Friday, February 22, 2013

The overall picture of SHGs at work

Achen examines the documentation as a SHG meeting is in session.
As we wound up the meeting of the SHG and drove back, I realized what I had witnessed just then was a template of the SHGs at work in about 40 such villages. Regular meetings were held, co-ordinated by a person like Mr. Raghuveer discussing needs, planning for solutions and implementing them as per the situation in the local SHG. Neat documentation was maintained. Mr. Raghuveer had later come over to the Mission house to followup discussions with achen and Sanoj and for further planning.

If poultry farm was the solution in one SHG, then raising goats or cows was the thing to do in another, or training for some vocation was the thing done in another. Micro financing for these was overseen by the mission and regular maintenence of the project was overseen.

Thus the Church through the mission was enabling SHGs in each village to slowly stand on its own feet, to fend for themselves and to live decent lives in the society. That was Christ's work indeed. That was Christian mission. Thank God for Makodiya mission.

(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.