Rajakad is spread over 31 sq.kms in Udumbanchola Taluk of Idukki district. Migrant families from different parts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu live here. Majority are farmers or estate labourers. The cultivate cardamom, coffee, pepper and cocoa. Many are dalits, marginalised and poor. There are 1100 Catholic families who form 38% of the population.The youth stay away from home for higher studies. There are 3 primary schools (Govt, Hindu and Christian) and a church-run college offering graduate and P.G. courses of M.G University. 3 private clinics offer some respite to ailments but for major needs they refer to Kothamangalam or Ernakulam.
The Christian community is vibrant and emergent. Catholic non-catholic mixed marriages are common. The vast, hilly, sliding areas and lack of transportation facilities render personal pastoral care difficult. The numerous sects also weaken the Catholics.
Bishop Mathew Anikuzhikattil of Idukki Diocese invited the sisters to render pastoral service -- family visits, catechesis, and service at Nirmala College. The pioneers of Vincenza Bhavan are, sisters Elsy Antony (superior), Anonietta Devasia, Maria Kripa Varkey and Andrina Vaz. They have temporary accommodation in a parish quarters. Being the year of faith the parish has arranged classes and worship 14 wards. The sisters assist in this, meet the people and get introduced to them. On 21st Nov.2012, the 180th Birthday of the sisters of Charity, the sisters have been officially enrolled at the Christu Forane Church, Rajakad and the bishop has laid the foundation stone for the convent.
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Cheenthalar is one of the poorest and remotest villages of Idukki district. There are about 450 families scattered in this vast tea estate area. The families are composed of people from Kerala and Tamil Nadu. They belong to different caste and creed and do not claim common customs, culture or cult. Majority of them are working in tea and coffee estates. They are economically weak, educationally backward and weak in faith. Immorality and suicidal tendency are common among them. They do not have much hope for development, since land lords posses the land. Religion is conveniently changed based on material needs and problems of life. Broken families and illegal marriages are very common as is the high rate of alcohol – drug use.
The community of Snehalaya, Cheenthalar was started in 1984. This area belongs to the diocese of Vijayapuram. It is Bishop Cornelieus Elaingikal who invited the sisters to work among these poor people. The sisters were to look after their spiritual, cultural, social and economic growth. Already from 1983 Sisters of Charity from Pambanar were frequenting here with medical aid. They felt these people needed much more help. So, began a community of four sisters. They were Sr. Leonarda Alappatt (Superior), Sr. Tressy Varghese, Sr. Sophy Jacob, Sr. Sera Abraham.
In 1985 a nursery school was put up. The sisters attend to two substations of the parish -- Chapath and Kozhimala. At Kozhimala they had a branch house from 1988-1996. Since 1993 two sisters have been teaching at St. Sebastian’s Higher Secondary School, Cheenthalar. The sisters actively engage in the Parish activities. There are 22 family units in the parish. A much needed service that they render from the beginning of the Community is that of medical aid through a Dispensary.
At present 5 sisters render their service here fully immersed in the local church. As they completed 28 years of their presence, people do appreciate their tireless labours to help them become better human beings.
Sevanalaya convent is situated in Pambanar, Peermade Taluk, of Idukki (Dt). Bishop Cornelius Elanjikal of the Diocese of Vijayapuram, invited the sisters to a start a dispensary and engage in socio- pastoral service. Being the Kerala - Tamil Nadu boarder, the Socio-Cultural context is multi-religious and multi-cultural. Majority of the population are estate workers and live below the poverty line. Faith formation of the people is on low ebb. Multi religious practices exist in families. People lack knowledge of basic hygiene and health. Mixed marriages and broken families are common. Lack of budgeting, un-employment and alcoholism lead to poverty. The presence of many Christian denominations is a challenge to Catholics. Youth suffer from low motivation and negative influence of mass media.
The sisters, through their health care and pastoral activities strive to communicate God’s love to these people. They provide curative and preventive treatment to all who need it. They also assist them in their spiritual and material needs. They also visit families and listen to their problems. They also render their services to the parish.
The dispensary got registered under Catholic Hospital Association of India on 17.1.1977. From 08.05.1977 they started giving impatient care. From June 1977 on wards the doctor started to visit the estate dispensaries of Chithambaramm and Lakshmikovil. On 26.02.1982 the new building of the health centre was inaugurated by the collector of Idukki. On 1.12.1984 the blessing of the new convent also took place.
From 2001-2012 we have been conducting medical camps and eye camps with the help of VSSS in Pambanar and surrounding estates. At present Sevanalaya Rural Health Centre is a 25 bedded hospital which meet the health needs of a population of 35,000 around Peermade Taluk. The sister doctor is the Chief Medical Officer. One of the doctors goes to the de-addiction centre in Peermade, once a week.