Kutta

253pm 31.8.8
For the last two days I’ve been in Kutta.

Where the main crop is Coffee!

(coffee beans prior to ripening)

One of the first things Fr. Arul arranged was for me to meet the chief of the local police, as a courtesy call. I’ve discovered over my time here, that Fr. Arul is very wise in matters of faith/politics interactions. And in India, that wisdom can mean the difference between life and death.

Just a few days ago, in Orissa (near Calcutta) a group Catholics were killed in a church by Hindu extremists. I believe they were burned, but they may have been hacked up. And in response the Church of India called a holiday and is having days of mourning and penance.

Fr. Arul has beautiful view of his ministry. He’s got a kind of visitation ministry, where he visits with various parishioners and other non Catholics. And it’s wonderful to be able to meet such a large swath of society, and to see how evangelization doesn’t have to be overt to work.

Yesterday morning, I was able to spend at the local water falls. Where beautiful butterflies abound, and are hard to catch.


The Church here is vibrant compared to American Churches, though perhaps with the exception of small parishes. Though the population is small, there is a large percentage of them who come to weekly mass, and a comparatively large youth group.


One thing I’ve been struggling with over the last few days/week has been an emptiness; an emptiness of emotion behind my smile, of fervor behind my actions. And though I think that it’s just God granting me the grace of ever so slight dryness, I am happy He has yet to deem me worthy of true aridity.



Along with this slight dryness of emotion, have come doubts; temptations for me to give up and run home. These are temptations that the Lord lets me suffer, that I might grow more reliant upon Him and less upon my own discernment. That I might become more docile to and stalwart in His designs than my own. Oh how often I feel an Alien! How often I wonder why I am here.



An interesting group of people that I have met are Koorgies. They seem to be the upper class in the area, and relatively wealthy. They all seem very well educated about things I would not suspect. Though predominantly Hindu, one was well versed in the Bible and Koran, for example. They also seem to be quite reasonable, and well mannered. And unlikely to get fired up without good cause.


(Rice fields)

The last few days I’ve had much rest… as I’ve been a bit sick, I guess, I’ve been tired. 320pm
344pm
I think it mostly was a reaction to the Bed Bugs, though because of it I’m now a bit concerned about my cough… though I doubt it’s TB, I do think it’s annoying, and something that needs to be taken care of. So I’ve started to take an antibiotic, and may consult a doctor soon… Michelle has Giardia, which may also mean that’s the cause of my periodic diarrhea (another reason I’ve decided to take an antibiotic, to eliminate a bacterial cause to diarrhea).

Soon I’ll be heading out of Koorg to Bangalore or elsewhere, as Fr. doesn’t have much for me to do around here, as I don’t speak the language. (English is rare and Hindi rarer still).

Any how, until the next post!
Blessings!
~edward
349pm