Written by Joel Urumpil, SCN

I heard things and happenings about Nazareth Hospital during our Social Action Ministry meeting. It sounded unbelievable! But deep in my heart I knew when we decided to change course about two years ago, that miracles will happen as a result of change. And so with great satisfaction I listened to Sister Lilly Luka, the evolving of Nazareth Hospital into a home (true to the name of Mokama) where the elderly, the HIV/AIDS, the emergency, and chronically ill find solace and comfort. More good news! Like the angels of hope and new life, the health team goes from village to village and are finding lonely, abandoned and also those who want to live a better life before death. As they move from one village to another, the initial reaction is mocking laughter, “We are ready to go to Ganga, what is the use of group formation, etc.” Then, there are other voices, “Nazareth Hospital is the Taj Mahal of Mokama!”

Jesus went in search of the tax collector and sinners. The health team is going in search of the Babans of Shankarwar Tola and elsewhere, where the people have been waiting for the good news, for the star to lead them to humanity from their own self centeredness. They praise the hospital, they suggest that the colleges, must be taken to task for their irresponsibility in teaching. They say, “The boys can get on to a train and go anywhere for their education. Where will our girls go.” And so they too have formed a group to monitor the education of the children. They say, “You just guide us, we will clean up the college; we are locals, with influence, they will have to listen to us.”

As a result of the hard work of Sister Lilly and the team, groups are being formed for the elderly, meetings are being conducted. The elderly feel happy about the support of one another and they have some cash in their group. More patients are attending the O.P.D; serious cases are given residential care. Children of those with HIV and AIDS celebrated Children’s Day. In the school health program, one of the homework given to the children is to find out how many elderly are in their village, Tola.

And so dear friends and colleagues, we have all the reason and right to celebrate this years’ Christmas with thankfulness in our hearts for the miracles happening at Nazareth Hospital. We also can thank all the sisters who work hard there, the leaders who constantly support the cause.