My service to the Tamils of the Tea Plantations

1. MY PRIESTLY LIFE & HUMANITARIAN SERVICES 


1. TO TAMILS OF THE HILL COUNTRY 

The long Journey starts soon after my ordination to priesthood on 16.12.1966. By God‘s design my priestly life from the beginning has taken a path seek the aid of German catholics to help the Tamils of the Hill country in Sri Lanka. Soon after my ordination as priest on 16.12.1966 I leave for Germany to celebrate my first mass called Primitz in german, in the Parish of St.Lucia in Immekeppel of the archdiocese of Cologne on the 1st of Jan.1967.

On the 6th Jan. my birthday and feast of Epiphany when the children dressed up as 3 kings go round singing and collecting aid for childrens in the missions.Out of curiosity I join them during the whole day – filled with cold and snow- This action is called Sternsingeraktion in german.

I returned to Sri Lanka in 1967 with very little knowledge of German. After my pastoral work in the Jaffna diocese, I returned to Rome for doctoral studies in 1973. With a view to read my favorite german theologians, I wanted to study the german language.I went to Rome again in 1973 for my doctoral studies. During the 1974 summer vacation I went to Bamberg along with other priest-students from Rome to study German. I did not attend the full course of 8 weeks but only 4 weeks because Bishop Deogupillai came to Germany and needed my help



2. 1975 Fr.Wilhelm Rang invites me from Rome to Nierst for holiday replacement

. Hence during the 1975 summer vacation I went to Nierst St,Cyriacus invied by Fr. W.Rang for 2 months. Fr Rang went to Sri Lanka for his holidays and I took over his duties in Nierst, staying with the family of Heinz and Kathy Hendrix. 



RANG GETS NEW PARISH ST.PETER‘S UERDINGEN, STARTS SPH

•In 1981, Fr.Rang transferred to a bigger parish of St:Peter in Uerdingen. He was reluctant to move, but I encouraged him to take over.

•Already in Kandy, Sri Lanka, I used to fly to Germany and replace Rang when he goes on holidays. I paid my flights from the money I earned.

•My german language and connections to German parishoners improved and awakened interest on the welfare of the estate population.

3. FR.WILHELM RANG & SELF BECOME LIFE-LONG PARTNERS TO HEP Estate-TAMILS

During my 2nd stay in Rome for doctoral studies, I visit Fr.Rang during summer vacation and help in his parish. From 1976, He started visiting Sri Lanka for his holidays. Based in Kandy and having a Volswagon I help him during his stay in Sri Lanka.From his little   parish St.Cyriacus in Nierst and from his school where he was a religion teacher, he sent money and clothes to help Wathamulla, From 1976 -1986, we built a Kindergarten with Sr.Anunciata and a teacher living there to help children during day time and adult education in the evenings.  At least once a month on a Sunday I load 100 pounds of bread on my car and drive to Wathamulla for mass and meetings.

4, Waththamulla Estate Project 1976-1986

Sister Emerentiana of the Holy Family nuns helped me and my visiting friend priest Fr.Wilhelm Rang of Aachen diocese in Germany to focus attention on the needs of a small village called Wattamulla near Ragala. Workers were without work. Since I was visiting regularly Fr Rangs parish in Germany, along with Sr.Emerentiana and Fr Rang, I thought of helping the people and children of Waththamulla. I used to get about 100 pounds of bread in Kandy and drive to Wathamulla to say sunday mass and distribute bread for the people. Fr. Rang collected some money and clothes from his parishoners in Nierst and send them to Sri Lanka. I go to Colombo, clear the parcels at the post office and take them to Wathamulla. Realising their basic need for sanitation and water, I got 5 squatting toilets and water pumps near the church. within a month, some have put stones into the toilettes others have removed the taps and sold them. I realised my mistake! People do not understand the value of these things. Hence I built a kindergarten, brought a nun Sr.Annunciata and a girl-teacher to stay at Wathamulla and help children during the day and give some basic instruction to elders in the evenings. For ten years I did this till 1986.
Since I was leaving Ampitiya and going to Jaffna as Rector of St.Francis Xavier's major seminary, and not able to visit Waththamulla regularly I closed the project. There was about 20,000 Deutschmark in the account of the project. The Parish Council of Nierst, where Fr.Rang was earlier Parish priest, wrote to the Archbishop of Colombo about this 20,000 Dmark. Archbishop sent Fr.Malcolm Ranjith to Germany and he collected the 20,000 Dmark and used for his housig project in Negombo! What an injustice? The money was collected because of my preaching to the Germans about the tea plantation Tamils. But Fr.Ranjith used it for his people!


5. St.Peter's Home Punduloya Project 1981- 

We thought in addition to Wathamulla project e will start a home in Ampitiya closer to my seminary for the education of girls from the estates. The Carmelite nuns had an empty old building earlier used as their novitiate. The offered this place. I renovated this old house roof, steps etc for dormitory and study hall and made furniture to take in students into this home. Since Fr.Rang was coming almost every year with one or two friends for his holidays to Sri Lanka, I used to help him around with my Volkswagon car and discuss the welfare of the estate people. During my visits to his parish I used to give talks to his parishoners and parish council.