A Christmas Gift for Today’s Magi

By Sujata Jena –

Bhubaneswar:  I attended a gathering of some 200 people who had assembled at Anugraha Peetha (Center of Grace), a church center in a small town, of Mohana district in the eastern Indian state of Odisha to express their gratitude to Father Abraham Karukaparambil for supporting them financially in pursuing their education.

I learned about this event from Dr. Manoranjan Nayak, who is currently working in the Odisha government Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Development, Minority, and Backward Class Welfare. Nayak was one of the first students to receive financial support from Fr. Abraham to prepare for the civil services exam when he went through a critical financial constraint in 2002.

I requested the organizers to allow me to participate in the gathering for two purposes. First, to address the students and motivate them to prepare for civil services as civil service involves decision making and policy changing and implementing as govt employees. I have been passionately working on this for the past few years. Second, to meet up with Father Abraham Karukaparambil and to know about his mission.

The priest has become the hope for the hopeless. I learned, more than 180 students pursue various professional courses because of the priest. They are students of medicine, pharmacy, nursing, charted accountancy, law, B. Tech, MBA, BBA, BCA, B.Ed, aspirants for medical entrance exams,  civil services, various college studies, and a good number of them in various stages of school.

Besides, there are professionals such as doctors, professors, nurses, teachers, and others working on government projects and private sectors whose careers were built by Father Abraham.

What struck me the most was, all those getting financial assistance from Father Abraham were from poor Dalits and tribal families who have been exploited historically and structurally.

For the past couple of years, I have been extensively visiting the rural areas of Odisha to educate, mobilize and empower bright students for the preparation of civil services.

I have witnessed hundreds of Christian youths being deprived of higher studies due to a lack of financial support and accommodation facilities in the district headquarters and cities where they could have availed of higher education.

Dalits Christians suffer triple exploitations. First, because they are Dalits, second because they are Christians, and third because they are poor.  They are landless, jobless, and voiceless. Dalits are also often deprived of social schemes and entitlements due to a lack of official documents such as address proof, residential proof, caste certificates, etc., and the absence of good and dedicated leadership. There is no provision for the reservation of seats.

Most Dalit and Tribal students go to government-run schools as they cannot afford the tuition fee in private schools. Though bright and have potential, going for higher education and getting a job becomes difficult for them. After their matriculation studies or even after plus-two and graduation, most of them end up as migrant workers in other states. Recently, the federal government stopped pre-matric schemes for minority students.

What does the church do for the Dalit students? Like the rest of the states, the Odisha Church has made an impressive contribution to the health and education of the people, irrespective of caste and creed. It has expanded its presence far and wide in its humanitarian mission. Unfortunately, the church is doing less to uplift the historically backward community.

The Church might be worried about doing more for the Dalits because it might disturb the local equation and ecosystem and change the status quo. When the status quo of a particular system is changed, there’s bound to be some friction in society, especially by the present regime.

Education empowers a person. It opens doors for a happy and wholesome life. The contribution of Father Abraham to the lives of these less fortunate ones is indelible. Not many individuals, and even organizations, are committed to this service. When I asked where he gets his resource to respond to the many requests, Father Karukaparambil explained, that he started helping students 25 years back from a stipend of 5,000 rupees received after preaching a retreat to a group of sisters.

Today, his resources include his savings from his ministry in the United States and gifts and donations from friends, family, parishioners, students, and NRI families in the States. Thanks to these kind souls who can wipe the tears off the face of many who suffer without basic necessities.

Jesus stood by the poor, marginalized, the outcast, the sinner, the lost, and the least. He didn’t condemn the poor but spoke on their behalf. He challenged the oppressive system that promoted injustice and inequality in society. As followers of Christ, every baptized Christian is responsible for building God’s kingdom of love, justice, and peace. It is to live in solidarity with others and build an egalitarian society.

May this Christmas remind us of the first Christmas. God came down for the whole of humanity to be in solidarity with all. Christmas is giving. May we learn to give; ourselves, our time, resources, energy, talents, love, and care for each other, especially the vulnerable ones who are less fortunate than us.