17/12/1975 EXPLAINING THE GOOD NEWS OF CHRISTMAS
I am living in the settlement of Naleba about 10 miles from Labasa, the main town on the second-largest island in the South Pacific nation of Fiji a few years ago. The 40,000 Hindus and Muslims in the area weren’t beating a track to my doorstep to learn about Christianity. But I had one thing going for me: Christmas.
Their grandfathers, brought as indentured laborers to Fiji by the British, slaved six days a week, 52 weeks a year in the sugar plantations. So the public holiday on the feast of Christmas was a welcome rest day to enjoy. Thus Christmas entered the calendar of the ethnic Indians of Fiji, though few were Christians. It was, however, a secular celebration for them. The vast majority was unaware of its religious meaning.
With Christmas approaching, I saw an opportunity to evangelize my non-Christian neighbours, by sharing the Good News of joy and peace signified by the birth of Jesus Christ to people of good will. I obtained from India illustrated pamphlets with the story of Christmas written in the Hindi language.
Armed with the pamphlets and accompanied by Sog Lingam, a young Catholic Indian companion, I set out walking from Naleba towards settlements I rarely visited. I tried to visit every house, talk with the families about the meaning of Christmas and leave a pamphlet for them to read.
I was unprepared for the welcome and hospitality we received everywhere. When we came close to a house, we would first announce ourselves, asking for the dog to be restrained. Inevitably, we were offered a seat and, without waiting for any explanation of our presence, the woman or daughter of the home would bring tea.
In the Indian culture, a guest must be welcomed and treated with kindness because, it’s believed, he could be God in disguise. Then, as we sipped the hot tea, we explained where we were from and why we were making this journey.
by Fr Frank Hoare
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