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“Go, then to all people everywhere and make them my disciples; baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age” (Mt. 28:19-20).
The term ‘mission’ is derived from mittere the Latin verb meaning to send. It corresponds to the Hebrew term ?lah and the Greek term apostellein. ‘To send’ presupposes a ‘sender’ and a person whom the sender sends. Therefore Mission is to be understood as an act of sending someone with a specific task or role. In Christian understanding God the Father is the source of mission. It is His will and desire that no one should die but “all should live and arrive at true knowledge” (I Thimo 2:4). Hence the Father consecrated and sent into this world His only begotten Son. God also sends the Spirit to dwell in every one and to shower grace on everything so that “they may have life and have it abundantly” (Jn 10:10). Thus mission has its source in the Triune God and it goal is ‘giving life in its fullness’.
Consecrated by the Spirit and sent by the Father Christ is the missionary of the Father (cf. Jn 17:18-19). So also the apostles, who Christ sent into the world, are missionaries (Mk 16:15- 18). They went out to the different regions and preached the good news. Many followed their teachings and became Christians. The Church which is constituted by the followers of Christ in its very nature is missionary. This is the mission given to her by Jesus Christ. Like the apostles, the baptized Christians who are called by God and consecrated by him are sent into the world with plans of realizing the Kingdom of God.
The Catholic Church which is Universal, Apostolic, One, and Holy, is living out her missionary nature through her priests, religious men and women who went out to the countries far away from their own and preached the Word of God. Their only mission is to bring out the good news to the people who do not know Jesus.
Bethany Sisters and their Missionary Vocation
The Congregation of the Sisters of the Imitation of Christ; generally known as Bethany Sisters is founded in 1925 by Servant of God Arch bishop Mar Ivanios in the Syrian Jacobite Church. Being guided by the Holy Spirit, Mar Ivanios founded this Congregation as a source of spiritual renewal of the Malankara Syrian Church. Accompanying the founder who re-united with the Catholic Church, on 20 th September 1930, the first ten members of the Congregation also re-united with the Catholic Church on 22 September 1930. The Charism of the Bethany “is the imitation of Jesus Christ, realized through participating in the redemptive mission of the Triune God and to strive for the spiritual renewal of the Syro-Malankara Church, for the evangelization of India, and for the empowerment of women”.
Mar Ivanios, the founder of the Congregation was a great visionary and a missionary. During his Serampore sojourn he got many opportunities to see the evangelical activities of the missionaries from Denmark and Europe in different states of India which made him to think that, though India received the Gospel in AD 52 with the arrival of St. Thomas, remained idle and did not fulfil its God given command. In his auto biography Girideepam he writes: “Church is missionary. If a church fails to fulfil this God-given mission, it is practically dead”. It was a time that the Malankara Church was undergoing a tough time of divisions and power politics and litigation. As a Church it failed in its existential goal to bring the people of God in unity so thus became a hurdle for the men and women to encounter Jesus Christ. Mar Ivanios was of the conviction that the only way to revitalize the Church, it has to recapture and rejuvenate its missionary zeal.
In order to actualize his vision, Mar Ivanios started reflecting, praying and consulting about the various ways of imparting Gospel to the people of India who belong to different cultures, languages and religious faiths. First, he thought of providing good education for young women. Hence, he brought 15 young women to Serampore for higher studies during the period between 1915 and 1925 and sent them to the Diocesan College in Calcutta. They were kept under the training of the Oxford Missionary Sisters of the Epiphany. Mar Ivanios arranged everything for the studies and religious training of these Syrian girls as he may be thinking of these girls as future missionaries who would work among the poor and the down trodden in the society. But his continued prayer and search for truth revealed to him a very important ideal. The missionaries are supposed to give Christ to the people whom they serve. According to him nobody can give what they don’t have. So he came to the decision that what we need first is to have God experience before doing any service to God. Thus, his famous aphorism, “Having God is better than serving God”. In order to realize this ideal, he founded the monastic life or Sanyasa.
Thus, we see, the vision behind the founding of Bethany Madhom is Mar Ivanios’s ideal of mission. That ideal of mission lies at the very heart of the Charism of the Sisters of the Imitation of Christ. Therefore, each and every sisters of Bethany are called to fulfil this mission of Jesus and of his Church by virtue of their vocation, and their consecration. This is because, vocation, consecration and mission find a beautiful co-mingling the life and mission of Jesus and the apostles (Cf. Lk 4:18-19; Jn 17: 18-19). In fulfilling this missionary vocation, the Congregation’s name Bethany and the three Bethanians; Mary, the contemplative, Martha, the active handmaid of the Lord, and Lazarus, the fervent witness to the life of resurrection have set before the Bethany sisters an ideal to follow in their missionary lives.
Bethany Sisters as Missionaries in Ethiopia
Ethiopia, in the Horn of Africa, is a rugged land locked in the East African country split by the Great Rift Valley. The Archaeological excavations dating back more than 3 million years, suggest that it is a place of ancient culture with fine topographical features. This ancient country is found reference in the Holy Bible with the story of the visit of Queen of Sheba to the palace of King Solomon (cf. 2 Chr 9:1-10) and is also referred to in the Book of Job 28:19, Ps.68:31, Is.11:11, Jer.38:7, Eze.30:4,5, Dan 11:43, Amos 9:7, Acts of the Apostles 8:27 etc. Thus we see the Scriptural importance of this Country. However, the Christian presence, especially of the Coptic Church of Egypt in Ethiopia is traced back only to Fourth Century AD. St. Frumentius, who was said to be consecrated by Patriarch St. Athansius of Alexandria (326-373) is considered as the first missionary from the Coptic Church to Ethiopia. Later, we could find that Ethiopian Christianity benefited greatly the missionary services of many missionaries both from the Eastern and Western Churches. It is believed that in 480 Nine monks probably from Syriac reached Ethiopia and they have introduced the monastic tradition in Ethiopia.
The Bethany Sisters’ missionary expedition to Ethiopia initiated by Sr. Benjamin the then Superior General of Bethany is rather a providential event than an arranged endeavour. According to the documents in archives of the Bethany Sisters Generalate, it was Rev. Sr. Mary Christine RSM, an official of the UISG (Union of International Superior Generals, Rome) who introduced Bethany to the Congregation of Mother Theresa’s sisters in Ethiopia. At that time, the Missionaries of Charity in Ethiopia were searching for a Congregation which would undertake the ministry of teaching children as part of their Charism as Charity sisters wanted to entrust their ‘Gift of Love’ an orphanage where HIV/AIDS affected Children were taken care of. Hence, Sr. Benjamin after prayerful reflection and consultation with the general council and provincial superiors, accepted the proposal made to her by Mary Christine RSM. In A letter dated 20.11.2005, Sr. Benjamin expressed her consent to undertake the educational service of the children in the ‘Gift of Love’ and agreed to send sisters to Addis Ababa. Later all the arrangements regarding travel and stay for the sisters were made through Sr. Benedicta MC, the then Regional Superior of the Missionaries of Charity for Ethiopia and Djibouti. His Grace Abune Bar Haneyesus D. Sauraphiel CM the then Metropolitan Archbishop of Addis Ababa joyfully welcomed the Sisters of Bethany to his Archdiocese. Thus, first five sisters were sent to Addis Ababa and they reached the Country on 15th May 2006.
The sisters stayed at the convent of Mother Theresa in the initial period for ten months and were teaching the children of ‘Gift of Love’ with great care and concern. In the meantime, sisters studied the local language, the ethnic culture and acquired good missionary experience. However, it was beyond their capacity to take the responsibility of the entire school run by the MC Sisters all of a sudden. So they looked forward for some other missionary activity to be taken up in accordance with the charism of Bethany.
Bethany in the Eparchy of Emdibir
Providentially, Most Rev. Bishop Musie Ghebreghiorghis, the Bishop of the diocese of Emdibir invited the sisters at Addis to his Diocese to have a look at the pastoral needs of the faithful. The diocese of Emdibir was started in 2003 and was in its initial stage of development. So the bishop asked the sisters whether they could serve in the newly erected diocese. In the diocese, there is a village called Zizencho a very underdeveloped, remote, area with no facilities with regard to education, transportation, and medical care. The people though very poor are good natured and friendly towards others. The bishop told the sisters it would be a great missionary work if they could undertake few villages nearby, for doing some evangelical activities. The sisters consulted with the Superior General, agreed to undertake the village activities. Thus in 2007 the sisters moved from Addis to Zizencho to serve the poorest of the poor. Thus the first members of the Malankara Church who came to Ethiopia are the Bethany Sisters who settled in the village Zizencho.
The sisters made up their mind to do some activities in the field of health care and of education for these poor villagers. By taking the charge of a clinic and by starting a nursery school the sisters tried their level best to provide good medical care to those who are sick and primary education for the children. Sr. Surabhila and Sr. Udhitha are faring well in their health care activities. The clinic is for the villagers a ‘superspeciality hospital’ and srs. Surabhila and Udhitha though nurses become “doctors” for them. Sisters give emergency care for the pregnant women and children and provide medical care to all. More than hundred patients used to come to the clinic each day. They also have undertaken some social developmental activities in Gumerwereda, Guraghe Zone, Southern Nations, Nationalitites and Peoples Regional State Ethiopia. Besides the health centre, the nursery school started under the initiative of our sisters has now become an 8 th grade school. More than five hundred students are studying at present. The school was awarded the honour ‘the best school of Woreda’ .
In 2010, at Arkeit a nearby village another nursery school was started as per the request of the bishop. Now the school has become a 5 th grade school with more than 300 students. Srs. Silvy and Sr. Prasantha are efficiently running these schools. They with the support of others provide food, medicine and uniforms to these children. The children are growing smart and mature. Most Rev. Musie Ghebreghiorghis, the Bishop of the diocese of Emdibir, priests religious and the faithful take good care of the sisters and sincerely support their developmental activities for them.
Besides their activities in the school and in the clinic the sisters are actively engaging in the empowerment of the womenfolk. HIV Awareness programmes, Orientation regarding health care, gardening, and classes on personal and environmental hygiene are given to them. Training is also provided for the women in house- keeping, small ways of generating income through cattle rearing, poultry farm, agriculture... etc. Moreover, our sisters are trying their level best to win the hearts of the people of Zizencho for Christ. Faith orientation classes, catechism, home mission, family visits, adult catechism are some of the ways they undertake to deepen the Christian faith of these people. Hundreds of people received Catholic faith and many reunited to the Church. The sisters are also helped voluntarily by missionaries, and volunteers mainly from Italy.
Thus, it is hopeful to see that our service at Ethiopia is very dynamic and growing fruitful. This enabled our congregation to undertake another mission in 2017 at Nekempte, Ethiopia.
Bethany Sisters in the Apostolic Vicariate of Nekempte
The Apostolic Vicariate of Nekempte (AVN) is an Ecclesiastical unit of the Catholic Church in Ethiopia under the direct authority of the Pope. Bishop Varghese Thottamkara CM is the Vicar of the Pope who leads the Vicariate comprised of 18 fully established parishes, 73 outstations (quasi parishes) with 33 Diocesan priests, Religious both men and women and about 105 catechists serving in various places and assisting in the activities of the Vicariate. . The population of the Vicariate is around 7.5 million and the Catholic population is 55.000. The main pastoral activities of the Vicariate involve evangelization, faith formation, parish renewal, administration of Sacraments, family visits etc. Along with the pastoral works, the Apostolic Vicariate undertakes educational services, health services and other social developmental activities. As Bishop Thottamkara says “Both new evangelization and re-evangelization is a need of the Vicariate” For this, the Vicariate welcomes sincere and dedicated missionaries.
The invitation to Bethany Sisters for doing mission in the Vicariate of Nekempte was given by Bishop Varghese Thottamkara the Apostolic Vicar. Many sisters raised the question why should we go again to Ethiopia when we have enough work to do in India? Are we going to an African Country after completing our primary duty here in India? However, the General Synaxis of 2015 decided to open its mission in the Vicariate of Nekempte and that decision was carried out by the Provincial Synaxis held at Trivandrum in 2016. Accordingly the present Superior General Sr. Little Flower and Sr. Karunya, the Provincial Superior of the Province of Trivandrum made a visitation to the Vicariate of Nekempte in 2016. Moved by seeing the pastoral needs of the faithful and the poor living condition of the people in Nekempte, our major Superiors decided to send three Sisters for missionary activities. Thus Srs. Udaya, Anice, Ivania were sent to Nekempte. They reached Getheme on 9 th February 2017 and took over the mission which has been run by the Comboni Sisters. Later sister Amoolya, was sent to Gathema to carry on the mission among the children at Getheme. Now three Sisters are doing various apostolic activities.
The Sisters undertake different activities in the Vicariate. They are Running a Health Centre, two Kintergartens and coordinate various developmental projects for the empowerment of Women and Children. Bible Class, catechism, Health education, Training of Paramedical Staff, Distribution of Medicines for chronic diseases, drinking water distribution, Cleansing of wells and springs for collecting pure water, Distribution of salt to compensate the deficiency of iodine, Care for the elderly, Distribution of medicine for the leprosy patients, Visiting villages and families, Nutrition programme for the Pregnant women and newly born babes are some of the activities undertaken by the sisters at Nekempte.
Bethany Mission at Gimbi
Gimbi, is a thickly populated town which situates on the Western side of Nektempte. This place belongs to the Oromeo region and is about 410 Km away from Addis Abbaba the capital city of Ethiopia. This region is also under the jurisdiction of the Vicariate of Nekempte. This region though financially backward has great scope for missionary activities. Hence, Bishop Varghese Thottamkara invited sisters from the province of Bathery to start a mission house at Gimbi. The then Provincial Superior Sr. Geetha SIC proposed the project to the Provincial Synaxis held in 2019 and the Synaxis made up its mind to accept the invitation and the present provincial Superior Sr. Parimala supported the endeavour. Thus a new mission house was inaugurated on September 10, 2019 by His Excellency Bishop Thottamkara. In the Inauguration ceremony many Church officials, dignitaries from Gimbi and Government Officials from Nekempte participated. Sr. Ardra SIC (Asst.general) and Sr. Damascene SIC (Provincial Superior, TVM) who are on canonical visitation represented the Congregation. Srs. Suraphila. Anjana and Athullya are doing the missionary activities in the main parish and its 9 substations. Catechism, formation of youth, visiting families, providing formal and informal education etc. pastoral and medical care for the sick and the dying and medical care for the disabled and the paralytic are some of the evangelical activities of the sisters.
Challenges and Prospectus
The mission in Ethiopia is a daring task, but at the same time it is a noble venture. No doubt, there is great scope for evangelization and re-evangelization. During our visitation to Ethiopia (Sr. Ardra and Sr. Damascene) we could experience the various needs of the people including physical, spiritual, mental, intellectual, emotional etc. which to be taken into consideration by the State and the Church. We felt that the State, the Church and the missionaries are engaged in building communities that prioritize the eradication of poverty and hunger, the ending of wars and the resolution of conflicts. Proper measures should be taken for the overcoming of ignorance, curing of diseases and healing of enmities. For this we need a mission theology that go deep into the living contexts of the people and to respond to those life realities with a compassionate heart. We all, including the missionaries have been facing the challenges of religious pluralism, modernity, technological advancement and cultural barriers in doing mission. In such a context, we, the Sisters of Bethany as a Congregation should take necessary steps for promoting our missionary venture in Ethiopia and elsewhere.
It is my humble suggestion that the religious who is being send for mission needs to be oriented well about the existing and the possible challenges that would come to her way and how they should be respond to the challenges as a missionary and as a religious. It is also important that the Congregation should bring out enthusiastic missionaries for the Church and for the modern world. As a missionary congregation, we should end up the practice of sending sisters to mission without proper training and mission orientation. Sisters are to be formed as missionaries from the very outset of their formation. They may provide challenging situations and hazardous opportunities to do mission in Kerala and outside Kerala. It is also important that we should send the ‘best’ to the challenging missionary work at places far and wide so that they would love the least and give to them the best possible.
