Lavina D'Souza

"We have been taught that the poor have nothing to offer," Sr. Lavina D'Souza writes. "True hospitality, however, is a privilege of interacting with the poor, and considering them as carriers of gifts." 
 

We need leaders with a certain depth, who listen to the call of their people. To lead is indeed a call. It is to enter into the deep pain of human suffering with deeper solidarity. It is to lead with one's life.

Social media links us, yet in real life there is fragmentation all over. One of the reasons for this is the inner clutter and the outer noise, and we cannot escape both. But this crisis is not permanent.

Justice and hope are indeed partners on life's journey, despite being surrounded by overwhelming injustice. It is through hope that we know there are people who still continue to fight for justice. 

A dedicated social worker shocked me when she revealed she was going through burnout. I understood my friend's pain but felt that she would navigate it. I discovered three stages to resolve this issue.

No place or time can hold it back from us if we desire and heed our inner call of reclaiming our sacred space. Our spirits can recover from anything, if only we become attuned to our innermost divine spaces.

As we re-create the nativity through our cribs and celebrations, may we not forget that it is essential to become seekers and not be satisfied with decorations and celebrations.

Networking with various groups, such as civil bodies, private agencies, NGOs and even government agencies, keeps us motivated and at the same time energizes the women in need.

The position of the average Indian woman in family and society often reinforces and legitimizes discrimination against them. Understanding their situation through the lens of learned helplessness made me less judgmental.

When I served in a village in India, I crossed a river to reach other places. When I reached midway in the stream, I would ask myself, "Will I be able to make it to the other side?" Amid the pandemic, it looks like I am not alone in asking this question.

To live life according to the best version of one's self requires creativity. As a social center team, we have worked to enhance women's lives through workshops on creativity. We notice progress in their self-confidence and changes in their skills.

I caught the look of a migrant who was stranded in a Mumbai slum due to the lockdown. His eyes seemed to express resignation, perhaps to his plight as well as the complacency of the society around him.

Being in the presence of transgender people made something shift inside me — from fear and avoidance to a rehumanizing of my attitudes, explained in three words: revaluing, resurfacing and refinding.

India extended its COVID-19 lockdown, and many took to the streets to find food. We organized food provisions to help. India has metric tons of food in storage, so what is the reality of this scarcity?

Our lives have paused and are at a standstill but our spirits are alive. We see glimmers of hope even amidst this crisis, and we see that giving hope is our new ministry.