The month of June has been a difficult month, but at the same time, a month full of movement. June is the month dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and in Kurdeg, the Parish Church is dedicated to Sacred Heart, so we had especial devotion during this month to pray to the merciful and compassionate heart of Jesus to bestow on us his abundant blessings.
Regarding the life in the Community of Kurdeg some ups and downs have been there. Brother Selvan (in Tamil Nadu, applying for Passport and visiting his family) and Brother Sandip (in Bangalore, Karnataka, for theology studies) were transferred from this Community and are no longer here. Brother Raja, who went earlier to Bangalore, is now in Madurai (preparing his assignments and research paper) and will go home for visiting his family and the wedding of his own sister. Br. Abhay is at home with his family. So, Br. Efraim, the Superior, is staying alone in Kurdeg Community; the first days, some of the future candidates are making company to him, but due to the inconvenience of language they cannot understand each other.
On 4 June, Br. Superior and 3 future candidates travelled from Kurdeg to Rourkela by car. There in Rourkela other future candidates are waiting, as well as our aspirants of Eluru and the newly professed Brothers (Danid, Sumilan and Sandeep M.) All of them waiting for Tata-Dhanbad-Allepey Train which will take them until our Formation House of Eluru. Some candidates of the Sisters were also present. Finally the train arrived and all found accommodation. Train was very full of people… and it was very very hot. Boys asked Brother Efra to go with them until Eluru, but he had other occupations in Kurdeg to do. So, he went back alone to Kurdeg.
During this time, Brother was alone in the Community house. He followed his own timetable for prayers, meals, etc. Those days, Kurdeg is very hot; during the day, you cannot stay outside, only in the shadow of the tree; at night it’s impossible to sleep, because it’s terribly hot and there is no electricity. For the meals, cook was coming, but sometimes Brother was not eating, and other times he was sick. Mornings he was taking tea with the Fathers, and evening he was going to Sisters’ Convent for drinking ‘Aam pani’ (mango water); at home he was taking ‘Satu pani’ (very refreshing drink for this hot climate).
On 7 June, Saturday, Brother received the visit of St Lucy Sisters from Eluru. Two Sisters came for recruiting one girl from Kurdeg Parish. Brother went to Simdega to pick them up after having paid a visit to the Bishop (to talk about land matters) and having done some purchases. On the way to Kurdeg, Brother stopped in Purnapani, Pastoral Centre. He visited the new Sister in charge and Fr Peter Barla (who is going to be transferred). Speaking to Fr Barla, finally Brother recovered the amount of money that Father owed to the Community of Eluru. This amount is a free donation (ehem!) of Eluru Community for all the inconvenience caused. Finally we all arrived in Kurdeg, and Sisters stayed that night in our Community. They contacted the girl, who next day, Sunday, would come.
Sunday 8 was the celebration of First Communion (for second time in Kurdeg Church). This time some 120 children (and no so children) took for the first time the Communion, participating so of the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Sisters and candidate that early morning went to Rourkela by bus. That night Brother was sick –kidney pain- and he couldn’t sleep; next day he also had some stomach problem (maybe due to the tablets he took at night). Those days Brother was sleeping in the corridor with the cat (‘Mishi’) as company.
New Brothers were appointed to form part of this Community: Br. Anand and Br. Subash. Both are from Odisha, Roukela Diocese, near Rajgangpur, but different parishes. Brother Superior agreed with them to go and pick them up on Saturday 14. So, with the help of the Sisters (Headmistress and Superior) they went to Rajgangpur on that day. Like an outing day. First they met Br. Anand in Kutra and then Br. Subash in Rajgangpur. We were refreshed by nice ice-cream and lassy. On the way home, we had our lunch in a hotel in Bargaon. We took the way of Subdega, Kasega and finally Kurdeg. New Brothers were accommodated in the dependencies of the Community. Already Br. Subash knew the place, but the following days it was for them a first contact with the place and people of Kurdeg.
On Sunday there was Catholic Shaba rally, so all the parish priests of the Kurdeg Vicariate gathered for the celebration of the Eucharist. Many people attended. That day we had also meal in the parish house (Fathers, Brothers and Sisters). On Monday, Br. Abhay returned after his holidays. He is to be one year more in the Community of Kurdeg.
The lessons in the three Schools of Kurdeg started on 9 June, but they were suspended due to the scorching heat and the lack of rain. They were to be restart on 18 June. For the Brothers there was no problem, they joined the schools with all natural manner: Br. Abhay and Br. Anand are going to teach to Boys’ Middle School, and Br. Subash (and Br. Raja) is going to Nirmala High School. For the news Brothers, beginnings are difficult, but they are adapting themselves as best as they can.
In the Parish, they are two transfers: Fr. Sashi is going for a Sabbatical year, and Parish Priest, Fr Raphael, is going to Samsera. So, there are also programs of farewell for Fathers, especially Fr Raphael. In the Middle School, we participated of a fraternal meal; next day, Sunday, 21, we invited Fathers for dinner to our Community; next day, we enjoyed the tea time in Sir Walter Toppo’s house and the dinner in Sisters’ Convent; next day, “final supper of parish priest” in the Parish House (with the presence of the new Parish Priest, Fr Isidore). On 24 June, Br. Superior and Br. Anand went to Simdega to meet the Bishop (more about land matters and registration) and Br. Abhay accompanied the delegation of the parish for the installation of the new parish priest in Samsera. Br. Subash remained in the School.
At Community we were following the normal timetable: for meals, prayers, Mass, Community meeting, rest, recreation... Since it is the time for the World Cup, we tried to repair our TV antenna to watch some matches, but for some mysterious reasons, at 9.30pm, that particular channel of the World Cup is not working (during the day, yes). So, for two or three matches we all went to the house of a teacher, sir Vijay. There, many fellows of Hatta village also gathered to watch football. Interest to watch football matches is there in the people, but not everyone has TV at home (for we have no electricity) and they cannot afford a small generator or genset.
And life is going on… We are waiting for Br. Raja’s return to complete the Community members for this academic year 2014-2015. The Community is formed by: Br. Efraím, Superior and Administrator, Br. Abhay, Br. Raja, Br. Anand and Br. Subash.
The chronicler of Kurdeg
