Committed to SERVE

[Mathew Moothasseril]

Nun’s exemplary life ​wows Asian Mission Congress
Published on: 4:33 pm, October 13, 2017 by: mattersindia .com

Sr Sudha Varghese


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By: Roshin George

​Yangon: Sister Sudha Varghese, a Catholic nun and social activist who
has been working for over two decades among the most downtrodden and
oppressed Musahar community (rat eaters) in Bihar state of India
shared her struggles as she was leading a life in servanthood.

Speaking on “Journeying Together: Mission as affirming the
Servanthood” on the second ay of the Asia Mission Conference , on
October 13 here, Sister Sudha, a 2006 recipient of India’s fourth
highest civilian honour Padma Shri, narrated stories on how she stands
and serves the poor and vulnerable as a selfless Christian.

For Sister Sudha, the foremost concern in her 32 years of service and
work among the downtrodden in underdeveloped areas of the Bihar state
has not been to preach Christianity among the Musahar people–a
community of rat-eaters with no access to land or basic government
welfare measures–but to make them fully human beings first by giving
them the right to dignity, food, clothes, education and housing.

She believes that preaching the word of God can come afterthey leave a
situation where they are forced to live in an animal-like existence,
but help them to live with human dignity.

As the head of Nari Gunjan, (Women’s Voice) a non governmental
organisaaton that works towards uplifting women and educating girls of
the Musahar community, Sr Sudha says she has lived many lives and died
many deaths on account of death threats from the dominant upper castes
who have been oppressing the vulnerable Musahars. Her life in deep
faith in Christ has helped her not to show fear amidst adversities and
threat to her life.

Sr Sudha had her calling to serve the poor at the young age of 16, and
she has lived among the community in a mud-house, fighting their
battles and uplifting and empowering them. Her testimony that “my life
has been made meaningful,” was received with applause by more than 600
particiapnts who listened to her thematic address at the morning
session.

She repeatedly vouched her testimony as she remembered the goodness,
generosity and loyalty she has received in return from the recepients
of her true Christian life and witness.

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*GATHER THE SCATTERED*

Fr Mathew Moothasseril
Sant Thoma Bhavan
Post Box 306
RAMAN MALA
Kolhapur,416 003
Maharashtra
INDIA