At St. Mary’s Home, we were warmly welcomed by the sisters, postulants, schoolchildren, teachers, staff and elderly nannies. The deaf and dumb children and young people delighted us with wonderful dance performances and a thought-provoking presentation about the preservation of water and therefore of all life. The postulants presented the different cultures they come from with their performances. It was a wonderful experience for all of us.
St. Mary’s Home, Fakirana is located in Banuchaper, a village near Bettiah. From 1899, orphans and children abandoned by their relatives found a new home here. Even after moving away, they still like to visit their home village and maintain a warm relationship with the sisters. Some former orphans, all called nannies, also spend their twilight years at St. Mary’s Home as they have no families of their own.
The ‘Holy Cross School for the Hearing Impaired’ is attached to St. Mary’s Home. Currently, 35 deaf children and young people attend the school. Sisters and teachers support the children in a holistic way so that they can later lead an independent life within Indian society. The motto is ‘I see through your eyes. I hear through your ears. I feel through your touch’.
Ten young girls also live here, taking their first steps in religious life as postulants. They learn more about the history of our congregation and are introduced to the life of faith, prayer and community. This phase prepares the young women for the novitiate.
In addition, the sisters and their staff look after a large farm with cows, goats and pigs as well as rice fields, banana and mango plantations and much more. The sisters never run out of work. At the moment, the rice harvest is underway. But they look after the children, nannies and the farm with joy and confidence.
