In the boarding houses of Odisha, the tears of young students leaving home give way to the laughter of a new family, forged in the rich diversity of tribe, language, and tradition.
The Monsoon and the Heartache
As the first drops of summer rain fall, a sigh heaves from the minds of students. With the next heavy rain, the government will declare a summer vacation, and students will return to school.
For many students from remote areas of Odisha, returning to school meant leaving behind familiar surroundings, the warmth of their parents, and the comfort of their homes. And in a few days, when they cross the gates of the Boarding school, the heaviness in their hearts will flow down as tears, filling the campus with emotions. There will be kids aged between 6 and 13. The first few days will be spent gazing into the vacuum, still expecting their parents’ footsteps to return and take them home.
The Quiet Magic of Belonging
However, there will be a little magic taking place in all that silence. Though strangers, they exchange a few smiles, enquire about each other’s names and whereabouts, help the other carry her luggage to a safer place, and help the baby newcomer take a bath. As the monsoon picks up its speed and drenches the earth with new hope, the boarding fills with happiness and cheer. The warden, who had encouraged them to speak, now has to yell at them to maintain silence.
One Identity, Many Voices
Students from diverse families and backgrounds find a common home in our Hostels. In the Indian East Province, we manage four boarding schools, specifically for poor and tribal students, for whom the daily commute to school is impossible due to the distance.
Once they are with us, they have one identity: that of a hostel student. Their diversity becomes a bonding factor. The young ones find security with the senior ones; the senior ones find an arena to master their leadership and management skills. Although they speak their state language in formal settings, they find more connectivity through their independent tribal dialects. Each one has their own identity of the clan they belong. There is rich diversity, yet they are united by the broader cultural unity. As their caregivers, the sisters encourage them to learn from and care for each other, with the single identity of ‘we are one’.
A Home Away From Home: Unlearning and Learning
As the parents walk away after entrusting their students to us, the sister in charge, along with her staff, leads their next journey to find new lessons. Most students need assistance with their daily chores, unlearning the ways they practiced back home, and learning to be disciplined and systematic. Often, the senior students assist the hostel staff in this end, as they are able to relate to the students with ease.
Drawing Closer to the Divine
Students do not come from the same faith practices. However, they are free to follow the religion of their choice and participate in other religious practices if they wish. The innocent minds of the children do not differentiate “my god from her god”. For them, any worship is a celebration, and they joyfully participate in it.
Celebrations: The Rhythm of Life
Celebrations are part of life, and they come in various forms. Certain religious celebrations are given greater importance because they highlight the country’s secular nature. Diwali- the celebration of lights, Holi- the celebration of colors, Raksha Bandhan- the celebration of brotherhood, etc, are celebrated meaningfully. Most of the hotels are situated in the vicinity of the church, and the celebrations there, even a solemn mass on Sunday, are a matter of great joy for them, as they get a chance to meet their kith and kin, and the street vendors sell goodies at minimal cost.
Hostel Ministry: Molding Lives for a Better Future
Many of the students in our hostel would have forfeited quality education had they stayed at home or relied on primary education in their immediate vicinity. By giving them a chance to move away from their familiar, often underprivileged circumstances for a better life, they acquire more than the classroom curriculum. The diversity of ethnic and societal milieus they are exposed to, gives them the confidence to merge into unfamiliar situations too. They also gain the confidence that, beyond one’s own culture, there is a beautiful world that exists, and that it is in diversity that one can truly find unity, humanity, and social development.
The boarding houses in Odisha are more than just shelters; they are laboratories for unity. Here, in the laughter and tears of tribal children, we see the future we hope for the world—a future where our unique roots are not a source of division, but the very thing that enriches the garden we share.
Sr. Tessy Jacob, SSpS – Province of India East
