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Pat Mooney - Cambodia

For the past 27 years I have been a lay missionary and member of Viatores Christi. In addition before setting out on my first mission overseas I spent 2 years attending the Viatores Christi Orientation Programme.

My first overseas experience was in Nigeria for over 3 years in the 1980's where I worked with the Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles in Ibadan as the Hospital Administrator.

In 2000 I returned from a holiday in Thailand and Laos. My mind switched to continuing to volunteer but in a cross cultural setting overseas. My interest had become South East Asia. I resorted to the Lonely Planet Guidebook in order to find a suitable assignment - it was there I found an advertisement from The Catholic Office for Emergency Relief and Refugees (COERR), their headquarters being in Bangkok. Following negotiations I was appointed the Country Representative for COERR in Cambodia in April 2001 with whom I worked until their return to Thailand in 2004. I remained in Cambodia as project manager for some of the projects previously under the responsibility of COERR. Working with the national non governmental organization - Partners in Compassion our projects are in the Education sector - targeting pre-school children, young adults - offering a range of vocational training opportunities and supporting children presently attending school by way of a sponsorship project. In the last 4 years our projects have increased due to the continued support of the project partners, in addition our target areas have moved outside Phnom Penh into the more needy adjoining provinces. Our activities are based on community development principles.

At the beginning of operations there were 3 Projects at 2 locations. Since then rapid development has taken place as we try to respond to the many requests from communities for our intervention. At present there are 12 projects at 7 locations. A major new project is planned which will include the construction of a vocational Training centre/kindergarten.

My work continues in project management and this is done with the involvement and in-service training of local personnel.

In addition I continue my involvement in Thailand, working with the Catholic Bishops' Conference, initially in the area of international donor relations, following the Tsunami in the southern provinces of Thailand.

More recently my role has been with the National Catholic Commission on Migration, as technical assistant in a major project targeted to Burmese nationals forced labored in Burma in the years 1995 - 1997. Just now the issues for migrants from Cambodia and Laos have become a focus for us. In addition I am a member of a group providing monitoring, training and support to the Catholic Diocesan Offices in Thailand - helping in a structural rebuilding process. Consequently the issues of migrants in Thailand have become very close to my heart.

My boss in Thailand (a senior Thai priest) values the contribution of experienced, committed and long term volunteers from overseas that are open to helping to develop the Thai Catholic Church - he says it shows in a very practical manner the universality of the church while at the same time provides necessary support for the Thai Church.