Nazareth Sisters of Charity celebrate 25 years of service to poor and marginalized
Kathmandu (AsiaNews/Ucan) - Nazareth sisters in Nepal say people's welcome was pivotal in establishing their mission in the Hindu kingdom.
The Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth (SCN) recently marked 25 years of service in Nepal. During that time about 50 nuns have been involved in formal and non-formal education, health and prison apostolates, animation and skills training for rural women, and ministry to sex workers, former prisoners and people with disabilities. Insecurity and Maoist guerrilla's attacks are the most common difficulties.
The first day of the May 8-9 anniversary events in Baluwatar, Kathmandu, featured a Mass attended by priests and nuns of various congregations working in Nepal, as well as collaborators and benefactors. Monsignor Anthony Sharma, apostolic prefect of Nepal, was the main celebrant: "All the 50 nuns the Nepalese Church has been blessed with were fearless, undaunted, indomitable and resolute, pioneering and persevering undeterred by circumstances favorable or otherwise, natural or man-made," he said in his homily. Beneficiaries and government and NGO representatives were invited for the second day.
"We were accepted by the people of Mandanda and Kitini (12 kilometers southeast of Kathmandu), and we started with literacy and sewing classes for village women", sister Ann Marie said.
The people "taught us to be simple, loving and generous, and they always opened their homes and hearts for us," she recalled. They named the nuns after their goddesses.
According to another pioneer, sister Joel Urabil, "My companions and I chose primarily to project the pilgrim and the healing Church while we were here." She said the nuns saw a need to gather the scattered Christians in the Kathmandu valley to form a close-knit parish community. "It was not an easy job. I walked extensively," she added. She gave credit to a dedicated lay Christian group for the progress the nuns made.
Sister Jean Kulangara recalled language was a challenge. "When we first came we stayed with a Nepalese family, sharing their small bed. At night there was an earthquake and the girl sleeping with us shouted 'Run, it's an earthquake!' in Nepali - and we did not know what she was saying."
Life in the village "was difficult," she admitted, "but we always experienced joy and satisfaction."
In Baluwatar the nuns run Nav Jyoti (New light) School - a day school for the mentally disabled. They also have a convent and a building they use to house women from villages taking part in empowerment programs.
K.C. Bishnu, a teacher at the school, has been with the nuns all along. "I enjoy giving my service to these special children. These 25 years went by very fast. I am happy the sisters have appreciated my work," the teacher said.
Sister Sarita Manavalan, another pioneer, described the school as "a reward from God." But she also said it was "a big challenge" to convince parents, teachers and her superiors to let the nuns take over the school. She expressed joy that the center had grown to 65 students and 14 staff.
Nita Thapa, a single parent whose 17-year-old son has studied at the school for 13 years, said the sisters, teachers and volunteers "are very cooperative and understand our feelings." She also said, "The school trained us to understand our children, which really helped us."
Besides the school, the nuns also run Nav Jyoti Women's Development Center, where they conduct a six-month residential Rural Women Animators Program. They conduct this program in Kathmandu, there they began it in 1988, and also in Surkhet district, western Nepal. They have trained 225 women from villages in Nepal and neighboring Darjeeling district in India, whose people share Nepalese culture and language.
The congregation was founded in 1812 in the United States. Their charism is to work with the poor and marginalized, especially women and children.
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