Father Sanu Puthussery delivered a thanksgiving speech at the prayer hall during Friday prayers last week.

He told the Muslim congregation that during the floods over 580 people sought refuge at the church where he was serving as the priest.

Within a day, the church ran out of food and water.

"I straightaway went to the Masjid (mosque), apprised the maulvi about our difficulty and requested his help. After the day's prayers, Muslim brothers came to the church with a large quantity of food and water," Puthussery said.

"I cannot express my gratitude to them in words. That much help and support they had extended during the time of difficulties."

Puthussery said the Muslim community continued bringing essential items to the relief camp at the church. Besides food and water, the youth attached to the mosque also arranged for medicines.

"I went to the Masjid to meet the maulvi and other authorities and thank them personally. But they invited me to their prayer hall and offered me their platform to speak..." he said.

Though the floods had snatched away many valuables from people, it also "washed away the walls of differences among them," Puthussery told this Muslim congregation.

"Pope Francis had said build bridges, not walls. The devastating floods have now given us an opportunity to destroy the walls and build the bridges of togetherness," he said.

Source

• The Times of India
• Hindustan Times
• Image: Moneycontrol