Sikkim is known as the Switzerland of India and is part of the Himalayas. The country is rich in mountains, hills and rivers. Many houses are decorated with a variety of flowers. However, the flash floods in the northern part of Sikkim and the subsequent catastrophic flooding claimed many lives and partially destroyed the infrastructure of the region all the way down to West Bengal.
Since 1979, the sisters in Gangtok have been looking after the Holy Cross Montessori School, with 500 children. They also teach children up to class 5 at St. Thomas School, which belongs to the St. Thomas Parish, and also help out in the parish. Many religious, priests and relatives like to spend a few days with the sisters to enjoy the wonderful natural surroundings with views of the Himalayas. The last prominent guest was the Apostolic Nuncio for India, who stayed with them for two days during his pastoral trip through India and Sikkim.
In Tadong, the sisters have been running the Holy Cross School from kindergarten to class 12 since 1981, with around 2,000 students between the ages of 3 and 18. The work of the sisters in the parish of St. Paul is very important. The people are grateful that the sisters share their hard everyday lives with them. We were able to experience this joy in the Holy Eucharist when the people sang Nepalese hymns especially for the General Visitation.
The schools run by our sisters in Gangtok and Tadong are very popular with parents and children. However, due to the lack of space, many children have to be turned away every year, which is not easy for the sisters. Many parents are also unable to pay the school fees, so the sisters are grateful for donations. The simple school rooms radiate warmth and love.
