KATHMANDU, NEPAL, December 9, 2015 (Asia News): A dozen young people will be baptized on Christmas Eve in Kathmandu’s Assumption Cathedral. Many reasons are behind their decision they told AsiaNews [a Catholic website], ranging from discriminatory Hindu traditions to the Missionaries of Mother Teresa who “care for the needy.”
San Shrestha Sharma and Sonika B.K. are two of them. Ten other young people are also waiting to join the Christian community on Christmas Eve, all of them looking forward to “spreading actively God’s message throughout the country.” San Shrestha and Sonika are young, 26 and 22 respectively. They have decided to become Christian and are anxiously waiting for their baptism. For the past two years, they and others have attended catechism at Kathmandu’s Assumption Cathedral.
“My life has changed completely since I met God,” said Sonika. “My whole family is Hindu. In this religion, we do not raise our head because we belong to a poor caste. You cannot imagine the discrimination and contempt we have to endure in all circumstances, whether we want to drink a glass of water or go to the temple to honor the gods.” For her, a person’s spiritual aspect is more important than his or her social class. Speaking about her decision to convert, she said, “It came when I met the Sisters Missionaries of Charity” who provide care to the elderly and abandoned mothers. The sisters work selflessly for the needy. From that moment, I searched out the Catholic Church and now I am ready to join.”