By Matters India Reporter

Patna, April 21, 2020: The Patna province of Congregation of Jesus that works among those affected by lockdown in eastern India is forced to deal with other social issues too.

“People were already struggling with drought and poverty when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the nationwide lockdown,” says Sister Ancy Thomas, who coordinates the province’s Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation,

Led by their provincial Sister Kiran Muthukulathil, the nuns now help thousands in Bihar’s Bhojpur, Buxar, Nawada and Patna districts and the Singla Tea Gardens in West Bengal.

Sister Thomas told Matters India April 21 that the Bihar districts now experience a “drought like situation” as they have not received sufficient rains for the past three years. This had forced more people to migrant to cities for jobs and survival.

“Some families have left their children with the grandparents for the sake of education. Now, many children and old parents are left to fend for themselves,” Sister Thomas explained.

The elderly have become more vulnerable because of both the coronavirus and non-availability of food. People had been always struggling throughout their life, due to poverty, deprivation, cheap labor and caste-based exploitation.

“The stories of misery are on the increase after the lockdown,” Sister Thomas, a social worker in Patna since 2000, Sister Thomas told Matters India on April 21.

She said they began their work among the lockdown affected on April 5, Palm Sunday, starting with those living in their neighborhood in Digha, a western suburb of Patna.

“We started with our meager resources and trust in the Lord. To our surprise, a few generous persons came to our support,” she said.

The nuns provide villagers food kits containing rice, lentil, potatoes, cooking oil, puffed rice, bathing soaps, and soya bean.

They have so far helped more than 2,600 members of “marginalized and vulnerable communities.” The beneficiaries include members of Mushahar and Dome communities, the elderly, widows, transgender, nomad, gypsies, differently-abled and those with no ration cards, Sister Thomas explained.

“The lockdown has doubled their misery,” the 45-year-old nun added.

Sister Mathew says they identify the area and the needy through their staff members and grassroots workers. “The civil administration has been cordial and appreciative, so we could distribute the food grains in a peaceful manner,” she added.

Those living near their convents come to their centers at allotted time to collect the provisions. “We reached out to far away villages. Some villages carried the provisions on their own.”

Sister Thomas said they have already known most families they now help. “We also know a good number these families are stranded at different cities in India, in the wake of the lockdown.”

According to her, several families are bonded to work for landlords throughout the year on fixed meagre wages. “In most cases the male members alone or the whole family have gone out of the villages. They come back for a short time, mostly during the monsoon.”

Sister Nicolina Kerketta, a young nun working among the lockdown affected, said she felt sorry and pain to see elderly people left alone in villages while the family’s bread winner are stranded elsewhere.

She said “the big question” that haunts her is the meaning of life and how people will survive the coronavirus pandemic.

“But the joy radiating on their faces as they received the provisions gave me confidence and the conviction to carry on what I am doing with the help of the Resurrected Lord.”

Sister Thomas says she had this year “one of the greatest Holy Week” experiences in her 25 years of religious life. The people told us that they were almost dead when we reached out to them. “Many told us that they are alive now only because of us.”