Come,
Let’s walk in the sun.
Alongside the roads
Where life pays
for each breath.
Come,
Lets spread some happiness.
On crossroads.
Where the life
stops and merge.
Come,
let's enter
their world
With kindness and compassion.
Keep your hearts open.
There is so much to learn.
She is Sr. Soraya who is so fond of her geese. :) We met her when she used
to take care of the kids who were mentally challenged, each with a distinctive quality of their own.
“Their parents don't want to keep them.” We could feel it in her voice.
You should have seen how her eyes twinkled when she spoke of their pain,and
the pleasure she got in helping them.
One day she told me that she was getting transferred to an old age home in
Old Goa.
*************
We went to meet her one afternoon. She introduced us to sister superior.
“She is Sister Fatima. She is a nurse too and takes care of our inmates.
....And sister,they are our friends from Caranzalem.” We felt connected to
her the moment we met her a few years back on our daughter’s birthday. Love
just flowed.
These sisters are taking care of their inmates who include old women and old nuns, a
few ducks,hen and geese, some dogs,a dove that sadly went out and was eaten up by
stray dogs,a parrot, beautiful flowers and old trees of Adam fruits and
Chikoo.
They have a vegetable garden too in the backyard.
She took us to the chapel.It was beautiful! She said, “You know,it’s not
our house. This house you see, is a property of the archaeological department
that has neither abandoned nor takes care. The department that is least bothered
about the maintenance of the place.”
“The tall ceilings, and the doorways are so difficult to clean. And repairs?Forget
about them. They stand there with pride and the dust accumulates.” I thought.
“It’s so difficult to reach them.” She
said with her graceful smile.
**********
We had a sneak peek into their world. They took us upstairs in a room full
of positive vibes. A Bible in a corner, a flower vase, antique furniture.
“We have our timings here. Time to pray, time to eat, time to sleep.”
Sister Soraya served us fruits,biscuits and soft drink. Sister Fatima joined us in the conversation and
told us about her experiences as a nurse in a very small village that was too
far from the city. “No medicines were available there. If I gave them
crocin,they got better,no matter whatever the reason was,they healed themselves
with faith. There are no strangers there, only God sent angels to share their
pain.”
She told about the tales of deliveries she handled, all alone, in
absence of medical facilities. She told about a young boy who accidentally got
hurt and came to her all in blood and how she stitched his deep cut with regular
needle and thread. It was her kindness and love that cured them.
You must visit her once. Her smile heals.
*************
They told us about the grass beads that they use for prayers.
“It’s so
costly. We get it from Calcutta. He’s the only supplier.”
They showed us the places
we never had thought of visiting otherwise. Sister Fatima took us to a
window,which they called their secret place from where they saw the four
hundred year old ruins that stood against the changing weathers while a part of
them was shattered.
*************
We came back with a promise to meet them again soon.
“God Bless You.”
They
said with their warm smile that reached our hearts. We felt blessed. Really!
*************
~~payal~~
all images are taken at St. John of God, Old Goa.
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