Please see below a letter of thanks with photos from Fr Syriac who appealed for funds earlier this year to build a school in Kerala.

My dear friends and benefactors,

It is about three months since I left Europe, after three months of warm, joyful and fruitful experience of love, hospitality and generous support. I am back to my socio-pastoral and educational activities in Wayanad, north Kerala, India.

We are happy and blessed because you are all partners with us in the Mission of the inclusion of the marginalised people of our land.

We are quite worried and anxious that if the Narendra Modi government comes into power again (only through unlawful means) our very existence may be in peril.  We hope and pray that there may emerge at least a powerful opposition under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi’s INDIA party.

The generous contributions that you made are still in the Mission Procurator’s Office in Neurnberg.

We are very excited about starting the construction of the new Tribal boarding school for boys. Once the final details have been clarified regarding the construction of the Tribal boarding school, we can start and then the money will be released from the Treasurer’s office in Nuernberg to the Treasurer of Kerala Jesuit Province, Kozhikode. I am absolute sure that your contribution will make a great difference in the life of these deprived people. 

Once again, I express my sincere gratitude, dear friends, for support and generous collaboration.

I remain gratefully to you all especially to Andrea and Gerhard Beestermoeller who organised everything for my visit and stay in Europe. The Jesuit community of Luxembourg too has been very hospitable to me.

Thanking you all from the bottom of my heart,

Fr. Syriac Panjikaran sj

P.S. 

The photos provide a few glimpses into the lives of the indigenous people. You can clearly see the dark skin of these people, who have not mixed with any immigrants over the millennia.