31/05/2017
On 14th February 2017, Sr. Gulab and Sr. Gracemary left Howrah station to Midnapur Deanery by train. Upon reaching Kharagpur, we boarded a bus to Kamarchouki, where Fr. Sudhir Tudu the Dean is residing. After refreshing we accompanied the Dean to a village by name Saigeria. People were waiting for us there, young and old along with so many children about 60, who gave us a warm welcome with the traditional Santali custom of washing the feet. After interacting with them some time whole village joined for the Holy Eucharist in honor of the village Head man who had died three days ago. After the Requiem Mass, Sr. Gulab taught the people Songs together with Fr. Sudhir and this was followed by lunch and fellowship for all the village.
On the way back we visited the ASSIM sisters Babugeria who serve the people of God going by foot and bicycle - actual missionaries in the right sense of the word. From there we returned to Kamarchouki and participated in a SCC meeting in one of the houses of the parish. There were 45 participants including the Parish Priest Fr. Sudhir, 6 religious sisters and SCC animators of the Parish. After the Gospel sharing, the group discussed the Expression of faith in Service. Inspired by the Word of God, the members took up tasks to serve the needy in their neighborhood and mainly planned for SCC day celebration in the Deanery.
On the 15th February morning, we met the staff and students of the St. Pauls School in Kamarchouki where Sr. Lidia SC is the Head Mistress, a prospective institution for the greater opportunity for all the neighboring Santal Parishes. In the afternoon we went to a SCC Meeting at Saigeria under Kearchand Parish organized by the Catechist Mongol Murmu, in the Head Man's House, where ASSIM sisters of Rangamatia look after the SCC units. In all these places local religious sisters besides priests, catechists, and lay animators, engage a vital role to evangelize and catechize.
After another stay in Kamarchouki, on the 16th February, we passed through the exciting Jangle Mahal, to Kamalasol where Rev. Fr. S. Rana is the parish priest and Sr. Jyoti sja is the Superior and former Coordinator of SCCs in the Andaman. The sja sisters truly engaged in pastoral ministry, are also conducting SCC in all the village substations very heroically. There the sisters narrated the providential care of Abba father, when a wild elephant destroys the crop and property of the people in the neighborhood and spares the compound of the Parish and convent of the sisters.
The fascinating passage through the Jangle Mahal took us to the Jargram Mission which is listed to be another District of West Bengal soon and in all this journeys Fr. Sudhir Tudu patiently accompanied us ensuring our safety and he entrusted us to the care of Fr. Salku Soren the flourishing Parish priest. In the evening about 50 animators of the Parish headed by Samaresh Bera SCC in-charge of Midnapur Deanery conducted Gospel sharing in one of the houses and the people discussed about nurturing their faith and a Church building for Jargram.
On the following day 17th February we were led to Balichauk for SCC Meeting assisted by Martin John a genuine catechist, Sr. Marcella and Sisters of St. Ann of Trichy. Unlike other mission stations, the group consisted of many educated young boys and girls who knew well the method of seven steps of Gospel sharing. We promised them to return to introduce SCC for youth without delay. They accompanied us to the railway station to proceed towards Howrah station. Although the above journeys caused us sacrifices and privations, they were worth the cost. We remember with gratitude Fr. Sudhir Tudu and Samarsh Bera for all the arrangements and preplanning to make our trip possible.
