t was water that united the Muslims of a village in Central java and a Catholic priest, for long engaged in building projects for the territory. In the past months the Muslims that go to the small ‘Mushola’ (prayer room) in the Wanasri village have been able to perform the ‘wudhu’, ritual ablution in preparation for prayers, thanks to pipes that channel water from an artesian well wanted by Father Charles Burrows of the Oblates missionary congregation.
The ‘UCANews’ (Union of Catholic Asian News) reports that initially the local inhabitants, around 400 families all of Islamic faith except two Protestants, rejected help linked to their religious sphere from the priest of Irish origin, director of the Social Foundation for Welfare Promotion (YSBS, Indonesian acronym), which handles irrigation, public housing, road building and other labor-intensive projects.
But the villagers were then convinced by the Imam Latifudin, who in front of everyone defined the priest as his “father”, because they had worked together for seven years on various projects. “Let us live in harmony. Not only you and I want to have God's reward, but also the priest”, the Imam told the people at the ‘Mushola’.
Now the water channeled by the pipes of Fr. ‘Carolus’ (as he is known in the area) not only provides the ‘Mushola’, but also 35 families living in the surrounding hilly and arid area.
(From MISNA - UCANews)