By Fr John Le SVD

My ministry with Vietnamese refugees in Bangkok has been one of the most meaningful parts of my missionary journey. I feel a special connection with them because I, too, was once a refugee. I spent three years in a refugee camp in the Philippines. That experience taught me what it means to leave home, live with uncertainty and homesickness, depend on the kindness of others, and wait anxiously for the possibility of a new future. Because I have walked that journey myself, I can listen to refugees’ stories and understand their sufferings and struggles with a deeper sense of compassion.

Thailand has closed the door for Vietnamese refugees since 1989, meaning that all the Vietnamese refugees are illegally staying in the country.  Many have lived in Thailand for many years without legal status, hoping for the possibility of resettlement. They cannot legally work and often live with the fear of arrest, detention, or deportation. Some who find work are vulnerable to exploitation because they have little protection and cannot easily seek help.

In the midst of these difficulties, I have learned that simply being present can itself be a ministry of hope. Once a month, I help distribute fresh vegetables to approximately 2,000 refugees living in different communities throughout Bangkok. Every two months, I provide basic cooking supplies such as cooking oil, sugar, fish sauce, and other food ingredients. These are simple gifts, but for families with very limited resources, they can make a meaningful difference.

My ministry also includes visiting refugees who are sick in the hospital, visiting families in their small, humble apartments, offering financial assistance when a baby is born, and bringing small gifts to children. Sometimes the most important thing I can do is simply sit with someone, listen to their story, pray with them, and remind them that they are not forgotten.

Through these encounters, I have come to see a refugee Jesus more clearly in the faces of people who are displaced, vulnerable, and searching for a place to belong. Their stories often touch a part of my own story. Their courage, faith, and perseverance have inspired me more than I have been able to help them.

My experience as a refugee has taught me that mission is not always about finding solutions. Sometimes, mission means walking with people in their suffering, sharing their burdens, and offering hope when the future is uncertain. I accompany them not only as a missionary, but also as someone who knows what it means to be far from home and to depend on the kindness of others.

I am deeply grateful to all the friends, benefactors, volunteers, and missionaries who support my ministry. Through their generosity, God’s love becomes tangible—providing food, care, friendship, prayer, and hope.

My prayer is that Thailand may become a place where refugees can experience dignity, compassion, friendship, and the hope of Christ as they wait for a better future.

PHOTOS

TOP RIGHT: Fr John Le SVD shops for basic food supplies which he distributes to refugees.

BOTTOM LEFT: Refugees collecting the food supplies.