TREASURER RESPONDS/ FELICITATIONS AT KUT SEMINARY / KANNAMMOOLA

The Principal and the Staff of the KUT Seminary, Kannammmoola, Thiruvananthapuram joined together to  felicitate their Treasurer on his birthday. When it was time for him to respond, he spoke.

Respected Principal, Members of the Faculty and my dear friends in the Office and the Library,

The Holy Bible says, “ Yahova has done this.”

Yahova in Malayalam is God almighty in English

Yes, we -  me and Lila, know we are nothing but just ordinary human beings.  We are indeed grateful for the love and affection you have all showered upon us and we have to admit we are short of words to express our gratitude.

You are all very dear to us.

I am not an orator. Nor is Lila. We are scared of standing up on a podium and making a speech. We used to run away from the task if we had any prior idea. Yet we both were forced into making specches since our jobs demanded it. There was no way out. I still remember what happened on 22^nd december 1977. It was the inauguration of the branch of the Bank of Cochin at Kozhencherry.  When they asked me to go there and open the branch, they directed me to ensure that Alexander MarThoma of the MarThoma Church would inaugurate it. At the bank when you are tasked you just have to go and accomplish it. ‘How’ is a question they don’t entertain at all. The long and short of it is Alexander MarThoma did inaugurate the branch. But I made a mess of the Vote of Thanks.

When David Joy Achen told me he had requested Giji to speak today I smelt danger. The next day we were at the Shop my son runs. I sat down there and wrote out a speech.

 I am coming out with that now.

Though I had been in Trivandrum from the fag end of 1977, I had stepped into  the KUT Seminary only three times before 2016. Twice, to meet Jacob Verghis Achen who was my Papa’s cousin and once, to drop KKKoshy Achen who was gracious  enough to participate in  a Prayer meeting at our house.

When Joseph Samuel Achen, whom I respected very much, in line with the guidance from PTGeorge Achen, the Principal, KUT Seminary, had invited me to join the KUT Seminary as the Treasurer, I did not hesitate long to accept the invitation, of course after subjecting myself to a careful thought process.

As it had happened a couple of months after my stint, as the Treasurer of the CSI Christ Church, Palayam, Trivandrum, of three years was over,  Lila asked me why I was going in again for another assignment at the Church.  Our experience over the past three years had already taught us that assignments at the Church could always be a tough call.  God was asking me to take it up, I quietly replied,.

Still, there was another hitch. This was a domain I had no prior exposure..

However, the recognition and the respect I had received from everyone here at the Seminary was unlimited.

Well, Lila confided after six months, I had taken the right decision.

I am filled with a host of memories of the time here.

Nine years in one place is pretty long a time.

When I compare it with my career in the Bank it was indeed a blessing as the maximum one could expect to stay undisturbed at one place there, was four years. But it never occurs like that. Exigencies shuttle you. The priorities of the organization gain precedence.  The finis was, the thirty five years of my service had been interspersed with placements in sixteen offices. The advantage was I gained much with the exposure, though the cost was heavy in terms of the disruption in the family life as well as in the bringing up of the children.

 The Annual Seminary Magazines, except for the issues in the past two years, had carried contributions from me at the behest of the Principals who helmed the Seminary. Composing them had been a big challenge.

Life is to live. But we must live our life for God as well as for our fellow beings.

I know that all of us  here have been toiling hard for the welfare of the Seminary.

Seminary is an institution. It is God’s own. But people who converge here are the real force behind it. They have built it up. They have contributed to its phenomenal growth. That exactly is God’s resolve.

I believe it has been a God given opportunity to work along with David Joy Achen, a brilliant scholar, an efficient administrator, a writer par excellence and a superb personality. It is a great blessing.

I have often been astounded by his skill level.

When the Seminary is our own Bread and Butter, we have to steer it to greater glory.

I know that God alone can make it come. true.  I pray for that.

Let me conclude expressing our gratitude for the love and affection you have displayed for our sake.

Thank you. And thank you again and again.