Sr Kathleen's good work in Myanmar

NENAGH'S Sister Kathleen Geaney is continuing her good work in Myanmar, where she has been working for many years as a Columban Missionary with the support of people in North Tipperary.

Sr Kathleen is part of an interfaith group of women comprised of Catholics, Buddhists, Muslims and Hindus. They have reached out to the poor people of the city of Mandalay, providing them with meals and comfort.

“We find Jesus among the poor… so we show the simplicity and joy to the people,” Sr Kathleen said of her work. She said the simple meal of rice and curry can go a long way to help the people, especially children, many of whom are malnourished. The group distributes about 400 eggs each week among families in need.

In Mandalay, thousands of people live illegally along the Irrawaddy River bank; the majority earn their living as labourers or by carrying goods from ships. These people have to move to higher land when the river's water level rises. They also are harassed by local government officials, who have tried to force them to leave.

The interfaith women's group has tried to augment the monastery's work, also providing assistance with school supplies and tuition and some medical assistance, Sr Kathleen said. The meal programme is for emergency response but education support is essential as a long-term solution, she added.

The Nenagh missionary told of a particularly touching event that she encountered before Christmas; the death of a friend, Julian.
“Julian, an extremely gifted and talented man, was also someone who lived a difficult life,” she said. “He was addicted to alcohol and this lead to so many losses in his life — the loss of his home, his job, his wife and his son.

“When I first met Julian, he lived rough on the streets of Mandalay. He came to me each morning, ostensibly to listen to an English story on CD but really just for the contact. Gradually he began to pull his life together. He stopped drinking and spent most of his days in the church compound, helping out wherever he could.

“He was welcomed home by the Catholic community as a long lost son. He attended Mass each morning with great fervour. This time last year he joined our interfaith women’s group and the Cathedral youth group in entertaining and giving food to children who live in a very poor area by the riverside. He sang the Beatle’s song ‘Obadi Obada, Life Goes On’, and for months afterwards the children were singing this song.
“Then, about six months ago, he discovered he had glandular cancer. He went for treatment and kept a brave face on it all. When he got sick he was given a bed in the church compound by our parish priest. He got progressively worse and was confined to the hospital.

“But Julian wanted to be at home with his Christian community. So he kept running away from the hospital in the middle of the night and coming home. In the morning he was sent back as he was still receiving treatment. After the third escape about a week before his death, it was decided to let him stay. Our assistant parish priest, who is a dentist, cared for his wound, which had got very big. His mother was always with him.
“He kept asking me: 'When is Christmas Day?' On the night of the 22nd he came and sat on the wall outside our house and called for us.”

Sr Kathleen spoke of how later that night, she and her friend Theresa went to see Julian and give him his Christmas present. “We sang happy Christmas to him while he examined our present - a passo (length of wrap around material) – and commented on its being good quality. He died around 1am and was laid out in our passo! May he rest now in peace and find his true home in God.
“He showed us all that in spite of human frailties, there is a love alive and present among us that is stronger than all the struggles of life stronger than death. Because of Julian, the angels of love and mercy, of forgiveness and compassion sang around our church compound.”

Sr Kathleen said that this experience is a common one in all our lives. “In so many ways, it’s simple and ordinary. Wherever we are we experience sickness, death, failure and loss and, in the middle of it, we also experience love and care and faithfulness. We get a glimpse of the real meaning of our lives.”
Sr Kathleen took the opportunity to thank everyone back home in Nenagh for their love and friendship, and all their support over the years. “I look forward to being with you for a while this year,” she concluded. “Love and peace.”