Inset: Kairunnissa, Father Shibu YohannanKochi: For years Kerala was held up across India as a shining beacon of communal amity and tolerance, with various communities living together and building and nurturing a syncretic culture.
That pretty picture has begun to fray at the edges in recent years, with competitive communal politics taking hold of the state. But a Christian priest from the state has through a shining personal example tried to reclaim the glorious old days of communal harmony, when an human being was a human being first and a member of a religion or sect only second.
Father Shibu Yohannan set the example by donating his kidney to save the life of Kairunnissa, a 29-year old Muslim woman from Thrissur. The kidney was harvested and successfully transplanted on the woman at a private hospital here on Wednesday.
The priest of Cheengery St. Mary's Jacobite Syrian Church in Wayanad is also an author, who uses the money earned from the sale of his books for charity.
Kairunnissa, the mother of a 3-year-old girl, was suffering from kidney ailments for the past four years and had undergone several rounds of dialysis in the past one-and-a-half years.
The family was desperately trying to find a donor for Kairunnissa after the hospital said it was not possible to take the kidney of her 56-year-old mother Shereefa.
Finally, Fr Shibu Yohannan's blood group was found to be a match for Kairunnissa's. She was selected as the recipient from those who were registered with the Kidney Federation of India, founded by Fr Davis Chiramel.
Fr Shibu Yohannan was inspired by Fr Chiramel, founder and chairman, Kidney Federation of India, who himself had set an example for society by donating one of his kidneys. Both donor and recipient are in good condition.
That is a heartwarming tale from God's own country at a time when news of pain and suffering are assailing our senses every minute, and a great sacrifice this Christmas season.
(With agency inputs)
