Ecumenical Retreat 2009 in Nakhon Patom, Thailand

Last month senior students and staff joined an annual Ecumenical Retreat between various Protestant and Catholic Christian theological schools throughout Thailand. It was mostly meant for students to promote mutual understanding and cooperation between Christians groups. We were happy to have groups from all across the denominational spectrum. The Seventh-Day Adventists from Mission College did not join, or come to 'observe' as is sometimes preferred over officially participating. The organizers had spend much time and effort to get them involved last year, so that was a disappointment. Other than that drawback, it was a success. Some time was spent in conference style lectures and discussions. And of course prayer and meditation. The retreat was hosted at lovely grounds of the Catholic guesthouse and retreat center, Baan Phu Waan.We also had the chance to visit some of the different orders and ministries in the surrounding area. One was a house of sisters from the Capuchin tradition. The nuns do not take drop in visitors, so people coming with prayer petitions speak into the wood cylinder below the picture of St. Clare while spinning it so the sound goes to a nun on the other side.

The sisters made a special exception for us and came out to the visiting hall to greet us. Still, we were separated by bars. We didn't quite know what to make of this at first. They knew we would ask about it, and they quickly explained it was a symbolic separation - and protection - between them and the world, holy and unholy, ordinary and sacred spaces. This photo is with the head mother. Some of the nuns had been there for decades, some were just coming in, as young as 14 years old. We were also interested to know that a good majority of the Catholics we met were from the Karen ethnic minority. It's quite something that these women are willing to go into the order with little contact with the world and dedicate their lives to prayer and meditation.
On our way there and back we made a number of excursions, I'll just mention one: Above, is The Church of Saint Joseph, the oldest Catholic Church in Thailand, a lovely yellow church facing the Chao Phraya river in Ayutthaya.