By Lissy Maruthanakuzhy
Panaji: “You give them something to eat” (Mt 14:13-21). The command of Jesus to reach out to those in need is echoes in our hearts today when we come across the poor, the hungry, the sick, the abandoned, ostracized in society. Like the disciples most of us hesitate in such urgent situations.
The courageous ones accept the challenging exhortation of Jesus to “Give them something to eat,” “Give them a helping hand” or “Give them shelter” as an opportunity to serve. It is an opportunity to understand the situation of another, get into their shoes and rise up to meet the need.
Khushroo Pacha was at the hospital, in Nagpur with his mother who had undergone a surgery. On a Sunday evening, while his mother was resting, he went out to have a cup of tea. The hospital canteen was closed on Sundays. He observed people on the footpath making tea and food. On enquiry he was told that they were from out of Nagpur. No meals were available in the vicinity.
When Poacha returned to the room, he related this incident to his mother. “You give them food to eat,” she said without blinking an eyelid from the hospital bed. Khushroo stood in amazement. “Mummy, what are you saying? How can I?” he blurted out. His mother was firm, “You start and others will help you.
He could not ignore his mother’s command. He called one of his friends, who had promised to help him in a need like this. True to his mother’s loving command he started providing food to a few people in the same hospital vicinity, and miracles began to happen. Initially he had to face several challenges.
Since then they serve food to relative of friends in several hospitals in Nagpur city.
Do not be afraid to reach out
“Take heart, it is I; do not afraid”(Mk 6:50). Jesus said to his frightened disciples in the boat.
Devang, a 19-year-old B.Tech student from Talikulam in Kerala’s Trichur, with the help of his drone saved four lives from the sea.
The fishermen had gone for fishing and when they realized danger in the deep sea one of them called his friend and told him that their boat was sinking. Immediately traditional fisher men set out in different boats to save them, without waiting for the coastal police. Devang was at home when his father told him about the incident. Already six hours had passed since the incident.
However, taking his drone, Devan set out to the seashore only to find that rescue operators had returned from the sea tired and sad without any results. Devang fortunately met he local legislator Geeta Gopi and told her about his willingness to help with his drone. The MLA agreed and at once two boats set out.
“First I spotted like a dot and I lowered the drone, and realized it was a head. And then I found the hands, going up and down in the sea,” Devan recounted, about locating the sinking fishermen. All four of them were saved.
For Devang, it was a first experience of venturing into the sea. He was afraid yet he wanted to do his best with the modern equipment he had at hand.
Kushroo Poacha and Devang are two among many who venture out onto the unknown to help others and create miracles.