Met Fr. T.U. Thomas after such a long time!

TU Thomas achen was my vicar during my days in Vashi, Navi Mumbai. This unassuming, simple and very approachable and resourceful achen had been part of my spiritual growth, during my days in college, as I was ordained as an acolyte, as I learned to use the censer. Achen used to be the Vashi Aramana manager then. I remember those days when we would together work on the Aramana Library, cataloging the books there, would go together on house visits, would go on collection drives, for charity work, for carols - unforgettable days of growing up in the Vashi Church.

So meeting TU Thomas achen after all these years was definitely one high point of my visit to the Balikagram last January. It was so nice to meet him again. And he looked just the same like I remembered him from almost 2 decades ago. He was now a managing committee member of the Balikagram and also the vicar of a nearby parish.

Achen had kindly sent a vehicle to pick me up from the Dehu Road railway station. I met achen at one of the parishioners' home. Then we went to the Balikagram to meet the children just as they were preparing for bed. After that we went to the guest house where I was to stay and achen and I spoke late into the night - about memories from Vashi and about many other things. Achen met me the next day in the office and it was a joy to be in his company all through my visit at the Balikagram.