Preparations are in the final stages for the eagerly awaited
Ecumenical Christian Youth Camp scheduled to be conducted at
Bhairahawa, Nepal on 7th & 8th March 2008. The 2 day camp is the
first of its kind ever held in the Himalayan country with a Hindu
majority. The indigenous Catholic Bishop H.E. Antony Sharma S.J.
(First Bishop in the Apostolic Prefecture of the Catholic Church in
Nepal) and the various Catholic parishes and congregations in Nepal
have extended enormous support for the conference. Rev Fr. John
Kulathinkal, parish priest of the Catholic Mission in Bhairahawa has
been in the forefront giving guidance and advices to the organizing
committee supported by the sisters of Amar Jyothi Mission in
Bhairahawa. Moreover, as Bhairahawa is a boarder town, many of the
Catholic priests, nuns and students in and around UP have shown keen
interest to attend the conference.


H.G. Geevarghese Mar Coorilos, Metropolitan (Former National President
of the Non Catholic Christian Umbrella Association in India – NCCI)
will be delivering the key note address. HG will be celebrating the
Holy Qurbana on 8th March. We are deeply grateful to H.G. Mar
Coorilose for the special interest shown in the pastoral needs of the
students here. A similar conference involving the Medical students of
Universal College of Medical Sciences (UCMS) had been held last year
in connection with H.G's first visit. The vigor and enthusiasm of the
participants, coupled with the urge to get united with the Christian
brothren, has actually prompted the organizing committee to plan an
All Nepal Christian Youth Conference this time.

We are obliged to the Management of UCMS for the patronage extended to
us in this regard. A number of Professionals from UCMS will be
attending the conference as delegates as well as resource persons. As
pointed out, the conference has already triggered interest amongst the
Catholic Communities in Nepal, U.P and other neighboring areas.
However, it is a pity that there is hardly any response from our
church, especially the parishes in and around UP bordering Nepal.
Bhairahawa, the town where the conference is to be held is only 5
minutes drive from Sounali, the border town in UP, which is only 70
Kms from Ghorakhpur. There is no visa required and if informed
earlier, there is a possibility that arrangements can be done to pick
up delegates from Gorakhpur. Kindly consider this as a personal
invitation to attend the conference. Interested persons may kindly
contact the Organizing Committee Convener Dr Nigel Kuriakose at the
following:
drnigelkuriakose@... / 00977 9804418188


Thanks and regards

Vinay Babu Kurian
UCMS, Bhairahawa, Nepal