Visitors and Volunteers Bring a Joyful Beginning to the Year at LaValla School, Cambodia

maristbrothers
17 hours ago
2 min read

As we move through another school year at LaValla, we are delighted to share some highlights from recent months.

Our new students, many of them young and small, have settled beautifully into life at LaValla. December brought wonderful immersion visits from St John's College Woodlawn, Sacred Heart College, Alice Springs, and a group of Marist Young Adults accompanied by Jenifer Miller, MYM Sydney Regional Coordinator and Paul Harris, Mission, Life and Formation. All three groups connected warmly with our students.

**LaValla kids with students from Sacred Heart, Alice Springs**

In January, we welcomed Takoda Cheng from Marist Youth Ministry, who volunteered for a month at both LaValla School and LaValla Village. Takoda immersed himself fully in student life through English teaching, sport, and recreation. His energy and dedication left a lasting impression - the students thoroughly enjoyed his company and benefited greatly from his English lessons.

Tony McDonnell, an old friend of Lavalla's and a fantastic photographer, joined us with a three-week visit after Christmas. As always, he was a most welcome presence, and students and staff alike were sad to see him return to Australia. We eagerly anticipate his next visit and hope it will be longer than three weeks.

Our Friday tradition continues to flourish: each week, LaValla students present creative and entertaining drama performances to close out the school week. These performances give young people a wonderful opportunity to build confidence, and we're discovering that some are truly born for the stage.

Finally, the extensions to the brothers' house have been completed, providing additional upstairs space for the community and visiting brothers. At times this year, all rooms have been occupied simultaneously. The extension has also enabled us to develop a ground-floor oratory where the brothers and Kylene, a Maryknoll lay missionary, gather for morning and evening prayer.