Mumbai (AsiaNews) - A small rosary found in her house: this is how the story of Sumita Jagatap's the conversion to Catholicism begins. Born to a Hindu Mother and Buddhist father, she has always experienced conflicting relationships inside and outside the family: the different religions is often a cause of conflict and disputes between her parents and has also had an impact on the children. Sumita grew restless, lacking any real point of reference, and brought these insecurities to her own marriage, which lasted just seven days.
"In 2004 - Sumita tells AsiaNews - my mother became a follower of the famous Hindu guru Swamiji and took part in every meeting, in the hope of bringing peace to our family. I've always been very fond of her, so I followed and also became a followe of Swamiji. But everything remained just like before. " In 2006, her mother died suddenly during a meeting in Kulu (Himanachal Pradesh). "Her death - she explains - made me lose faith and since then I have suffered pain and suffering of all kinds."
In 2010, Sumita got married, but the marriage broke down after just seven days because of the "injustices" caused by her husband, of which she prefers not to speak. She then returned to live with her father, eldest brother and his wife in Mulund, but the situation worsened day by day. So she decided to move out and live alone, exhausted by the continuing harassment inflicted by her brother and sister-in law: 18 December of the same year she moved to Mira Road, to begin a new life.
"If I thought about my future - she says - I saw only darkness. I looked for help and support in all kinds of places, astrology, vastu shastra [" building science "which studies how the laws of nature affect houses, ed], but nothing solved my problems. " Meanwhile, the lawyer who was defending her in the divorce settlement began to talk to her about Jesus and God, inviting her to go to church with him. "I was a Hindu, for a long time I followed my guru, I had never read anything about Christ."
In March 2011, she continues, "Jesus revealed Himself to me, carrying a small rosary into my house in Mira Road." At first, she recalls, "I had no idea how it got there. I thought it must have been the pigeons, who often stopped outside my windows." Sumita spoke of the rosary to a friend, Rupali Joseph, a former Hindu who converted to Catholicism. "He explained the importance of the rosary in the lives of Christians and took me to his house, where his family prayed to Jesus for me. I told my story to his in-laws, who by a strange coincidence are called Mary and Joseph."
The two Christians introduced Sumita to Christianity, and brought her with them to various retreats. "Having participated in these meetings and heard the Word of God, I felt a great change take place in me. I believe that the Lord has healed all my wounds and blessed my sins, gifting me prayer, love and compassion for others, as well as the strength to forgive those who have hurt me. " In July 2012 she began the journey of the catechumenate, to be baptized and converted to Catholicism. "I believe strongly that Jesus is the only God and I want to bear witness to Christ in my life. My work is going well thanks to the grace of Christ and I have been able to reconcile myself with my family, because I understood the true meaning of confession and forgiveness" .