This is a hilly area and the friars have got about 15 acres of Land. The property belongs to OFS who have leased out to St. Thomas. The OFS along with the Capuchins were running a Lepers colony which has been closed down. The lepers are now healed and settled down. Some of them are given a piece of property and have been settled down. Their children are now grown up and have preferred to take their loved ones at home. But Leprosy has been almost eradicated from some part of Kerala. Specially the state of Kerala has been in forefront in eradicating many diseases due to 100% literacy.
This area receives less rains but a little that they receive is made use of....in summer there is an acute short of water....as a result the land cannot be cultivate....the friars are trying their best to do some cultivation
Since the Lepers have been settled and the house is empty the friars have now started a home for the alcoholics who are many.....for last two years they have had about 100 patients who have been helped to overcome......
The coconut garden is green now but in summer it gets dried up....the friars are doing some rain harvesting.....
These steps leading to the top of the Hill where the friars have put up a life size statue....
This is Sony, young man.....recovering very fast...he is grateful to friars....said that the friars have given him new life and new hope.....he has no one to go to......very hard working and good Catholic....he said that he wasn't like what he is today...he came as a sick person...but today sober and wants to be a messenger to others
from hill top you can see the whole district like....all over beautiful churches.....
No one around to take a snap....so easy to have a selfie....though it many not be that best one....
These two friars are looking after the patients and go around helping the priests for confession and preaching...they have started a prayer group for the neighbors and once in a month a whole retreat for which around 150 people come....it is an ideal place for contemplation and prayer....no one around to disturb....
wild flowers.....all over the hill.....
No comments:
Post a Comment