New Year.

Prantosh, an intern from Bangladesh with the Mennonite Central Committee, commented, “I really liked the games, and people were enjoying it so much. The students were so active, and the dancing was new for me. This event is important for us to respect the culture.”