A WEEK SPENT AT JYOTI NIVAS, INDORE

We brothers—Libu Choorapuzhayil, Manu Kochumalayil and Siju Kolthambrayil—were privileged to spend a week (24th – 31st January 2010) at Jyoti Nivas, Indore, which is at a walking distance from the Bishop’s House, Indore.

Jyoti Nivas, a Sisu Bhavan and a home for the destitute and dying people, is run by M.C. Sisters. We had our stay arranged at Bishop’s House and the ministry at Jyoti Nivas. We daily reached Jyoti Nivas by 8.30 in the morning and returned to the Bishop’s House at around 7 O’ clock in the evening. We had our Holy Mass, breakfast and supper in the Bishop’s House and lunch in Jyoti Nivas.

The days spent there were really inspiring and we gained a lot from this one week-long ministry. There were 57 patients and 13 children in this Home. To our great pleasure we had a golden opportunity to be with the patients and small kids and to serve them.

These patients come from different strata of the society. Some of them are mentally challenged, some are abandoned by their own family members for being old or sickly, and others are orphans who are thrown away to the outskirts of cities. We could help them by cleaning, washing the clothes, giving food and medicines, cutting their hair etc.
• We could listen to them, and console them in our own way. One thing that we noticed is that these poor patients did never share the pain of their wounds and diseases but the great pain they feel in being rejected by their dear and near ones.• We could see these rejected ones feeling at home in Jyoti Nivas owing to the very love and concern of the sisters who run this institution. And we feel that our presence really doubled this feeling.• Though abandoned and sick, some of them are able to sing songs, do cleaning works and help others in some other ways. They help one another and make the home a heaven.• But we saw a number of people who provide food and clothing to them on the occasion of various feasts and celebrations in their home.• Sisu Bhavan consists of small kids who were abandoned and thrown into the dustbins, left on the road sides, in the hospitals, etc. We spent some time in taking care of these kids. We tried our level best to make them happy and pleasant and sometime to make them sleep by singing songs etc.

• The ministry in Jyoti Nivas was really inspiring and enriching. The sisters in Jyoti Nivas were very friendly, cordial and co-operative.
• The service done by the MC Sisters is highly appreciable because they follow the foot steps of their founder Bl. Mother Theresa. They really practice the words and deeds of Jesus in their life and activities.
• Our presence was well accepted and appreciated both in JyotiNivas and Bishop’s House. This ministry is a real boost to us to go ahead with an attitude of being with the the poor and helping them.