Celebrating a rich journey….

It is 40 years since Good Shepherd Sisters began their mission in Nong Khai.  The Good Shepherd Nong Khai website has been updated to celebrate the past 40 years. A slideshow and timeline provide glimpses of the past and present, with so much change in between.  You are invited to explore the website.  These creative initiatives could not have been achieved without your support, prayers and involvement. 

The Website tells the story of 40 years

Link –  GSNong Khai website

Renewing the website

It has been difficult to select images that reflect the vast range of people, events and experiences and of course, impossible to include all. It has been even harder to show the impact on the tens of thousands of lives that have been changed, through identifying and responding to the needs of vulnerable individuals, families and communities. But hopefully, it will trigger memories and allow you to remember faces along the way.

Highlights on the journey

Of the founding community  – Sisters Mary Hayden, Margaret Mary Brady, Joan Gormley and Pranee Sitti –  only Pranee remains. Sr Joan is currently in the Pattaya Community and Srs Mary and Margaret have returned to their Shepherd God. Twenty one different Thai sisters have worked in the projects for varying intervals over the years, side by side with dedicated local staff and a procession of volunteers. All of our efforts have been supported and sustained through the generosity, dedication and commitment of funding partners and friends and to all of these, we wish to express our deepest gratitude.

We have been blessed to have been accompanied by hundreds of individual people, community groups and organisations, who have partnered all areas of our work. Opportunities for our target groups to access education, training, employment,  services and resources, have thus been possible and subsequently led to life changes –  and to all, we wish to express our gratitude.

Special Mass of celebration and thanks

Due to COVID-19, the thanksgiving Mass was a small event but it included representatives from the earliest days through to the present.  Celebrant was Fr Michael Shea, an American Redemptorist priest, working 50 years in the Nong Khai area.

Photos – click here – Celebrating 40 years of Good Shepherd Mission in Nong Khai

Working in Partnership

Our sisters alone could not have attempted and achieved what we have, without the dedication of our mission partners here in Nong Khai either and we want to thank our  faithful, committed and skilled staff and volunteers, who have shared our vision and have responded to programme participants with compassion.

Current programs

At the heart of the projects, is a commitment to foster the dignity of the individual and a sense of belonging to communities where people experience respect, acceptance, love and hope. Through the two major programme areas – Village Outreach and Child and Youth Development, with their associated activities, the Good Shepherd sisters and mission partners have a presence in over 180 villages, across 4 provinces.

There has always been an emphasis on training – not only in skills development but in providing the means by which participants reach their full potential and feel empowered to help themselves and society at large. 

Recent challenges

The last two years have been difficult for those in our target groups – as they have for a large percentage of the world population – but the expression of concern and generosity we have received from so many of you, has enabled us to continue – though somewhat changed –  the work we came to do, forty years ago.

A warm Invitation….

So please… journey with us and celebrate, 40 years of Good Shepherd Nong Khai.

Other links

Good Shepherd, Nong Khai – https://www.goodshepherd-asiapacific.org.au/project/242

Garden of Friendship, Nong Khai – https://www.goodshepherd-asiapacific.org.au/project/173

With love and gratitude,

Sr Pranee and all

Loving congratulations and blessings to all!!