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Mystery of "Catholic food" and others...

I was invited to speak in student's retreat in Bhopal on 4th and 5th of December.
I was looking for a place to stay .I wanted some place quiet to gather my thoughts together and pray.Muani my colleague from Mizoram had been to Bhopal some days earlier to write an exam.She suggested I stay in the pastoral centre which she said was simple and the food was "catholic" and nice.Little perplexed by the description of the food I asked our junior doctor Max who is from a catholic background as to what was "catholic" food.He was highly embarrassed,amused and had no clue.
The centre was a lesson in all things efficient and fruitful.Simple but adequate is how I describe the place .The rooms had two beds,a hard one and a soft one.The bathrooms had a wash basin and two taps with running water ,hot and cold and a western toilet.There was a dust-bin in one corner.
Breakfast was at eight but the place comes alive with gospel sounds from seven onwards which includes the St Joseph school  run by the same concern.Apart from that they also run a hospital and a disability centre.
I could  eat two breakfasts in the centre and it was  delicious appam with coconut stew one day and puri and potato the next day.
The salt was less and the spice comfortable.Another colleague of mine was enlightening me as to how christian food always had less salt as compared to people from other communities.So I got to sample "the catholic food".
The conference was a lesson in order.
The students fellowship in the college had been running through generations and were being supported by the previous students who have long since left the place.The first years were already being pushed to take the leadership in leading the church and worship.
Three students who were passing out expressed an interest in joining missions which was pretty good considering they were the only ones finishing their internship.
How we mentor them on the field will I guess decide how far they go.My prayer is that they will be with mature ,prayerful visionary leaders who will see their God given potential and will lead them to become giants in and for Christ.

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