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Reddiyapatti Mission, Tamil Nadu, India Ministering to marginalized families in Reddiyapatti Mission is one of hundreds of ways in which Medical Mission Sisters around the world try to be a healing presence to those in need today. Medical Mission Sisters have been in mission for 8 years in Reddiyapatti, where 95% of the people are agricultural coolie workers. This outreach developed in collaboration with the Archdiocese of Madurai - Tamil Nadu, and with the local parish. Our Sisters focus their ministry in 14 villages. About 500 families in the area belong to the lowest caste. These dalit agricultural workers are the poorest, weariest, and most underprivileged section of this society.
They experience such health problems as anemia, malnutrition, lung infections, communicable diseases, and premature death, and they suffer from a lack of safe drinking water. They are viewed as illiterate and “unclean.”
Earlier this year, Sisters Theyamma Kuthivalachel and Jolly Jose Kuruvachira, together with three field staff, went to the villages to organize the children of these marginalized families. The pressure on the children to drop out of school and work in the fields is great, especially during the second school term. Our Sisters arranged a one-day seminar for 4 villages, and 320 children who were likely to drop out participated.
“It was a new experience, and exciting for them to mix with children from other places,” explains Sister Jolly. “They were eager to share and exchange their knowledge and understanding on such issues as water, ecology, and concerns about health. Though the children were from a very poor socio-economic strata, they proved to themselves that they, too, were capable of thinking seriously and discussing matters that affect their life situations.” In addition, Sister Jolly shares, a life guidance course was conducted for young women from 3 villages. Most of the women who attended are employed in cotton mills and match factories. “It was a beautiful experience of oneness, to bring them together as a single group despite the differences in faith.” By educating the children and young women, our Sisters hope to build up the health and well-being of Reddiyapatti Mission. As Sister Theyamma says, “Children can be effective agents for bringing changes in society. They can influence the parents, elders, and leaders in the community, as an ‘objective and unbiased group’ accepted by all.”
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