Who will build my Church?

This is my Church; I have no place to lay down my head...I have come down from heaven to the earth to gather all people into my house of prayer

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1: 1, 14).

Through Him & with Him & in Him..........All Glory & Honour is Yours for Ever & Ever..Amen

St. Teresa of Child Jesus Church of Dangeskhal, Bhaliponka, Pakelma & Jamipoda (DBPJ) Village on 3rd October 1952 Built by Rev. Fr. Vallarian V. Gumuez, CM hailed from Spain & stepped into this village for the first time on 30th Jan.1936 & he baptised two families..today more than 2000 faithful are praying here..

Dangeskhal Village History & New Church Project to Build St. Teresa of Child Jesus Church

St. Teresa of Child Jesus Church

 

Dangeskhal, Bhaliponka, Pakelma &

Jamipoda

(DBPJ) Village 

 

1.   Profile of the Village:

 

Name of the village:       Dangeskhal

Name of the parish: St. Paul’s Catholic     Church, Antorba

Name of the diocese:     Diocese of Berhampur

Name of the state:         Odisha

Name of the country:    India

2.   Address of the Village: St. Teresa of Child Jesus Church:

       Dangeskhal- Village

   Guluba         - Post

   Adava           - Via

   Gajapati       - District

   Odisha         - State

   India            - Country

   Pin Code      - 761217

3.      Organising Committee:

·         Rt. Rev. Bishop Sarat Chandra Nayak        

(Bishop of Berhampur Diocese)

E-mail:bishopofberhampur@gmail.com

Mob: 00919437681965

·         Fr. Isaac Nayak

(Parish Priest of St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Antorba)

·         Fr. Prodeep Chandra Nayak

(Co-ordinator of the Village Church)

·         Fr. Bijoy Chandra Nayak

E-mail-bijoychandranayak@yahoo.co.uk

Mob: 00447550597606



(Animator of the History & Church Project)

·         Mrs. Maria Bernardita Leguizamon

E-mail-marialeguizamon64@yahoo.com

Mob: 0059521981765763

(Collaborator of the Church Project)

· The Village’s Five Members Committee

(The Village Leaders)

4. The Total Estimate Budget Plan for the Church:

£ 30,000/-.

5.   Contributions from the Villages and the  Diocese:

The villagers are ready to contribute as free labourers for the construction of the new Church. The masons and the carpenters will be paid their wages. The diocese is ready to contribute £ 6000/-. The total cost of the new Church building is £ 30,000/-.

6.   Donors’ and Benefactors’ Contribution will go to the Village Church Account Name in the Address of the Diocese of Berhampur:



Please issue your cheques in the given name:

Roman Catholic Diocese of Berhampur (Dangeskhal Church)


Send to this Address:

Rt. Rev. Bishop Sarat Chandra Nayak

Bishop's House
Post Box No. 27, Ganjam Dt.
Berhampur - 760 001
Odisha (Orissa), India.

For any clarification & urgent call, please contact in Bishop's E-mail and Mobile:

E-mail:bishopofberhampur@gmail.com

Bishop's Mob: 00919437681965

                     
Tel: +(0680) 22 90 023(O), 22 91 394 (P)
Fax: +(0680) 22 91 237

Donors will receive the acknowledgement letter from the committee.

7.   Accounts will be done by the Management Committee:

8.   Completion of the New Church: 

On 27^th January 2013 (the feast of the village’s Patron Saint)

9.  History of St. Teresa of Child Jesus Church, Dangeskhal, Odisha, India

The www.missionvisionandsalvation.blogspot.com and www.abbafaithhopelove.blogspot.com have been created to raise funds to build St. Teresa of Child Jesus Church of DANGESKHAL, BHALIPONKA, PAKELMA & JAMIPODA where more than 2000 people are practising Catholic faith without having a Church to worship the True Living God and above 2000 Caltholics are living nearby villages within 3-7 K.M. These villages are situated in a remote, undeveloped and an underprivileged poor area in the Diocese of Berhampur, Odisha, India. This village is situated 325 K.M. away from the capital of Odisha, Bhubaneswar. Berhampur is a mission diocese situated in the East Coast of India by the Bay of Bengal, which is 341.6 Miles (549 K.M.) from Kolkotta.

Dangeskhal village is 130 K.M. away from the main city Berhampur, where the diocese of Berhampur is situated. This place is known as a MISSION LAND to continue the triple fold ministry of Jesus such as preaching, teaching and healing. “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9: 36).

Rev. Fr. Vallerian Guemez, CM was the first missionary hailed from Spain belonged to the Society of St. Vincent De Paul (Vincentians) arrived at Mohana in 1922 and erected the first Parish Church there. He had an adventurous trip by foot through dense forest, mountains, wild animals like tigers, bears, elephants, snakes, rivers and streams to reach out this remote village Dangeskhal which is 30 K.M. away from his main station Mohana and he stepped at Dangeskhal for the first time on 30^th of January 1936.  He baptized two families initially and later on five more families were converted then gradually grew into fifteen families. Having seen and realized the faith of the villagers, he felt the great need for the place of worship so he laid the foundation for the Church in 1951 and inaugurated the first village Church on 3^rd October 1952 and dedicated to St. Teresa of Child Jesus who became the Patron Saint of Dangeskhal and Bhaliponka village. During this event there were only fifteen Catholic families. There was no road, no electricity, no school, no medical health centre, no shops, no transport, no news paper and no telephone communication.  The missionaries were reaching out these villages by foot proclaiming the God News of Jesus Christ to establish the kingdom of God among the people who were really known as the poor (Daliths and Tribals). Today the catholic population is more than 2000 in these two villages. There are above 2000 believers living in the nearby surrounding villages within the distance of 2-7 K.M and above 3000 non-Christians are residing in this area.

The sad news is that this is the first village Church which has been ruined today due to natural calamities such as torrential rain, heavy wind and lack of good materials of the building. Since 18 years the Church has been getting repaired and being used for worship but all most every year heavy wind and storms blow away the roof of the Church as a result it has become a hazardous place for worship which can be seen from the photographs. Still the faithful go to the broken and ruined Church to pray for their spiritual nourishments as their main source and centre of life. There has been a new foundation laid down for the new Church 8 years ago but nothing has been done so far due to the financial crisis in the diocese and poverty of the villagers. The villagers are ready to contribute the free labour for the construction of the new Church. The diocese is ready to contribute £ 6000/-. The total cost of the new Church is £ 30,000/-.

This new born Church has been constituted of six villages namely, Dhimburi Sahi, Geerja Sahi, Dangeskhal Bodo Sahi, Bhaliponka, pakelmaha and Jamipoda come under Anthorba Parish which was bifurcated from Mohana Parish in 1995 constitutes of 65 substations or villages run by two priests. Dangeskhal village is situated 10 K.M. away from the present parish and 30 K.M. away from the previous parish. There is no road and transport facility to this present parish until now people go by foot. This village church is surrounded by natural beauty like big mountains, valleys, forests and fountains and there are 12 more Catholic neighbouring villages namely Riaijuka, Burung Sahi, Daka Sahi, Nua Sahi, Panjingpata, Hachiponka, Kontapodoro, Pilpaj, Lukamaha, Durgapata, Badul Poda and Buduli (the Hindu village). All these villages are situated within 2-7 K.M away from Dangeskhal.

 

10. The Present Condition of the Church:

Why and how did the Church become such a deplorable condition until now?

Anybody could feel or ask such a question when they see the present condition of this Church. How did the Church become such a miserable condition? Who are the responsible persons? Who can build this Church or how can be built? When can be built? These are the questions stir up our hearts, souls and minds. Whom to blame now?

The various reasons are:

·       Due to storms and heavy wind caused to blow away the roof of the Church every year almost        which                 was          built of tin sheets and wooden materials

·       Due to torrential rain spoiled the walls and wooden materials

·       Due to lack of good bricks, sands, cements and raw materials not being used properly

·       Due to white ants eaten up wooden doors and windows

·       Due to lack of good financial support from outside sources

·       Due to poverty and illiteracy of the people in the villages

·       Due to lack of maintenance and a good guidance

·       Due to lack of good leadership and proper organisation

·       Due to lack of zealous missionary spirit and committed life

·       Due to negligence and irresponsibility

·       Due to lack of full financial support from the diocese because of the financial crisis

11. Planger Mary Feast on 31^st May at Dangeskhal Village, Odisha, India:

This is a miraculous feast celebrated with gaiety in the village every year on 31^st May. Mr. Isidoro Nayak is a man of prayer who was praying, fasting and doing penance for two years sitting under a mango tree called Plangermaha which is on the top of the mountain of the village in a dense forest. He had dreams, a vision and a sign from our Mother Mary; hence the miraculous spring or water came out from the trunk of the mango tree on Saturday 17^th October 1992. The half dead or dried up mango tree got life and some sick people were healed and many faithful people’s intentions were fulfilled praying over there and touching this miraculous water. Rev. Fr. Mathew Singh, CM the parish priest having studied this situation he inaugurated the Planger Mary feast on 31^st May 1993 on the feast of the Visitation of our Lady to St. Elizabeth. In the village it is also known as the flowers offering feast (Phulo Somorpono Porbo) to our Lady. I hope and believe one day this place will become a famous pilgrimage centre once the communications and transportation is available to this village.

12. Socio- Cultural Life of the People:

The people are lovable, very much sociable and having the community spirit which is demonstrated celebrating all feasts, marriages and all other meetings are held with due preparations. There is also unity as one village spirit, mind and heart. There are two groups of people known as the Pano community (Daliths) talk “Pano” language and the Kondhos or Kuis community (Tribals) talk “Kui” language. They practise the same faith of Christ, one Church and the common burial ground. The Eucharist is celebrated in state’s language known as “Odiya” and also used in the school.

13. Economic Life of the People:

The 98% families are recognised by the government as the BPL (Bellow Poverty Line). They are daily labourers and mostly depend on nature, forest land and depending on ration cards on government’s help for rice and kerosene. The children are moving out to work due to lack of food, clothes and shelter without studying. Many are abused, exploited, man handled and not given proper wages in the cities or towns.

14. Educational Life of the People:

The first Primary Mission School was built with muddy house at Raijuka in 1936 which is 4 K.M. away from Dangeskhal village and the pupils used to walk with bare feet daily for studies but gained nothing because of lots of toil with hunger, thirst, tiredness and irregular classes.

The first Government Primary School (class 1^st- 4^th) started at Dangeskhal in 1975 and the Middle School (class 5^th-7^th) in 2004 with muddy house. There are not enough teachers, class rooms for students and classes are not held regularly once or twice in a week or some time not even one class was there in a month in the beginning. The teachers are unqualified, unrecognised and not fully paid by the government salaries until now. The people those who save a little money out of their daily wages send their children to far away mission and government schools some time they don’t even get seat in the hostels and the schools as a result they stay back home without studies. There is a real and an urgent need to have a good school and boarding hostels for boys and girls in this village.

15. Unemployment of the People:

A few those who have completed their college studies have not got any kind of job in the government sector or in the private sector until now. They are considered as the unrecognised and untrained people and find their lives very difficult to live without a job.

16. Medical Health Centre:

People are suffering of malaria, diarrhoea, viral and seasonal fever, cold and cough, head ache, child deliveries, snake bites etc. The mortality rate is very high and the life span of living is very low. The Anganwadi health centre is opened in 2011 with an ANM nurse but there is no patient’s room for check up, no proper medicines are given and no proper instruments for diagnosis.

17. Village Road and Communications:

The government has announced and inaugurated the Pradhan Mantri Sadak Yajana (Prime Minister Road Project) in 2006. The village muddy road work has not been completed until now and no buses or vehicles to go to the towns and cities. Still now people walk by foot 15 K.M. for shopping and get bus for their medical treatments or for other essential works to the towns or cities. The common transportation for the villagers is mini trucks where more than 50 people travel everyday back and forth by climbing and hanging as a result there is no guarantee for safe life.

18. Drinking Water:

The village people depend on open well which was dug by the help of the missionaries in 1969. There are three tube wells now provided by the government however these tube wells are useless most of the times as they go out of order. There is no water reservoir or pond for washing, bathing and irrigation purpose. Due to contaminated water people get sicknesses and face premature death. In summer the water of the well dry up and people find too difficult to get water for drinking, cooking, bathing and washing clothes. 

19. Gram Panchayat Office:

The government inaugurated Panchayat office in 2004 and constructed a small building to store up food grains and to supply them to the BPL (bellow poverty line) people. Due to poor construction of the building not even once food grains, kerosene and medicines have been distributed from this place. The Gram Panchayat Office has become the dwelling place of rats, dogs, ants, cows, goats etc.

20. Electricity:

The village got electricity for the first time in 2009 but there are no street lights fixed in the villages. The supply is very poor and most of the days people do not have electricity supply.

21. My Vision for Dangeskhal Mission Land for the Greater Glory of God:

This is the mission land to continue the mission of Jesus Christ in this poor, undeveloped, underprivileged and remote village which was born by Rev. Fr. Vallerian Guemez, CM. The missionaries came to India with great faith in God and good education which has enlightened, given life to lifeless and brought a lot of differences among the people especially to the poor.

This is my own experience and I believe in the power of Jesus that the true Faith in God and Good Education are the only way and means to change the lives of these villagers. Sixty-three years of Christianity of these villages have been passed; there is no Church, no good school, no boarding school and hostel, no dispensary, no Self Help Group and no NGOs. They really need good school with boarding hostels for both boys and girls for better education, vocational training centre for livelihood and dispensary to save many lives of the poor in this beautiful and remote village. Dangeskhal is surrounded by many other Christian and non-christian villages who are also deprived of all these basic needs.

We need to reach out to such remote villages for the greater glory of God and the salvation of humankind as “Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Good News of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness (Matthew 9: 35).”

As good Christians, believers of Christ, the disciples of Jesus and messengers of God need to act promptly and respond quickly according to the signs of the time.

Conclusion

I have written the history of this village for the Church project and to make you aware the status of the people who live in this area. This is my own village Church where I grew up and enjoyed my life despite many difficulties. God was so gracious to me that I was ordained catholic priest in this village in 2005 without a Church. Now I realize that there is a real and a greater need for a place of worship to build up an active and a living community of Jesus Christ.

So I humbly ask your prayers and financial support to build a good for these poor villagers which is dedicated to St. Teresa of Child Jesus.  

^“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25: 35-40).

Prayer for a New Church at Dangeskhal Village

God our Loving Father,

We thank you, praise you and glorify you

for the gift of St. Teresa of Child Jesus

 to be the Patron Saint of these villages.

She showed so much love to you

by her humility and service made

the ordinary into extraordinary!

Loving Jesus,

You have revealed yourself for the greater glory of God

 to these villagers  and given a sign of the miraculous water

through the intercession of our Lady your Blessed Mother

to heal the sick, the sufferings

and to strengthen our faith, hope and love

at the Shrine of “Planger Mary”.

Lord Jesus,

Inspire us by the Power of the Holy Spirit

to do your Will in our lives with a great missionary zeal

to carry out your mission for the kingdom of God.

O Little Therese of the Child Jesus,

Pray for God’s grace and abundant blessings

upon us and for many benefactors, collaborators and well wishers

to extend their generous hearts and helping hands

to build a new Church, the House of God for our fellow brethren.

We humbly pray and ask for this particular favor

through the intercession of our Heavenly Mother

and St. Teresa of Child Jesus through Christ our Lord. Amen…

St. Teresa of Child Jesus, Pick a Flower for me… 

An Appeal for a Good Cause:

I request all of you with my humble and constant prayers and a great hope in God, let us try to support and contribute something to build up this village Church which is the Church of Jesus Christ in the universal mission for our fellow brothers and sisters which is “timely, urgent and effective.”

Lord, helps us to do your Will in our lives with obedience and guide us to walk in your Way always and lead us to work with our humble hearts, minds, souls and  all strengths...Amen.

Thank you so much for your constant prayers and great support!

With love and prayers,

God bless you!

Presented By: Fr. Bijoy Chandra Nayak

Collaborated By:

Mrs. Maria Bernardita Leguizamon

Designed By: Nicholas & Sophia

STOP NOT TILL THE GOAL IS REACHED...!

LORD, HELP US TO DO YOUR WILL

IN OUR LIVES...AMEN.

Prayer for a New Church