"Listen before preaching", says the Minister General, Fra Giacomo Bini, in Asia. He says thas inculturation is essential when evangelizing. Fra Giacomo visited the Franciscan Foundation of Thailand (Foundation of Saint Mary of the Angels) at the Garden of Gospel Peace in Lamsai, some 60 kilometers northeast of Bangkok, accompanied by Definitors General Fra Xavier Yu and Fra Jose Carballo on July 23 and 24. It was the Minister General's final stop of the three-week tour that also included visits to Japan, Hong Kong, China, and Singapore. Fra Giacomo opposed “colonizing” or “'importing” too many ideas. “Asian culture is very rich...Our inculturation has to begin by listening (to the voices of local people) before peaching or doing anything”, he said. Based on his own experience in forming the first fraternities in Africa, Fra Giacomo warned missionaries not to be overwhelmed by the daily workload; the stress of which could lead to weakening the fraternal spirit. “Fraternal life is the best way of evangelization”, he said. “The life of prayer, minority, and solidarity is the way evangelize as fryars minor in accordance with the local culture”. With respect to the Thailand Foundation, which is dependent upon the Minister General, Fra Giacomo, said he expects the fraternity in Thailand to continue to grow in an inter-provincial environment. At the same time, local vocations are essential for implantation of the order in the country. “The Thailand project is important...training of Franciscans in Asia is the focus toward the future. All efforts, works, activities ought to be focused to receive local youth”, he said. Br. John Summers ofm