Working through Illness in the Hills

Fr. Puthumai was in Tindharia, with 26 Sisters of the Missionaries of Charity (Mother Teresa), to share more knowledge with them on St. Paul's Letter to the Romans and also a brief input on the Eucharist. The training was from 22-25 Oct in the picturesque Tindharia on the Himalayas, closer to Kurseong, the beautiful hill town on the Darjeeling Hills. Then, from 26 - 29 Oct, he was in Darjeeling, in the Loreto Convent, to help the Sisters in the process of helping them refine their development works. The theme titled : "Redefining Development" was to help them plan in such a way that "faith does justice" in the whole process of working with and among the poor. 

The Darjeeling program was jointly done by Fr. I.P.Sarto and Puthumai A. Nazarene, with Sr. Sabrina and Sr. Monica of the Loreto organizing the training through the Mary Ward Development Centre. Mr. Roshan Rai, also supported part time as a resource person.

The Viral Attacks

Thousands of people all over West Bengal were affected by viral infections since the beginning of October. At least ten persons have died due to mysterious fever that has affected them. In Social Welfare Institute, Puthumai A. Nazarene, the Director himself was inflicted with the virus since 16 Oct, paralysing him for ten days from doing normal activitites. Now he is in better health and is able to take of most of the normal tasks. He wishes to thank all who supported him with prayers and wishes. 

In the South of India

I left Raiganj on 04th Oct evening and went to Madurai, and then to my village for the Festival of our Lady of Rosary. It was a wonderful opportunity to be among my own villagers, thousands of them gathered, spending over 500,000 rupees on the festival, with the massive video coverage of TV channels and the delicious Tamil food at every house....! Children have grown up. I could also meet most of my school day friends, as they all come once a year during the festival. It was all nostalgia. But with much less time in my hand I could not meet everyone personally. Even I missed some of my relatives.... I regret that.

However, I managed to visit my favourite other religious destinations : the Church of the Holy Cross at Manapad and the Our Lady of Sand near Periyathaalai. Back at Madurai, I spent some time in visiting my nieces and nephews, some sick persons in the Rajaji Government Hospital. It is something that I do everytime I visit Madurai. Hospital apostolate has not developed so much in North India in general, in West Bengal in particular. I could also enjoy kesari, idly, idiappam, keppai puttu, kudal curry... Oooh! The food was really too good. The most surprising part of the entire travels was, I could go to Pondicherry, to see Selvi, my niece, who is in the Novitiate of a religious congregation.  I returned on the mid-night of 13 Oct, after a long-delay on the railway tracks.... due to a derailment of a cargo train south of Malda town.

Spiritual Journey

The week from 27 Sept till 04 Oct was kept aside for the Spiritual Experience of all priests of the Diocese of Raiganj. All the priests of Social Welfare Institute, namely, Puthumai A. Nazarene, Markus Mardi and Herman Kindo joined the spiritual retreat held at the Bishop's House. The reflections were given by Fr. Bhyju, cmf, a priest from the Claretian Missionary Congregation. It was a profound experience to silence ourselves from within and to spend lot of time in reflection and prayer.... to rejuvenate the inner strength that needs to be the source of all human perfection.

Busting the Kidney Racket

Kidneys lost for better job - Impact of Social Welfare Institute's Activities in Raiganj on Anti Human Trafficking

Statesman News Service
RAIGANJ, Sept. 23: Chhatu Murmu (35) and Abdul Mannan (40) of Baliadangi in Bindol in North Dinajpur district had lost their kidneys to private nursing home in Kolkata about one and half years ago. They had lodged a complaint against Abdul Rejjak of Bindol whom police have recently arrested from Bindol Village against the charge of immoral trafficking.
The complainants told police that in 2007, Abdul Rejjak, with a promise to provide them better jobs, brought them to Kolkata. In Kolkata, Rejjak gave them some food eating which they fell sick. Later, they were admitted to a private nursing home in Kolkata where their kidneys were stolen in the pretext of treatment, the complainants said.
They added that Rejjak gave them some money after they were released from the nursing home and told them to go back home. “He also threatened us and said not to disclose the matter. We underwent ultra sonography after returning home and discovered to our horror that the kidneys were gone,” they said.
When news of the incident spread, SUCI activists turned up at the Raiganj police station to demonstrate demanding severe punishment against Abdul Rejjak. They also demanded the arrest of other associates of Abdul Rejjak who were actively involved in North Dinajpur district.
A social worker from Bindol, Miss Susmita Sarkar, (of Social Welfare Institute- photo below) said: “Apart from Chhatu Murmu and Abdul Mannan, about 40 others from different villages like Bindol, Baliadangi, Bajebindol, Jalipara have lost their kidneys while working in other states. As far as we know, both Bangru Jali (45) and Jatin Jali (44) lost their kidney during their stay in Delhi and are now suffering from several diseases.”
Chhatu Murmu said: “My kidney was stolen one-and-a-half years ago. I had not informed the police earlier as Rejjak had threatened me with dire consequences if I did.” The police superintendant of North Dinajpur, Mr Shankar Singha, said: “Investigation has begun against the Kolkata nursing home. Abdul Rejjak, the kingpin would be in custody till 29 September. We would pray to court to send him police remand for a few days.”

Unusual Dry Weather

Baring some very strong early rains, the service areas (three districts) of Social Welfare Institute have been hit by an unusual dry weather since the middle of July. This has left farmers who depend on rain water to fall back on the scarce and already over exploited ground water and expenditures in the process. I am told that even simple household grocery item like green chillies which used to cost 20 rupees (about half a dollar) a kilo just three months back, has now hit 60 rupees in some local markets ($ 1.5). SWI did a survey in six villages as a sample in the three districts, to see the extent of damage done to the poor due to price-rise and non-availability of essential goods. The reports are alarming.... ranging from malnutrition due to partial starvation, increasing dependence on money lenders, unsafe migration in search of jobs, and sheer socio-economic exploitation. The days are hard and dry. The winter is looking up. More expenditures for the poor as the festival season has drawn near.

Struggling for Food Security

Many reports have come out saying that several districts in West Bengal are on the verge of a food crisis. In order to discuss on this issue, 78 persons (priests, religious and NGO workers) from West Bengal gathered at Social Welfare Institute, Raiganj on 12 Sept 2008. Inaugurating the discussions, Fr. S. Santhappan said that our knowledge must also be moved to the level of action, so that our activities can benefit the poor. Fr. Sarto, the Director of Association of Bengal Collaborators for Development (ABCD), facilitated the sessions for proper planning at the West Bengal regional level for helping people to get access to food security related programs of the government. Sr. Mariola, the National Coordinator of the CBCI Commission for Justice, Peace and Development narrated on the various issues and reasons for the food crisis, and deliberated on some of the schemes that can assist the poor. Mr. Aftab Alam, the North Dinajpur District NREGA Coordinator, explained the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme of the Government in details, besides explaining the Annapurna Yojana, Antodaya Yojana and the Public Distribution Scheme of the Government. Fr. Puthumai A. Nazarene, Director of Social Welfare Institute, giving the key note address deeply analysed the socio-politico-economic reasons for the current crisis in West Bengal, and how the changing power structures have added to the crisis in rural Bengal. Fr. Patras Bara thanked all the participants and called for higher levels of motivation on the part of everyone.

Women Destroy Parthenium

Women of Self Help Groups supported by Social Welfare Institute in Patiram area destroyed hundreds of thousands of Parthenium plants that had grown wild along the State Highway that runs through their villages. Twenty eight women and two staff of Social Welfare Institute dressed in masks and gloves given as gift by the Issaqua family of Washington State, (brought by our own Andrea Smith during her last visit to Raiganj), spent the entire 07 September, 2008, a Sunday --from dawn to dusk--in cutting down, gathering and then destroying the Parthenium plants with boiling hot water. The team destroyed the weed for a distance of two-and-a-half kilometers on either side of the road. The parthenium, if comes in contact, creates respiratory malfunctioning in humans and cattle. The event was covered by many local print and electronic media. Congrats to the team of women and to Mr. Jayanta Das and Fr. Herman Kindo, who coordinated and motivated the women.

Fighting Tuberculosis

In May 2008, while speaking to a group of young German students studying Public Health in Limburg, Germany, I was amazed to see that they were all studying about Tuberculosis, a disease that kills over 1.5 million people annually, and yet they had not seen even a single patient with TB! Back home, almost every other person suffers from this disease that eats up your lungs, as if it is like a soft cake! Catholic Relief Services, Caritas India, Catholic Health Association of India and CBCI Commission for Health have joined together in fighting this disease, with support from Global Fund : to be called the First IMPACT Project. Social Welfare Institute will partner with them to minimize the spread of this disease as thousands are affected by tuberculosis in the three districts we serve. Sr. Anisha SDS, Mr. Bipul Roy, and Mr. Shyamapada Goswami have identified as contact persons for North Dinajpur, Malda and South Dinajpur districts, respectively.

The first workshop was held at Kolkata on 02 Sept 2008, and was attended by over 35 participants from various organizations. The Social Welfare Institute team was led by Puthumai A. Nazarene, the Director. He also functioned as the Master of Ceremonies for the entire program, besides taking care of a presentation on the Health network of Catholic Church in West Bengal. The West Bengal State Health Secretary, State Tuberculosis Officer, and many other persons from the health department and from various non-governmental and church-based organizations were present. Dr. Anasua Bagchi of CBCI-Health Commission had organized the meeting.

Attack on Christians in Orissa

Location Orissa, India : In the middle of August a group of about 50 naxalites (a group of extremists who use violent means against rich and the money lenders) attacked a Hindu ashram and gunned down five persons, including a Hindu priest. This priest had led some violent protests against Christians about an year ago. Catholic Church and other church leaders had condemned the murder of the Hindu priest and the other Hindus who died with him.

However, soon Hindu fundamentalist groups have begun attacking the Christian institutions, claiming that the "naxal groups" have joined the Christians! These same groups had vandalized churches, and killed many Christians on the Christmas eve of 2007. Attack on Christians in the state of Orissa has increased. Since 25 Aug, several churches, children's hostels and convents have been burned down, in various parts of this eastern coastel state of Orissa. Many priests and religious nuns, and hundreds of Christians have gone "missing". And at least 14 persons have been killed, including four Hindus. Ten are Christians, and they have been murdered with local weapons, sickles and swords-- still worse three of them are said to have been burnt live! (The four Hindus died in a police shoot-out to control the violent mob attacking Christians and Christian institutions.

To mark this tragedy, all Christian institutions in whole of India will remain shut on Friday 29 August 2008. You can download a slide-show on the Orissa atrocities by clicking on : Orissa Burning