Imkong Walling
Religious organizations the world over are held in high regard. Ingrained over thousands of years, the respect commanded by the houses of prayer and its custodians remains unmatched.
The faithful have seldom failed to rise to the occasion even in the most turbulent of days, as pillars of hope to the dying and the forsaken; as care givers to victims of conflict.
One such story is today playing out for real in Mizoram where the ever revered Christian Church has done something unimaginable in Nagaland with a people devout no less.
As per the last count, as many as 90 churches in the Christian majority state have opened its doors to the government offering its spacious buildings to serve as quarantine facilities for its flock returning home.
The gesture came as much needed breather to a government faced with a gargantuan reality of quarantining and feeding thousands of people escaping a global pandemic.
When Mizoram, a state often ranked higher than Nagaland in terms of governance and service delivery, is feeling the pinch, Nagaland with its poor track record is clearly a cause for concern, if not graver.
With the number of returnees far outnumbering the number of roofs available, a wobbling, cash-strapped Nagaland state government needs all the help it can from all quarters, the Church included.
The government has none to blame but itself for the dire straits Nagaland is in today yet as the phrase goes, “Extraordinary situations calls for extraordinary measures.” And in a situation as today, can the churches in Nagaland take that one extraordinary step by going beyond photo-ops handing over cheques to rather opening its doors to those escaping hunger, while providing much needed relief to the government?
The churches here with its real estate can make an impact serving as sanctuary. One church has so far taken the step— the Chakhesang Baptist Churches Council (CBCC) offering its guest house in Pfutsero as a quarantine centre for returnees.
The Hindu, Jain, Muslim and Sikh communities in Dimapur have already offered its buildings to be used as quarantine centres.
The churches, particularly in Dimapur and Kohima, replicating the act would certainly be a booster, both in morale and in deed. Taking a step further, running kitchens or sponsoring expenses for feeding the returnees during quarantine would help all the more.
Expenses would be high yet to a people distrustful of the government’s financial handling, churches are citadels of hope and truthfulness and there should be no dearth of voluntary donations.
‘The hands that serve are holier than the lips that pray’ as an expression transcends belief systems. Let the Church not be a fair weather shepherd, let the Church be an all-weather, selfless shepherd that also helps in cash and in deed to shelter the flock come rain, thunder or plague.
The writer is a Principal Correspondent at The Morung Express. Comments can be sent to imkongwalls@gmail.com
