“Keep close to the poor. Keep close to the average believer. We may have some things to teach them. But they too have something to teach us. The very vibration of their faith is an inspiration to us,” said Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil, inaugurating a training camp on February 22nd at Nagrijuli Parish, in the Archdiocese of Guwahati. Over 200 young people in formation participated in the five-day (Feb 22-27) programme.

It has by now become a tradition in the Archdiocese of Guwahati  for all young people in formation, seminarians, candidates, aspirants, postulants, novices, and junior sisters to camp out in a remote village for a week, doing social work and organizing faith renewal activities. What has remained unique about the entire programme has been the unfailing presence of the Archbishop himself, the Vicar General Fr. Varghese Kizhakevely, many young priests and sisters, and a large number of experienced missionaries who help as animators. The programme includes several talks in the morning and evening on missionary and social themes from veteran missionaries and social workers. The participants spent over 5 hours each day in different villages offering social and spiritual assistance or animation. More than 18 villages benefited from their services during the present programme.

Most of the people in Nagrijuli parish, which lies close to Bhutan works in the tea gardens. It is a three-hour journey from Guwahati. It stands at the end of an exceptionally bad road. Members from eighteen congregations took part in the event along with the seminarians of Jerome Institute, the Diocesan Minor Seminary. Among them were 55 Juniors, 32 Novices,  7 Postulants, 81 Seminarians, and 2 postulants  and several religious brothers. This is the third missionary exposure programme organized by the Archdiocese.

Each day after the Eucharist and two inputs on some relevant themes, Archbishop Thomas  would give a few useful tips to help them during their village visit. He emphasized the importance of adaptability and flexibility and absolute respect for people of all traditions.

The young people would divide themselves into small teams under the leadership of some experienced person and move to the villages, mostly on foot. A few were given a lift to places that were at a greater distance.

The participants shared their experiences every evening enriching the entire group.

‘These five days of the programme has charged the spiritual battery of young people, brothers and sisters,” says Salesian Sister (Junior)  Kentiemlyne Mary Kurba. “We are all enriched, our faith is strengthened. We are full of enthusiam and vigour ready to be great missionaries of Christ work for him.” We exprienced the warmth of the people. Muslims and Hindus also welcomed us. At first they were suspicious but when they realised that were on a goodwill visit  they opened up and shared their life situations with us, he added.

“A seminarian Nidhin Philip was  “inspired by the simplicity of the villagers who were poor but prayerful.”

“It was an opportunity to share our faith with our non Christian brothers and sisters. They were longing to get some one to listen to them and offer comfort,” Nidhin said after five- days  of inter-action with people in the villages. We also shared our faith with them as we taught the children action songs and prayers, he added. Accordiing to him these five days  helped him “to face the difficulties of life and to go out of my way to help our needy brothers and sisters.”

“When we did not know the language we communicated through smiles and actions,” said another Seminarian.

“It has deepened my vocation, It has given me more missionary zeal. Seeing the people live in poverty makes me reflect on my life. Though poor they are happy and contented. Where as in our convent we show dissatisfaction when something is lacking, though everything is provided for us,” shared Junior Sr Carmela Chawang,Daughters of St Paul.

While in the villages the sisters and brothers organised games for children, taught them prayers, songs, offered them medical assistance. Sr Regina Mreem MSMHC. “We also prayed in each house we visited. We did not leave out any houses of Non Christians or other Christians.”

Archbishop Thomas would take a round of the villages meeting the people and the young missionaries. “Keep close to human suffering,” he would tell them. “Visit the sick. Show sympathy. Pray. Do not be surprised if great healings take place through your hands. Do not be surprised if people come close to you spontaneously and open out their hearts to you. Jesus is sharing with you a little bit of the magnetic power that he himself had”.

He urged them “to give attention to details, to do with thoroughness whatever work that was assigned to them. Even the smallest service you do in an obscure place has some mysterious relationship with the mightiest work that is being done by some exceptional person or organization anywhere in the world. In fact, the smaller activities sustain the bigger ones in a way we cannot immediately understand.”

“When you are thorough with your normal work, you will be inspired to go beyond and help others. Get involved in the lives of others as Mary did at Cana. The more you get involved, more opportunities and possibilities will open out before you: peace initiatives, social assistance, evangelization. The more you do these things really well, even in the most obscure corner of the world, you move to the centre. Because you are close to God, the Prime Mover of all things”.

Sr Paola Marak msmhc (Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians) is sure that through this  missionary exposure ‘young people get a taste of the reality of life. They get enthusiastic about sharing the love of God in the villages. They have faced difficulties in this mission and it is a challenge for them.”

“When you strike a match, you get fire” said Archbishop Menamparampil. “In the same way, when you touch human lives, you meet with a miracle. Try and see whether this is true or not”.

Holy Cross sister Sr Alice Mathew who accompanied the postulants is certain that “the realities of the people have touched the young people. The people were poor but contended and happy with  what they have. They have strong faith in God.  When we come to religious communities we get everything. We live a superficial life. We are not often in  touch with the reality. We are dissatisfied if we lack any thing.”

We experienced the tangible presence of the Lord in our mission. The five-day programme revived our life, illumined our hearts, strengthened  our faith in order to be effective messengers in our vocational journey, one junior sister said.

This exposure programme has helped the seminarians to have a real knowledge about the mission which they are going to undertake in the future. it has helped them to encounter the naked poverty of the people. They are all strengthened in their faith and vocation to priesthood. their interactions with all the religious member of the diocese has helped them to be open and fearless. they are fully aware of the challenges they are going to face in their life and in the world, said Fr Philip Pazhampasseril , the Director of young seminarians.

The people working in tea gardens have job for six months. They are paid 1200 per month and   two kilos of rice. Poverty prevails among them. Children drop out from school at a young age to earn a living for the family.

The response of the people can be found in what Mr Bharat Tudu said, We enjoyed the visit of the brothers and sisters. We are encouraged by their presence among us. Now we know there is someone who cares for us. You priests and sisters are interested in our well-being.”

According Fr Alex Kalyathinal, the Parish priest and fr Raj Kapoor the assistant Parish priest,”People were very happy in those five days.”

On the concluding day over 850 villagers participated in the Eucharist organized in a pendol. Nagrijuli parishioners are yet to have a Parish Chruch though there are  chapels in Three villages.

The Archdiocese of Guwahati which was erected in 1992 has 42 parishes, most of them in interior villages. The Parish priests are not able to reach all the people every Sunday. Catechists conducts Para-liturgical services in places where  priests are not able to reach. The missionary exposure programme was to strengthen people’s faith and show human solidarity with them and tell them that the church cares for them.

People feel in fact a miracle has taken place at Nagrijuli. This was a mission-station started by Fr.Nazarene Acharya  only a few years ago in the face of stiff opposition. Some 400 people had gathered against him in fury and burnt the first buildings. In fact, the news about the burning of the church and school at Nagrijuli was reported in the BBC those days. But with calmness and patience the situation changed. The young trouble-makers apologized. They said they were told to do the things they did. Today St. Jude’s School at Nagrijuli is the pride of the entire area and people are grateful to the mission for the health-centre run by the Handmaids of Mary. Fr. Alex, the parish priest, thanks God for the excellent atmosphere among the people in the neighbourhood. This experience may set a model for many.