Celia Braganza rscj; Mary Braganza rscj www.torpa.org

It was 1988, the year when Rose Philippine stepped into the orbit of acclaimed "sanctity". Not only the tribals of America but the tribals of Chotanagpur acclaimed her as their own. In this fusion of happy coincidence, The Torpa Story was born but my eyes were held.

Flash Back:  A Culture Festival was organized in Torpa in 1986- hundreds of Adivasis (forest dwellers),women and children filled the sports arena of St. Joseph's High School. In the blazing heat of a scorching summer sun hundreds of children danced pas, their eyes sparkling in the noontide sun.  Then suddenly I lost my bearings as my eyes were gripped by two pin points of light, flashing from the black pupils of an Adivasi child's eyes. An emaciated body, a face wrinkled by hunger, lips parched by thirst; there was death in every part of her body but life in her eyes.

"I am the light of Life". As these words flashed in my mind,  I  was swept into another world of Reality - in a moment Time faded into Eternity,  but in that split moment of time,St. Madeleine Sophie's Dream to reach out to just one  child in the remotest corner of the earth gripped me ; Simultaneously Jesus'   Voice ,"Suffer little children to come unto Me", Gandhi's Dream , India's liberation will come from the poor  - all collaged into ONE . Loud and clear I heard the same Voice that has haunted me for the past thirty years with the same succinct, unmistakable message beckoning me to the poor. But now it was imperative -"Go ", and my response was, "I come Lord," It was for me a moment of reawakening -  a long lost dream  glowed with new hope. I surrendered the directorship of India's 204 University colleges and headed for Torpa, a land of violence, injustice, oppression. The Society was born in revolutionary France.  We are daughters of a virile Mother Foundress. I too could brave the storms of revolutionary Bihar and dare to walk with Rose Philippine Duchesne, follow in her footsteps. She who drew me to the Society of His Heart, would henceforth be my invisible companion. I felt airborne on the Wings of the Spirit

The Torpa Story began. I knew no language, had no money - I soon realised all my assets were liabilities. From this "nothingness" the challenge was to build a "rural landscape with a human face" .Gradually the power and vitality of the Gospel took over. I experienced while living in huts, poor, dark, airless mud houses of our tribal people, that the Spirit of God was very much alive there.

Suddenly someone finds meaning in life; the poor cannot make provision for the morrow but God provides. Only when one hits poverty at the rock bottom can the Spirit take over. I was inspired by tribal women, women of indomitable faith and dauntless hope. I had to be reshaped by their living faith to experience the joy of a person who discovers the power of God for the first time.

I experienced during Shadi School (School for marriage preparation), the healing love of God in our sinfulness. However living with and for others is not always a beautiful experience. To share people's life is to experience their pain, their sorrow, one's own helplessness for which often there is no human solution, other than waiting on God's time and power. I have experienced a great deal of human pain - girls being gang raped and then mercilessly killed; the woundedness of one's brothers sand sisters  was hard to carry, and I was alone, with no RSCJ for comforting presence. Attacked at midnight by armed dacoits, and learning from experience that God is our fortress exceeding great a new sense of courage overtook me. Gradually I was drawn into the Pascal Mystery where the Beatitudes taught me the impossible was possible. A new world had dawned and the challenges of the Kingdom became exhilarating.

The Torpa Story that began on the verge of despair gradually became a revelation of joy and hope, of God leading His people into a promised land through poor human RSCJ instruments. The only compass was the compass of His Heart. I tried to take His people to His Heart and educate them there.

Today the Women are a powerful grass roots organizations - mostly tribal Christians. Where there was no education today there are 34 balwadis (kindergartens) and primary schools, a clinical dispensary, a hostel for first generation learners. Where there was starvation rich fields and multi crop agriculture. Where there was no money Self Help Groups of women opening small Savings Bank Accounts. Above all where there were sad hopeless faces today every face is lit up with a smile. Torpa has become a "land flowing with milk and honey", an oasis in a desert but with unexpected, unpleasant/pleasant happenings to keep the people's faith in God alive and ticking.