MISSION TALK AT BOMMITHI | KAIROS GLOBAL | NOVEMBER 2019

Author: Gaya Reena Saji

Intro: Gaya Reena Saji challenges us to embrace mission trips, as an experience of the love of Jesus through the lives of those people we are called to serve.

It was with utmost enthusiasm as well as a tinge of anxiety that our team of eight students and a nun from St. Teresa’s College, Ernakulam, set out for our mission trip to Bommithi in Tamil Nadu, on 14 May 2019. The train journey was very interesting – on the one hand we kept learning some prayers in Tamil that we thought would be useful in the days to come, while our Lord kept inspiring and teaching us several other things that we needed to know through our experiences and interaction with the co-passengers.

We arrived at Dharmapuri Railway station late in the evening, where Fr. Arputharaj received us. Later, Father offered a special Holy Mass for us at St. Antony’s Parish, Bommithi, our mission place.  Thereafter, in groups of three, we took shelter at the homes arranged for our stay. Though the houses were small, the hearts of the people living in them were much large enough to accommodate and welcome us. They were very attentive to our every need, and were often worried whether the facilities available for us were adequate enough. We rested together on the floor and shared the same mat and had the same meals. We conversed with their neighbours and soon became one among these families.

Our daily routine began at around 7.00 in the morning when we would gather at the church for prayer, sharing and adoration. After this, we would proceed for house visits. In our conversation with the families, we got an insight into the problems and sufferings that they were going through. We made a note of their prayer requests and offered prayers together. We also shared our experiences with fellow teammates as part of our daily schedule. From the outset itself, what attracted us was the receptive attitude of the people of Bommithi. However, as we got to know them better, we were plesantly surprised at the number of people who had special vocations, convincing us of a definite spiritual foundation that lay within them. 

The children of Bommithi were also special in many ways. They were always vibrant, joining us as we visited homes, praying the Divine Mercy chaplet, sharing and participating in group activities, games and so on. They made sure we were always comfortable, even holding umbrellas for us, carrying water bottles and keeping close to us each day as we went about our mission. On our part, we got the children together, laying the foundations of a Jesus Youth Teens group and we were blessed to conduct its first prayer meeting! It is heart-warming to think that even after we’ve returned, the children will continue campaigning the love of Jesus to the people around them.

It was a memorable experience visiting KANA, a Retreat centre at Kainthikoopam, where we participated in the Holy Mass and also had an opportunity to sing a Malayalam hymn. We visited the grotto at the Church and offered the Divine Mercy chaplet as well as the Stations of the Cross. The participation of children in the various group activities, again, was a source of encouragement for us. We were also blessed to have amongst us the presence of the Tamilnadu Jesus Youth Co-ordinator, Lijo Mon Jose.

In addition to Matha Colony in Bommithi, we visited three other places. The hospitality we experienced at each place brought tears to our eyes as we witnessed these faithful common people going out of their way to provide for us in the best possible way, despite their meagre living conditions. The amount of effort our hosts undertook to make us feel at home, made us enthusiastic to go on with our daily activities. Often, we came across people going through extreme physical and mental struggles; meeting grieving family members of those, who for one reason or other took their own lives, and still others, facing life-threatening diseases. Through our prayers we offered up into the Lord’s hands all those people going through the various struggles of life.

We were delighted when, the day prior to our return, we conducted a Rosary procession through Matha Colony and people from all the homes participated.  On the day of our return, the little ones surprised us with a cake on which was written, “NINE JESUS YOUTH WARRIORS”. 

This Mission has taught us to inculcate in our lives the ability to accept those little challenges we are faced with in our life situations daily, and has provided  us an invaluable lesson from the people we met in Bommithi on how to love whole-heartedly and unconditionally. I pray that more university students would go on such mission programmes to realise the love of our Lord unfolding through our interacting with people of different backgrounds and life situations. Such programmes can bring about a tremendous change in our lives and in the lives of those around us. 

Gaya Reena Saji is a Jesus Youth, doing her studies at St Teresa’s College in Ernakulam, India