ANYTHING NOT GIVEN IS LOST
tout ce qui n'est pas donné est perdu
Phrase written in Sankrit in the guetbook of a leprosarium in South India
tout ce qui n'est pas donné est perdu
Phrase written in Sankrit in the guetbook of a leprosarium in South India
When I read this phrase, it makes me think to you, Father! I think to the beginning of your hard mission as a young Jesuit in India to help the poors and the lepers, to make life better, to make the diffuclties less difficult... You were there to give all the riches you had: your heart, your beautiful heart!
The door of my room at JEZUITENHUIS when I visited Fr. Vincent in August 2006.
I supposed Gast in Flemish means Guest in English.
I supposed Gast in Flemish means Guest in English.
On the long road of your life from Belgium to Cambodia via India, how many loves you distributed regardless of all the barriers: nationalities, religions, casts, colors of the skin, material riches, age, languages,...? You certainly gave much that we cannot count. Even in the case of Cambodia, we don't know how many people you helped. But the number is certainly not important to you! You were where needs be to give your love, your supports. Your love was unique to each one of us.
In SITE 2 camp, when the boarding school didn't receive the nutrition help anymore, you sacrified an important part of your modest "salary" of a priest (I think it was 100 or 200$ a month) to help us, to keep hopes and unity of the group alive.
At the end of your exemplary life, you were back home and lived modestly, even poorly. You gave all you had: loves, supports, effforts, knowledges, money,... You seemed to follow conformly to the sense of what had been written in the guestbook of the leprosarium in Sotuh India, i.e "Anything not given is lost". I wonder if it was not you who wrote this phrase at the beginning of your mission in India!
Even back home with the accomplished missions, you never forgot to think to those who crossed your road. You thought to all of us; I know sometimes it hurt you that you could not associate the name of the a person you know with his/her pciture.
The only material things you had are in this red luggage:
It was a heart-break when I saw this luggage in your room, at your funeral. I felt sad to know that you will never come back again to take it. It will wait desperately for your return like we wait to see your coming back toward us again with smiles and open arms.
Thank you Father!
Sakun
In SITE 2 camp, when the boarding school didn't receive the nutrition help anymore, you sacrified an important part of your modest "salary" of a priest (I think it was 100 or 200$ a month) to help us, to keep hopes and unity of the group alive.
At the end of your exemplary life, you were back home and lived modestly, even poorly. You gave all you had: loves, supports, effforts, knowledges, money,... You seemed to follow conformly to the sense of what had been written in the guestbook of the leprosarium in Sotuh India, i.e "Anything not given is lost". I wonder if it was not you who wrote this phrase at the beginning of your mission in India!
Even back home with the accomplished missions, you never forgot to think to those who crossed your road. You thought to all of us; I know sometimes it hurt you that you could not associate the name of the a person you know with his/her pciture.
The only material things you had are in this red luggage:
Red luggage of Fr. Vincent.
Pcitured during his funeral on August 9, 2008
Pcitured during his funeral on August 9, 2008
It was a heart-break when I saw this luggage in your room, at your funeral. I felt sad to know that you will never come back again to take it. It will wait desperately for your return like we wait to see your coming back toward us again with smiles and open arms.
Pictured on Sunday August 6, 2006 at 10:21 am
Thank you Father!
Sakun
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