By Purushottam Nayak
Rourkella, April, 13, 2020: The Handmaids of Mary, an indigenous religious congregation of Odisha, has received applause from the local administration for helping those affected by the nationwide lockdown in the eastern Indian state.
“I appreciate your genuine work. I am happy that you could come out and help the needy, poor, daily laborers and downtrodden,” Nihil Pavan Kalyan, Sundargarh District Collector, told the nuns. “You are honest and trustworthy people,” the collector added.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who imposed the 21-day lockdown on March 25, wants people to stay home, stay safe and stay alive.
Sister P Selvi, principal of St. Teresa English Medium School who leads the relief works in Sundargarh district, says they strictly follow the government lockdown norms while engaged in humanitarian works. “We do keep self-distance while distributing cooked food, rice, onion, potatoes, milk, and mask kits to the daily laborers,” she told Matters India on April 13.
Sister Selvi said their St Teresa’s provincial community members, nuns working in the school and Fathers Emmanuel Toppo, Ignatius Soreng, and Andreas Kerketta have reached out to some 30 villages in the district so far.
“We have restricted our movements for common safety,” the nun added. I am not worried about myself, but at the same time abide by the rules and guidelines of the government,” Sister Selvi said.
“We could distribute 2,200 liters of milk per day. Milk distribution will continue until April 15, but other activities will go on,” the nun explained.
The Church team and their welfare centers also prepare mask kits for their beneficiaries.
Sister Selvi’s companion, Sister Manjula Bara, who directs the congregation’s social service wing Samagra Vikas (Holistic Development), said they take “utmost care” to remain safe from the coronavirus.
Their provincial Sister Bernadette Kerketta says reaching out to people taking risks has been a great “faith experience” for them.
“We find great joy in serving poor, needy and daily labourers who are helpless because of the lockdown,” the provincial said.
They now feed some 500 people and supply 1,000 masks daily. “We plan to distribute 100,000 masks,” the provincial said.
Catherine Kerketta, 35, a tribal woman said she has received meals and kits containing rice, lentils, onion, potato and milk.
Petrus Tete, 45, another beneficiary said the nuns came to his life when he was in “a helpless situation” as he had no work, money or food.
Seema Tirkey, a young woman who helps the nuns, she has learned the virtues of sacrifice, honesty and dedication from her involvement in the humanitarian works.
The Handmaids of Mary was founded in 1944 by Jesuit Father Edmund Joseph Harrison, in Kesramal parish under Rourkela diocese. The congregation currently has more than 500 members serving in 10 countries.