Carlo Torriani

SWARGA DWAR

The conversion of a catholic missionary

presented by

Card. Simon Pimenta

PIME Publications, PIME Regional House, Eluru - 534 0-07, A.P., India

AGRICULTURAL REHABILITATION

Letter No.27, Taloja, November 1985

Dear Friends,

There are period of intense correspondence and period of intense manual work when correspondence is forgotten. In the last months, unfortunately we had forgotten the correspondence.

My last letter is of ten months ago. When I have to choose between working in the fields and working at the desk I always end up opting for the first because my people are there waiting for me while the letters can always wait on my desk. So the letters are piling up waiting for the time “when there is nothing else to do”. Here I am writing to you for Christmas.

    News? Nothing really exiting. The work of rehabilitation in Swarga Dwar continue. This year not only we had a good harvest of mangoes and rice, but we also started some cultivation of vegetables like tomatoes and egg-plants, thanks to the water of our bore-wells financed by Mani Tese.

We started also a stable with four pigs of good breed and two buffaloes for milk. Now we are building a piggery to house hundred animals. Unfortunately we are not lucky with building-contractors. The first promised to finished the hospital for October 84 but he has not yet finished. Two weeks before the rainy season, since no shelter was available, we engaged a second contractor. We went from the pan into the fire. After laying the foundation of three farm-houses ad getting the first payment he disappeared. As the rains started we had no option but to put a second roof of asbestos sheets over the old farm-house of the previous owner since the original roof was leaking to much. For all this delay the medical activity has not yet started.

    To help us there is a young couple of volunteers sent by Cooperazione Internazionale, Arne is German, Rosy is Italian, ad their small daughter has an Indian name, Shanti. We hope they will be able to remain long time.

    Naturally the routine work of Lok Seva Sangam, survey, education and treatment in Bombay continue under the leadership of Dr. Antonio Grugni. 4500 leprosy patients are given treatment every month in one of the 31 weekly dispensaries near their residence. Now we got also a Mobile Clinic, that is a small bus, custom made, where doctor and nurse can visit and treat. So we can have more independence and go anywhere. The total staff now is more than sixty. Our effort is to motivate them so that they should not consider this work only a job but a vocation that can give satisfaction.

    Now that the staff is so much increased it is more difficult to show that we are not only social workers but also missionaries, that means sent by someone who loves us and loves all humanity. For this purpose we are of the opinion that facts are more eloquent than words, that orthopraxis (right actions) should come before orthodoxy  (right teaching). We think that it will be through orthopaxis that the world will understand the uniqueness of Christ and of his Church. The simple affirmation that Jesus is the only saviour can hurt the other. We must show how the message of Jesus works in life and in history. Only history will demonstrate.