Friday, February 22, 2013

TB eradication program

Catholic Health Association of India (CHAI) has been spreading awareness about Tuberculosis and has been running a TB eradication program along with the Abhaya Niketan Makodiya Mission in these SHGs. The banner of the TB program was hung at the meeting for everyone to read. Mr.Oommen Varghese, who was the Project Co-ordinator from CHAI, and who had initially helped me to get in touch with Makodiya and Ranju achen had been a pillar in these endeavors. I have learnt that the achievements and milestones of this project has been great appreciated by the local government officials. I thank God for this effort.

Mr.Raghuveer
Mr. Raghuveer took the time in the meeting to spread information about TB. He explained the symptoms to be aware of, what precautions to take and when to talk to the doctor. He also mentioned about the free facilities available and about how to get to the doctor easily. He emphasised the importance of early treatment to avoid the dangers posed by the killer disease.

Since he was a local person and since he spoke in Hindi I sensed that the villagers could easily relate with him. One woman spoke of how her cough had become really bad and she was planning to go to the doctor the next day. Another spoke of another person whom she knew had TB. With constant awareness programs like these, the villagers were becoming alert to the symptoms and hence were able to take early precautions, I gathered.

I was glad that such programs were helping raise awareness and I was glad the Church was involved with these.

(Written by Mathew Samuel (Sunil), a visitor to Makodiya in January 2013)
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Our Shepherd

Our Shepherd
HG Dr. Joseph Mar Dionysius, our Shepherd and Diocesian Metropolitan, Director of the Makodia Mission is the guiding light in our ministry

Purpose - provide a glimpse of a gigantic vision

In the past I have often heard of Makodiya and Theodosius Thirumeni's work there, but was unable to find much further details or pictures of what happens there, what Thirumeni's vision was, what is its current state etc.

This blog is a small initiative to provide some information, some visibility to this mission - which needs a lot of support and prayers. Hope this endeavor would help focus attention on this place and work that was so dear to Theodosius Thirumeni who remains one of the pioneers of mission work for the ancient Church of India.

- Mathew Samuel (Sunil)

Set up by a visionary

When Late Lamented HG Stephanos Mar Theodosius Metropolitan arrived in Makodia in the 1980s, there were no roads or civilization. It was the visionary grace of the bishop who saw potential to do Christ's work in these remote areas that brought the Indian Orthodox Church to the region.With great patience and love, the bishop and committed disciples built up the mission among the tribals - far away from Kerala, far away from what the Church considered home for many centuries.The Indian Church has now finally begun to embrace India.

Sharing Christ - not conversion

Christian "Mission" is usually mis-interpretted as "conversion" attempts - this is the result of the aggressive Western gospel works in India without properly understanding the richness of the spirituality in India. The Indian Orthodox Church does not believe in forcible conversions, or even that conversion and baptism are the ultimate goals of Christian missions. The Indian Orthodox Church, which has existed in India since the beginning of Christianity, understands India like none else, and sees mission work in its essence as "sharing Christ" which translates itself to serving the poor, loving unconditionally and working for justice. Working for the upliftment of the poor is doing Christ's work. That is gospel work, that is Christian mission - and that is what is seen in Makodiya.