NECHA BULLETIN MAY 2021

NECHA BULLETIN NORTH EASTERN COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSOCIATION (NECHA) BHOLA BABA PATH, HOUSE NO. 2, SIX MILE, GUWAHATI - 781022, ASSAM VOL - II. NO.5 MAY, 2021 Editorial PRIESTLY TIME PRIESTLY TIME IS A GIFT FROM GOD. LOCAL TIME: is marked when the sun reaches just above a particular place. STANDARD TIME: is marked in the middle of two fixed place in a country. GREENWHICH mean TIME: is marked when the sun reached a point above Greenwich. It is globally accepted common time. “PRIESTLY TIME “is given by God as a gift to a priest”. “Priestly Time” begins at the moment of time when a Deacon is ordained priest. Priestly time is eternal. Priestly time is made brighter by priests in doing what Jesus Christ did and what He wants them to do. Apostles and Disciples did the same as Jesus told them. They became “another Christ”. A priest is ordained and priestly time given to him for his sanctification and sanctification of others. A priest is expected to go out to preach, to heal, cast out evil spirits and evil influences from the possessed. The prime duty of a priest is to administer sacraments, offer Holy Mass and give the body and blood of Christ to as many worthy people as possible every day. “Go out to the whole world and proclaim the good News to all creations” (Mk.16:15). By doing these, priestly time become more bright and shining. Teaching History, Geography or language in the school, administer institutions, Farms and such engagements by a priest is misuse of priestly time. In such cases the “Priestly Time” may be becoming darker. A wrong action done for a thousand years may become custom and culture, and but it will never become right. “Priestly time is to be used for priestly duties and obligations. A priest loves the people of God by obligation and his priestly time and light will shine here on earth and hereafter in heaven. PLEASE TAP HERE TO TURN

NECHA BULLETIN COVID MUTANT We have our (Dispensaries) Wellness Centres, First Aid Centres and nurse sisters who reach out to the Battle against Covid mutant is going on. Cleaver and people in the villages who are not able to reach the prudent people take a lot of prevention and hospitals and wellness centres. The parish Priests and precautional measures. The Govts. Medical persons, sisters consider this as the need of the time. religious and social leaders have shown and taught us how to take care of our health and life itself. Where there is a Govt. hospital or dispensary, there We are going through a very sad situation where is no need of duplicating a wellness centre and it is people get Covid, hospitals are full and many die. not justifiable. “Govt. Dispensaries are not There is no place in the cemeteries and even public functioning” is not sufficient justification for our grounds for funeral cremation. wellness centres. We have to motivate and help the ROLE OF CHURCHES people to get their rights. In such situations sisters can All the churches, irrespective of denominations are get involved more in preventive health activities in engaged in big way for relief works and curative educational institutions and in the rural villages. activities. These are needed for urgent and immediate interventions and services. The parish priests, sisters, catechists and parish leaders WHOLENESS OR TOTAL HEALTH will be more happy to train village leaders who will attend to the curative, preventive and the promotional NECHA views wholeness or total health mainly in aspects of the total health. three aspects of CURATIVE, PREVENTIVE and PROMOTION OF HEALTH. These are the essential CURATIVE HEALTH SERVICES components of total health. We have hospitals to render curative services to We have (Dispensaries) wellness centres and small those who can reach there. Doctors, hospitals, health centres, First Aid centres and so on, run by bedside nurses are engaged in curative services. nurse sisters, supported by the parish priests or local Their services are needed, appreciated and superiors or of the congregations. Some of the encouraged. wellness centres do not get enough support from various quarters for progress, better services and developments. This is the situation where we have to put all our heads together, deliberate and plan together for better performances and services to the people. Our nurse sisters are the nerve-lines, especially of our curative health system. We have to recognize and support our nurse sisters and wellness centres for better services to our people. PLEASE TAP HERE TO TURN

NECHA BULLETIN PREVENTIVE HEALTH CARE COMMUNITY ORGANIZING AND LEADERSHIP There are so many colleges, schools and hostels run by the church in this region. If we could organize our The Parish priest or his representatives meet the colleges, schools and other Institutions also for “headman” of the village and make him aware of the imparting better preventive education on common programmes. With the help of a leader given by the ailments and common remedies, it will be a great headman, divide the village into groups of 10 or more contribution to the communities and the society. families. THE PARISH ORGANISING For example a village of about 50 families may have 5 groups. Each group will select 4 leaders (2 men/ The parish priest is the head of the parish. There are boys and 2 women/girls). So 5 groups will have say fathers, sisters, catechists, parish pastoral council, 20 leaders in the village. They may be called other denomination pastors and village leaders with Community Leaders (CLs). him for various activities. Think of new ideas, new ways, practical and useful methods for the good of INTERNET the community. A BOLD STEP Each Parish priest could give a lead in community organizing, community health care, creation of leadership and Leaders in the villages. Start community organizing with one or two villages and extend to other villages. In each village there may be at least few people who may have mobile phones with WhatsApp and internet facilities. The parish priest or leaders can make use of them for communications and encourage the media use. TRAINING OF CLs To be more practical, the parish priest selects a boy and a girl or even more for forming a parish health training team. NECHA’s community health training team will give thorough community health training. They in turn will give training to the grass root community health leaders (CLs) in the villages. The fathers, sisters leaders, catechist and others can attend the community health training programmes and give a helping hand to train more people. PLEASE TAP HERE TO TURN

NECHA BULLETIN ONLINE MEDIA COMMUNICATION + NECHA Bulletin is for the health NECHA office, the parish priest or his representatives education of the people, especially can monitor and give guidance also on line to some of the CLs and villagers. They can share the guidance the youth in the villages. with others. We wish to circulate the Bulletin “Health of the people, for the people and by the to all the villages in the North people” is a beautiful democratic slogan. It is time for Eastern States. many of the church people to take it up. NECHA is in the fore front for community organizing with enabling You may give us the WhatsApp role. For further information contact NECHA. No. or Email ID of your people or HEALTH TIPS forward it to them. War against Cockroach Those who like to begin Community Organising There is a war waging against Corona virus all over the Programmes in your village may world. We from NECHA trigger a war in the houses contact your Parish Priest or Nurse against cockroaches through NECHA BULLETIN and Sister or Contact NECHA office extend it to villages and towns. directly. Cockroaches survive on food cooked or uncooked, which we keep uncovered. Cockroaches can enter into Fr. K.C. George, almirahs, boxes and so on. It can spread sickness. A Director, NECHA little hole is sufficient for them to get inside. It hides during the day and come out at night in search of food Bhola Baba Path, House No. 2, Six Mile, in the kitchen, stores, almirahs, bedrooms and so on. Khanapara, Guwahati - 781022, Assam. Mobile: 9678224827 (O), 8974008332 (P) COCKROACH REMEDIES Email: [email protected] Website: nechaindia.org INGREDIENTS: Private Circulation only 1 tea spoon shampoo, 1.5 cup of water, 2 tea spoonful white vinegar. Mix well put into a small sprayer, spray all over the rooms and houses. Repeat it once in a week.