Sister Nirmala's message of love to Nepal
Kathmandu (AsiaNews) Christians of other denominations as well as Hindus joined Catholics to warmly accompany Sister Nirmala Joghi in her journey to Nepal. Heir to Mother Teresa, the sister left the local population with some hope for peace. At each stop in her visit the superior general of the Missionary Sisters of Charity called on King Gyanendra and Maoist rebels as well the local population to put personal interests aside and "promote love" as a solution to the ongoing conflict.
After arriving in Nepal on January 13 for a two-week visit, Sister Nirmala went to Kathmandu where tensions were still running high because of recent violence. She also travelled to the tourist resort of Pokhara where her missionary sisters are active. However, the daytime curfew imposed by the king on the capital prevented the religieuse from directly landing in the city. Instead, after crossing the Indo-Nepalese border, she had to travel by car for 480 kilometres. But as a local missionary sister said, it was an opportunity for her to see the country with her own eyes as well observe how people live in a place in the grip of violence.
"Now," said the nun, who preferred not to give her name, "[Sister Nirmala] will pray even more for Nepal and soon peace will blossom".
The superior general also made a stop at her family's home in Dhulmari, in eastern Nepal, where a throng of children was waiting. Here, she gave medals and images of Mother Teresa.
Sister Nirmala, 72, was born into a Hindu family from the Nepalese village of Putalibazar, west of Kathmandu. This is her first visit to Nepal since 1997 when she became superior general of the Missionary Sisters of Charity.
During her stay in her native country she showed concern over the ongoing conflict. Shyangja, the district in which her home village is located, is amongst the most affected by the Maoist guerrilla.
"Wherever she went she always stressed the imperative need for peace and love," said Ram Ekbal Choudhary, a local Hindu journalist.
In a news briefing at the "Shanti Dhawan" (House of Peace for the elderly and disabled managed by the missionary sisters), she urged everyone to put aside selfishness.
"Peace shall return if we promote love," she said. "Love, not weapons, is the only solution to the current problems. Whoever is against love is against peace itself."
But peace making and promoting a culture of love is not the responsibility of the king and the rebels alone. "All religions must join hands to build bridges of love in the country," she explained.
Sister Elizabeth Kawaoko, a Japanese nun who works with children of widowed or divorced women in Pokhara, said that Sister Nirmala was received with great warmth. In addition to the 200 local Catholics, there were hundreds of Hindus and Christians of other denominations, many of whom just came to get a glimpse of the superior general.
Rev Solomon Shrestha, from Pokhara's Pentecostal Church, said that "despite theological differences, our Churches share the same principles of love, hope and faith in Jesus, which the Missionaries of Charity embody. For this reason we came here."
Nepal is a predominantly Hindu country. Out of 25 million people there are 7,000 Catholics. Since the Maoist revolt began in 1996 some 13,000 people have died. Maoists are fighting to overthrow the monarchy and install a "People's Republic".
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