Shown around by a Metropolitan

With HG leading us, we could not go wrong.

We had the honor of being shown around the land of the Gregorian Community in Roha by the Senior Metropolitan of the Church, HG Geevarghese Mar Coorilose. I had this thought and the profoundness of the honor in the back of my mind always, as I walked behind His Grace and the other visitors whom Thirumeni was taking around, familiarizing them (and me) with the place.



the platform in the riverbank

during the conference, evening prayer(file picture from FB)

We walked past the school grounds where a stage was being set for the Annual Day functions in the evening. We walked past the beautiful coconut trees, mango trees, and other plants that made it look like a mini-Kerala there. Thirumeni led us to a beautiful river bank which, as I had seen in the pictures, was the setting for an evening prayer at the Global MGOCSM Conference held recently there. I could imagine the scene of the MGOCSM kids on the river bank and could almost hear their voices echoing synchronously over the serenity of the river as they would have immersed themselves in the beautiful evening prayer on that evening right there, a couple of months earlier.



Kappa (yuca)

chickoo

We passed a hut where we were served some drinks. It was really hot out there. Cincy Kochamma who along with her husband Rev. Fr. B.M. Thomas were currently managing the Gregorian Community, had been running around to ensure that we were comfortable. She was kind enough to bring out a few umbrellas for us to escape the sun, as well as arrange for the some water to drink.

Sunny uncle saw a couple of young sheep and went and picked one up as I hurried to capture that on my camera. Nearby we saw kappa (yuca) plants, chickoo, plaintains, and different vegetable plants especially famous among the Malayalees like - koval, paval etc. Now I understand why Thirumeni loves to come here, I thought - when he is away from Kerala, this place would remind him of God's own country!

Thirumeni explained to us how many selfless volunteers had worked day in and day out to convert the area within a short time into a place suitable for holding such a major event as the MGOCSM conference, as we passed by the different structures that had served as kitchen, serving area, living area etc during the conference. Thirumeni was very happy with the way the conference had panned out and it shown on his face and his words.

We walked into a stable where there were a few cows and calves, walked past homes of some of the local people who worked in the community and back to the school area from where we had started. Thirumeni then went on to show us the new construction of the school, the different rooms etc.

There is a nice chapel there beside the bishop's house, and we soon had our noon prayer there.

We have about 23 acres of land at this location in Roha. It is upto us, the Church, to use it, and build it into something beautiful for the glory of God and for the good of the society. I pray for this to happen.