Joseph -almost- in the monastery

Joseph and Pon Them

On vacation, unlike at home, I am a real walker. Armed with my camera, I often stray from the well-known paths and there you often come across the nicest scenes.

As a member of a photo club, I like to look for everyday but at the same time special scenes to capture them.

In Battambang, the second city of Cambodia, I see a monk sitting and that seems worth a picture given the background.

However, things turn out very differently than expected. The monk greets me very kindly and asks to sit with him so that he can practice his English. He's a nice guy so I immediately join him.

After the usual questions about where I come from and what my name is, it continues with my religious beliefs. Pon Them, that's the name of the 39-year-old monk, must have taken a moment of fright when I answered that I believe in humanity and religions are, in my experience, inventions of humanity and seem like a fairytale in my mind. But, and I mean it from the bottom of my heart, I tell him I respect all people who follow a religion.

Pon Them listens with surprise to my story, which shows that I do know a thing or two about his religion; Buddhism. Suddenly I get the offer to spend a while with him in the monastery so that he can perhaps change my mind. Bring up my age to indicate that after so many years I can hardly be influenced. Get the question whether Buddhist monks also operate in the Netherlands. He also looked a bit taken aback by that answer to his question.

A little later, a young man who turns out to be his English teacher joins us. He speaks good English and, following the monk's lead, begins to tell heavenly stories about Buddha.

He talks as if I have to listen to the stories of my childhood at the Roman Catholic primary school where the chaplain taught religion. I had to recite the 10 commandments and most of them started with "Thou shalt not." As if a person does not know that you are not allowed to steal or even worse not to kill. Worst of all I thought you shouldn't covet unchastity and to be honest, as a young tease I didn't even know what that meant. Nor did I know what Mary's Immaculate Conception meant.

Many years later I thought of my namesake who must have had a very chaste life and never stained his wife. What a strange word though.

The entry into the monastery has of course not taken place, but all's well that ends well, the monk told me that he would shower Buddha's blessing on me and my compatriots. “Which country are you from again?” Well that was a party if I personally decided who the lucky ones were. Still had to doubt for a moment, but the shirt is closer than the skirt, so you compatriots will notice it this year.

And for the Belgians, our good southern neighbours, don't worry because I have already achieved a lot for you. Do you owe a little to my good friend from Blankenberge who strangely enough has Club Brugge in his heart more than his dear wife who goes out of her way for him and does everything for him that his heart desires.

For sure he will realize that this year and for all Belgians 2020 can't go wrong because the blessing rests on you all. After all, given my distant ancestors from Zichem, I also have a piece of Belgian blood in my veins.