EMPOWERING PEOPLE
XAVIER JAMES L.
INTRODUCTION
Gone are the days when the Church gave some material benefits in order that people came up in life. It is high time for the Church to find out and utilize the potentials of the people to build communities. It is by building communities that people build each other and come out of their clutches those bind them. Thus we can grow as a community of persons who are meant for others. This was very much practical from my experience at Patlamau, a village in Sagbara Taluka of South Gujarat. Instead of giving fish the church has taught men and women to fish. I would like to give the historical and social realities of the village and then I would like to comment on empowering people where it is necessary.
THE GENESIS
Patlamau was a forest. In 1935, Padvibhai Patel, a Vasava tribal inhabited this forest that eventually made its existence as village. In the beginning, along with his family members, he occupied this place and later many others joined him. Nutjibhai, the only son of Padvibhai is still alive and active. All the inhabitants in this village are aboriginals and no outsiders are allowed to stay or immigrate here. Thus the village is not much contaminated by others. Padvibhai had brought a teacher to this village so to educate the children of this village. Thus people had access to education even before Independence. Nutjibhai has studied till 5th standard. He is an intelligent, well-respected, bright man and his handwriting is excellent. His fluency in Marathi, Gujarati and Vasavi is to be admired. He has written and composed many Bhajans in Vasavi, and also has translated with the help of others the Gospel according to Luke into Vasavi. I was put up in this precious family for my Contextual Theology Programme. This family is a warm and welcoming family. I envisage that this particular family will do much more for the growth of the village and of the people. The seed of faith was so strong in them that though some priests and sisters neglected this family due to their own insecurity problems, the family remained faithful to the teachings of faith.
SOCIAL LIFE
Vasava is a well-knitted indigenous community. These aboriginals are closely related to each other, loving, caring and a welcoming community. They highly respect the elders of the community who are powerful persons in regard to legislating and executing laws in the society. These people are very approachable. Once they come to know that a person is trustworthy, they gradually begin to share their difficulties, troubles and joys. Amidst goodness there are few social evils very dominant in this village such as drunkenness, laziness on the part of man, suppression of women, minimum education for the children and dropouts from schools and superstitious beliefs. As polygamy is concerned it is an accepted norm in this community and many live with more than one wife.
Here I would like to comment on the awareness and growth brought about by the Youth animator Gambirbhai and Women’s group animator Jakaben. I can visualize a better future for this village community. Already awareness programmes have been conducted by these groups and are guided by Fr. Andrew.
ECONOMICAL STATUS
People live solely on agriculture. They depend mostly upon rain for a good crop. Their fields are not on a leveled ground but on the hills. Owing to this they are necessitated to do step cultivation. They grow cotton, corn, juhar, rice, tuver, yeranda, vegetables, etc. Their homes are self-reliant with grains to eat and fill their stomach. However the economical condition is very poor. Poverty too is very vibrant and dominant in this village. A large number of them cultivate their own fields and those who go for daily wages to other’s fields would normally accumulate Rs. 20/- only. Some of them go for daily wages to the government projects only to earn Rs. 60/- per day. Others avail themselves to work in the cities like Surat, Bardoli, Navsari, Daman, etc for work as coolie, business and other works. On such works when they get salary it is usually transacted to their homes through Money Order. Eventually, quite a few of them would take their whole family to the city in view of getting some jobs. Here unemployment is a vital problem. It is obvious that the village has raised only 3 teachers until now. They were helped by missionaries then. It is a sorry state that they are not much interested in the progress of the village. Nonetheless the village has produced only one military man. Some have joined the Milk Co-operatives. Many possess cattles like oxen, buffalloes, cows, goats and fowls. Most of them live hand to mouth.
I hope that the self-help groups run by Women’s group and Youth group will lend a hand to the economic growth of the village progressively. Now people have begun realizing that they need to help themselves in order to grow economically.
EDUCATIONAL CONDITION
There is a primary school in the village, which caters to students from 1st to 7th Standards. There are only 4 teachers involved in the school. Raisighbhai Vasava is the principal of the school, who has genuine interest in educating the children. There are 151 children studying in the school. Many children study in the Ashram Schools of Navifali, NanaDoramba and Umerda. Some study in Navrachna mission school. People say that the proper education is given to the children only in the mission school. There are many dropouts from 5th, 7th and 9th Standards. The Catholics feel that the Catholic children should be given admission in the Catholic schools and be helped in education. Some people feel that the sisters are not sensitive to their feelings and they need to know the background of the people so to understand the people better. The inhabitants are very hard working and have a great desire to educate their children. In the surrounding of the village there are two schools and one Ashram School. The teachers are given a lot of other writing works by the state government therefore they are not able to utilize their potentials and time in teaching the children. The government has a hidden agenda by not educating these tribal children. I feel that the government does not want these tribals to rise above and get into some higher offices.
There are graduates and even postgraduates in the village who are unemployed. Some of them strive to do something to the development of the community. Some youth under the inspiration of the youth animator Gambirbhai go to the school and share their valuable knowledge with the children for the growth of the future generation. Some of them are very good at Mathematics, Science and English. This knowledge could be shared and used for the growth of the future generations.
RELIGIOUS SPHERE
The religion of the indigenous people is the original religion of the place. Now there is a lot of influence of Hinduism. In the place of Mogi Matha of Dev Mogra many gods and goddess have come into their houses. The tribals are the people of faith. They feel that Hinduism has destroyed their religion. Since there was nothing written and had only oral traditions it has at a snail's pace gone to the doom. Holi and Deepavali are the important feasts. Holi is an attraction in these areas. They have a religious festival for the ox called Pashudin. This is magnificently celebrated among the residents. They are very tolerant towards any religion. A quiet number of families are Catholics, others are Protestants, a few of them are bhatiji maharaj sect and some are Hindus. To these people what is more significant is the social life rather than its religion. Even in this sphere lot of awareness has been brought and the residents are bit cautious of any fanatics entering in.
CATHOLICISM
Since 1971 the Catholic presence is prevalent in this village. Frs. Barechi and Thomas have worked hard to infuse faith in them. Many who received baptism have regressed after the projects and giving financial help have stopped. Only 12 families have remained as Catholics and among them only 8 families are faithful and practicing Catholicism. However there is no conflict between those who are faithful and those who fell away. It seems that some priests and nuns have not been sensitive to the feelings of these people due to which, the Catholics feel that the religious instructions were insufficient and inevitable.
Priest and sisters need to visit the houses of the children who are already studying in our boardings. A simple visit of this kind may slowly but surely will bring them up to faith. The faith of those who have remained is very strong that they have been faithful though out their lives since its inception. To them the priest and the church do not matter but what matters is faith in Lord Jesus. Catholics meet every Sunday for prayer and alternative Wednesday for the Eucharistic celebration.
There are active leaders in the church as well as in the society. They are like leaven in the dough. There are some who want to be leaders for power and glorification of self. Nonetheless, some are genuine, selfless and generous leaders, who are authentically interested in the development and the well being of the village community. There are many Charismatic leaders who need to be encouraged. By encouraging them we can bring out the potentials, abilities, gifts and talents for the growth of the village and Church at large. The village community of believers come together to plan and celebrate some occasions. Their main focus is on the unity and harmony among the believers. They strive to build communities, which have two dimensions i.e. vertical and horizontal. Vertical refers to the faith and praising God, which indeed they do it. Horizontal refers to the love relationship, fellowship among the believers and also with the others and living out the Christian values of truth, freedom, equality, love, etc. which they strive to do so.
FAMILY LIFE
Family life in the village is very amazing phenomenon and there is close and well-knitted relationship between all the members of the family. I had a privilege to witness the facts of healthy family life of Rameshbhai and Jakaben and others in the family. The credit also goes to Fr. Andrew who facilitates the family life and the unity of the family. In this particular family all of them come together every evening for prayers, singing and Scripture reading. This particular act makes so much a difference in dealing with one another in the family. While I was there I used to break the Word of God and lead them to prayer with reflection. Many used to take part in the shared prayers and reflections. During the prayer many social issues are brought about and discussed in the community. Through such aloud thinking the hidden talents of the family members are brought to the fore for the service of the others and the society. Self-worth and self-image is so much stressed upon that many could come to reconcile with themselves to go forth to be the light of the community. They have also realized that ‘if I don’t grow then I stagnate’. I have tried to inculcate in them that to be holy today is to be a whole person. By becoming holy person we can also make others whole. This task is very noteworthy to build community. Hence from this group of believers 2 proficient leaders have emerged and are doing good work in building up people. They are Jakaben and Gambirbhai who are guided by Fr. Andrew himself.
Ecclesia in Asia says, “ The family is the normal place where the young grow to personal and social maturity. It is also the bearer of the heritage of humanity itself, because through the family life is passed on from generation to generation. The family occupies a very important place in Asian cultures; and, as the Synod Fathers noted, family values like filial respect, love and care for the aged and the sick, love of children and harmony are held in high esteem in all Asian cultures and religious traditions. Seen through Christian eyes, the family is ‘the domestic Church’”. The document also urges the parents to pay heed to the prayer, Bible reading and reflection in the family members. In doing so the family evangelizes itself and the wider community. In this particular family and this aspect is present.
GENDER
Basically men flock of this village remains idle, whereas the women and children work hard. Some women honestly say that due to this situation in the village, poverty is prevailing. If both work together then there would be a lot of scope for progress. The women’s movement under the leadership of Jakaben has become very effective and fully alive. They have organized seminars and have really attracted many women through these meetings. In the cases of marriage, the girls have the right to say ‘no’ to the proposals then otherwise. It is a custom for a boy to give dowry to the girl.
HEALTH AND POPULATION
There are 265 families in this village whose individual number runs to 1,155. The houses mostly are of bamboos, furnished with cow dung and mud. Within the walls it is cool and ventilating houses, which is normally surrounded by a garden. There is a hospital in the village. Doctor visits only on Tuesdays and Fridays but irregularly. Though everything seems to be fresh yet people are undernourished. There are 25 hand pumps in the village that provides pure water to them. The houses and surroundings are neat and clean.
POLITICAL AWARENESS
Political awareness is rather vibrant among the people. There are BJP, Congress and Janata Dal as dominant parties in this area. People like to speak about politics and many have the aspiration to become political leaders.
A PARTICIPATORY CHURCH
To have an active local church and to build basic human communities, we need to recognize the talents of the people. We need to take the people into confidence, gain their trust in order to share responsibilities with them. We need to have a mission that is, of the people and by the people. It should be people’s community and people’s Church. We need to have the approach of participatory Church for the development of the society. It should be non-institutionalized. We need to implant in the people a sense of accountability by making them responsible. People’s participation in the Church is inevitable. It is the need of the hour to work with the people.
IDENTIFICATION OF TALENTS
Through various organized and focused seminars, we need to trap the talents of the children, youth, men and women in order to create new and effective leaders. During my CTP experience I found Fr. Andrew was doing extremely well in this field. He is well versed in many spheres that counts him to be an asset to this parish and area. He organizes many seminars on personality development, participatory development, youth animation, women’s upliftment and catechetical courses. Through these seminars many have profited a lot and began to have good self-image and self-esteem. Many have realized the hidden talents in them and have begun to utilize the same to the whole growth of a person and society.
EMPOWERMENT
An empowering person is one who insists on equality with the collaborator, believes in joint decision-making and shared responsibility, is willing to share ideas as well as the feelings associated with them, is ready to give as well as receive feedback. The outcome is that the collaborator accepts peer status, feels free to communicate openly assumes a share of responsibility, and works co-operatively. Jesus was an empowering character in his every dealing. He says, “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing: but I have called you friends… that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide.”(Jn. 15:15-16). Empowerment is easier in small village like Patlamau. It is possible to recognize persons and the talents they possess. Community animators should aim at nothing less than discovering, enabling and empowering the gifts/charism of each and every person is the village community.
When we focus on the development of the people we need to focus on the human person. However we should not dehumanize while empowering. The church teaching is very clear about this view. By taking the name of empowerment we tend to sideline, isolate and neglect the human person. Hence we need to defend and safeguard the dignity of human person. The service of human development begins with the service of life itself. Life is a great gift entrusted to us by God.
CONCLUSION
To build people we need to know, understand the way they think and act. To build people, we need to make use of all these knowledge and abilities of the people. This will enable us to help them grow toward greater and better well being. They are meant to make wonders in their own respective well-knitted villages as a community.
Ecclesia in Asia 34, the document illustrates about the mission to the Asian Church to the Adivasis, “In almost every Asian country, there are large aboriginal populations, some of them on the lowest economic rang. The Synod repeatedly noted that indigenous or tribal people often feel drawn to the person of Jesus Christ and to the Church as a community of love and service. Herein lies an immense field of action in education and health care, as well as in promoting social participation. The Catholic Community needs to intensify pastoral work among these people, attending to their concerns and to the questions of justice, which affect their lives. This implies an attitude of deep respect for their traditional religion and its values; it implies as well the need to help them to help themselves, so that they can work to improve their situation and become the evangelizers of their own culture and society”.
We, the Church can a make difference in such localities if we are resolved to work for the development and well being of the people. And that seeing the good works that will be done by the people, we may give praise to God the Father.
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