AT HOME IN AJARA
To welcome strangers, the Ajarekars are like Abraham; I beg you, do not pass by Gen. 18; 2-6 At their table or rather in their home, there is always a place for the other, a hot pyala of milk and bhakri with chutney solidarity is part of their nature. They can spend whole nights at the bedside of a sick person or of a dead one, matters little if he is a relative or just a neighbhour. Even their cattle have a room in their homes. They almost worship their cattle that are considered as their breadwinners.
Such is the atmosphere in Ajara where our sisters are serving since Ajara is hidden in the intricacies of the Western Ghhats. The air has a whiff of smoke and cow dung. Our sisters are involved in Pastoral and Social apostolate. Together with the Jesuits, they conscientize the people on various topics and prepare them for the sacraments. They also offer religious instruction. The Jesuit-run school makes education up to the High School and Higher Secondary level accessible to them.
History of the community
In order to extend the kingdom of God in the mission land of Kolhapur district Ajara, the Holy Family Sisters, for the first time accepted this offer to establish a house out of Goa, at the kind request of the Jesuit Provincial Rev. Fr. Romualdo D’souza S.J.
Fr. Romualdo, made repeated request and personal appeal to the then Superior General Rev. Mother Gertrude Sfn to send Sisters to work in the mission land of Ajara. Taking this as a will of God, the Superior General along with her Council, Srs. Pia, Jane, Lydia and Fremiot decided to take up the offer. On 1st of November 1979 they visited the place of Ajara and met Rev. Fr. Prabhudar, the director and discussed with him about the mission work. They returned after a couple of days and took a deep thought in prayers and then sent a few novices with their mistress to get the experience in mission work. They spent about 25 days there and carried on different types of activities, visiting different villages especially during the festivals of each village.
Thus they came back with full of zeal and enthusiasm and really felt the great need of Sisters to work with the people of Ajara. They felt that there was a lot of good to be done in Ajara by spreading the Word of God to these people. So it was on 19th November 1980 that the sisters came to Ajara officially to work in this mission land under the guidance of Bishop Valerian D’souza.
Now the sisters were staying in a small house which was arranged by Fr. Prabhudar. On 24th November, 1980 sisters stepped in another house and the sisters officially took charge of this house and the community was named as HOLY FAMILY MISSION HOUSE. On the same day few girls also came to stay with the sisters as boarders, they were 31 in number.
From this day the sisters started their mission with great zeal and trusting in the Lord they engaged themselves in these works such as in charge of the boarders, pastoral work in all its forms, visiting in the villages and staying with during the weekends, besides teaching catechism in the church also engaged in the adult catechesis, distribution of medicines in the villages especially those who are needy.
Since sisters felt the need of the companionship of the Lord, hence the Blessed Sacrament was installed in a small room and this was made as a prayer room for the sisters. As the house was very small, and there was not much place to take more boarders, a plot was given to sisters. On March 28th 1985 Rev. Mother Jane sfn laid the foundation stone and Fr. Prabhudar blessed the stone.
At present there are four sisters and boarders, big and small (Std III to X). One sister teaches in the Rosary English School, two are teaching in Pre – Primary in our convent, two sisters go in the villages – visits the families, prepares them for the liturgy, ( reading practice and hymn practice) we empower women through Mahila Mandal thus conducting various activities to foster their growth.
In this mission land we are convinced that our life belongs to the whole community, as long as, we live there. It is our privilege to do whatever we can for we believe in these words the harder I work the more I live Christ in me, for we rejoice in giving our life for His sake.
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