Bangladesh

November 6, 2001

The Good News hidden away from the simple because of distrust and fear.

We know that Jesus said: "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; fear him rather who can destroy both body and soul in hell", Mt 10, 28. Then: "Anyone who does not take his cross and follow in my footsteps is not worthy of me. Anyone who finds his life will lose it; anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it", Mt. 10, 38-39.

After a successful mission in Sri Lanka, prepared by Duleep, Caterina and Catherine Minter as well as the local priests, one cannot say the same thing for Dhaka. The last two times Vassula visited Dhaka, the meetings were organized by all the TLIG people there and they were of great success giving glory to our Lord. Vassula had visited as well the Bishop of Dhaka and met as well the Vicar of the Catholic seminary. The meeting then drew over 4000 people who were not only Catholics but Moslems as well. It was in the garden of a convent that the sisters graciously offered us.

I am reporting now all that happened in Bangladesh in an honest manner and show how no one can be safe from diabolical influences and from temptations. This is why our Lord tells us in Scripture to remain awake.

As you know, Bangladesh is not just around the corner; it is far and from Europe to Bangladesh takes a good 14 hours journey in the plane with a change of hours. Already to go so far it demands a lot of energy and sacrifice. This is the sacrifice that Jesus had been asking from Vassula and she has been giving it with all her heart to the Lord. Many people say: "Well she is given supernatural strength to be able to stand on her feet and travel in so many countries and still be fit". This is all true; nevertheless, Vassula too is human and like everyone else has limited strength and the Lord even warned her not to get weary otherwise she might not be able to accomplish all that she has been given.

This time the organization and preparation of the meeting was entrusted to Fr. "X" as Duleep and Caterina had to be away to open the way in Sri Lanka. It is a shame that things did not go well, again I say, because of distrust in our Lord. The meeting entrusted to Fr. "X" turned out to be a total fiasco. Just a few days before going to Bangladesh, Vassula had received a discouraging letter from Fr. "X" pointing out to her to cancel her trip from Sri-Lanka into Bangladesh. He seemed reluctant to take the responsibility because of the political situation to have her speak in Bangladesh. The whole of the TLIG group were ready to give any help like every time. The political situation in Dhaka is not different from any time before and it is not different from the rest of the world. In reality it was not more dangerous than any time Vassula had been there and while in Dhaka she moved around the city freely. Today we are all living dangerously and death could come sneaking around the corner any time. It is not the first time religious wars surged up and political upheavals manifested. Some months back, in a small village a Catholic church was under attack in Bangladesh and more recently two priests were attacked. You will always have the extremists here and there. In Egypt a few years back, innocent Swiss tourists were shot down by terrorists while visiting the valley of the Kings. Nothing to do with religion. So one cannot stop living a normal life because of all these events. To go and hide will do no one any good. If they want to get you they will get you and it will only be when GOD ALLOWS IT...

Vassula had no indications from Christ either to postpone her mission and Jesus wanted her to go there. There are some people who have not yet quite understood that Vassula does not move on her own whims but is totally guided by Christ and has been commissioned to proclaim the Messages no matter what happens.

Fr. "X"' attitude of non-commitment was very disappointing to notice in the TLIG group and it took everyone unaware. When some people - one TLIG person and the other a Muslim associate of Duleep - went over to offer him their services when there was still time he discouraged them one after the other, either by ignoring all their suggestions or by refusing to collaborate with them. In the end, when he found out that Vassula was on her way, Fr. "X" told some of the TLIG group that Vassula wanted the meeting to be very small and discreet, something that she never said because Christ had never indicated to her. So with these words they found an enclosed small room that would not take more than 200 chairs.

Vassula already was in Sri Lanka when she found out how Fr. "X" was actually silencing God's Voice and she deplored this act of mistrust and asked him once again to find a bigger place, perhaps even ask the Bishop to give the garden of the Seminary. The Bishop consented to this immediately as long as the teachers who were priests in the Seminary, in their majority, agreed as well. Fr. "X" then wanted to draw in this affair all the other Bishops and see if they too agreed, (most of them are out of the district of Dhaka), and there was only one day left! Furthermore, Vassula had specifically asked Fr. "X" for this time to announce it in his classes and ask that all the seminarians come over to the meeting and benefit from the messages as they would be the future priests. If only the seminarians would have come to profit from Jesus' teachings in TLIG they alone would have filled 100 places. But Fr. "X" preferred to keep silent and did not announce it orally to them... where is oh Lord, that apostolic spirit in its eagerness to witness to the Christ and to lay itself down on the altar of martyrs, to humble itself in the arena of shame and pain rather than deny a divine message from our Lord? Where is that discipleship fervour and trust?

Only on the night of our arrival in Dhaka, Fr. "X" went to a certain Mr. Zaman, owner of the World Trade Promotion Centre, a Muslim business man who volunteered to sponsor and finance a bigger hall. Last time when Vassula had a meeting and had 5000 people at the sisters' convent there were no charges. But now, after having done everything to discourage a big meeting, and this is the truth, cancelling all the openings done by the followers of the TLIG group, he asked Mr. Zaman, a very distinguished and generous man with an open heart to our religion to find a place where 600 chairs could be placed, but that was only hours before Vassula's arrival in Dhaka! Now even if he had found a larger place it would be only for the eyes, because no proper announcements were made to fill it up. Mr. Zaman told us later on that he tried his best in the last moment to do something, but rightly so he said he was not given enough time for arrangements... just 5 hours before Vassula's arrival...

In the meantime, banners of True life in God were put up in Dhaka city, but because of the last minute change of venue they were all hidden so that people are not mislead to the wrong venue. Very few small posters were indicating the venue that one could hardly notice them. The hall was barren and not one sign of True Life in God was put up although Fr. "X" to the last moment was saying that everything would be arranged. When the meeting started we had just barely 300 people... Apparently many people who had come from far away realizing that the meeting had changed place did not bother any more to find the second place, as indication were confusing and unclear.

Mr. Zaman is a man full of initiatives very willing to give any help. It was obvious that God touched him and sent him to us. He went to the government people, as he knows them, and asked for a private audience with the President of Bangladesh so that Vassula meets him. When the President found out from his security men that the Catholic priests are divided amongst themselves and are in disagreement on the case of Vassula, the President said that he must refuse to give an audience to Vassula - although he was keen to meet her - because of the priests' division. What a pity and a scandal that such a picture of division among the priests was brought out in broad daylight to the government! Mr. Zaman managed to make an announcement in the papers though and also drew the attention of the TV and brought the TV crew in the hall that Vassula was speaking. This was shown on the TV news the following day after she had left. Besides that, 3 local newspapers had a write-up with a photo of Vassula's meeting on November 6th.

What is disappointing to see is how people react when put to the test. Look at how Peter denied Christ three times! Look how the disciples ran away in the garden of Gethsemane leaving Jesus alone in the hands of his enemies. When things look comfortable, safe and cosy they are first in line, but when put to the test, if they are not awake through prayer, they are first to flee and hide. When it is to be praised by people they are first on a pedestal and are eager to be known and obtain the crown of glory on their heads, but when things turn sour and difficult endangering their reputation and their life, they slip away quietly forgetting Christ in the back, and they do not even know you anymore. Saint Paul and the apostles who were entrusted to spread the Good News if they had the same spirit, no Good News would have spread, but they had a different spirit altogether. They were captured, stoned, flogged, imprisoned and menaced but they never let God down or His Message. Nothing stopped them. They put their lives behind and put God first. Today it is rare to find such apostolic spirit and it is sad to see Jesus let down and disappointed over and over again. One wonders, will we ever learn?

Apart from this set-back, we visited as well the Beth Myriam of Dhaka which is totally run by Duleep and Caterina. When we saw Duleep wear an apron and serve the poor their midday dish, (which he does daily), it reminded us of the words of Scriptures when Jesus said: "I came to serve and not to be served." After this visit we all went to the nearby slums from where those people who came to the Beth Myriam come. They are really the poorest of the poor. We hope that the Beth Myriam can somehow extend its branches so that we could feed more people. In this Beth Myriam there was a whiteboard in the dining-room and had some Bangla writings on it. We found out that every Wednesday afternoon there is a class for 32 children, 5-10 years of age of the slums that cannot afford to attend not even the local public school. They are given the basics. Beth Myriam hosts a TLIG prayer meeting every Wednesday evening sharing the latest news of Vassula's mission and Jesus' teachings through His messages. Scriptures say that to have faith without good deeds is useless. So we give glory to God and we thank our Blessed Mother who indicated to Vassula her wishes that by giving out spiritual food to the people was not enough and that one would complete his faith by good deeds specifying that Beth Myriams should rise to feed the poor.

In a recent message Vassula received, the Father said to her: "To silence My Voice is a mortal sin..." "their conduct does not please Me because they become the enemies of the whole human race, since they are hindering My chosen ones from pronouncing My Will to My people and from reconstructing My House..."

Vassula also believes that the war of today, the attack on the twin Towers and the conflicts in Israel between Jews and Palestinians could have been avoided had she more openings to draw people into conversion through the messages. God has been calling us, but instead of listening many authorities tried to muffle down God's voice and the message was ridiculed and chased away, even to this day. Would there have been more people, there would have been a lot more prayer and reparations done for the sins of the world. Prayer keeps away wars and all that is evil. The prophecy of the 11th September 1991, exactly 10 years before the event of the terrorist's attacks where our Lord explicitly says that the Towers will fall into a heap of dust is a proof that Vassula is sent by God to prophesy and draw His people to repentance and prayer but also sent to warn them. In the end everyone will believe that TLIG was a message from God but it will be too late because the world would have suffered again from their own incredulity they had on the divine works of God that are filled with His mercy. Finally, one has to sit down and reflect in his heart on some events.

1. We all know that the Message of TLIG was "born" in Bangladesh, a poor Muslim country, the size of Switzerland and a population over 130,000,000. Why has God chosen this country?

2. Why has God chosen to reveal Himself and speak to Vassula in that country with 90% of Muslim inhabitants? Why has God manifested Himself to Vassula in Bangladesh?

3. Why, in spite of their minority the holders of the Christian faith and I mean the priests, who are amongst them divided, when hearing of God's message, the majority turned their back to it and paid no attention?

4. Why, instead, every Muslim that approached the message of God, believed, and opened his heart to God and praised God?

5. Why has Jesus sent Vassula first to His own people in Dhaka to show the message and by showing it Vassula received mockery, rejection and was and is persecuted still only by His own priests?

6. Why have the Christian friends of Vassula in Dhaka who were not Church goers believed and welcomed the message that changed their lives and converted them?

7. Why is it that up to today, the priests in Dhaka have still a problem to believe and those who say they believe cannot stand up courageously to defend Jesus' Interests and stand up for Jesus in difficult times?

One could say without hesitation that Jesus Christ came to Dhaka and revealed Himself entrusting His message to Vassula. He sent her to His own but many among them closed their hearts to it. They were not allowed to see the truth. As Scriptures say: "God has given them a sluggish spirit, unseeing eyes and inattentive ears, and they are still like that today, (Is 29:10). But this is what God is going to do as He once said to Hosea: "I shall say to a people that was not mine, "You are my people", and to a nation I never loved, "I love you". Instead of being told, "You are no people of mine," they will now be called the sons of the living God."(Ho 2:25 and 2:1.)

Jesus Christ came to His own first when He was on earth but they did not believe Him. They persecuted Him and put Him to death. Then His message went to the pagans and to no people of God. So is it possible that His own did not hear? Is it possible that they did not understand? These are the words that Isaiah the prophet said in Scriptures: "I have been found by those who did not seek me, and have revealed myself to those who did not consult me", (Is 65:1,2). And that is exactly what is happening.

Therefore, let us not be surprised with all that happened, it happened before. Do not be surprised now when the Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, and Buddhists will open their hearts to God's message coming from the hands of a Christian woman and will acknowledge it glorifying God, because through grace God allowed their hearts to recognize Him and hear Him. Do not be surprised when you see that it will be through them and by them that God's message of mercy will be glorified... and they will be the ones who will lift it, welcome it, honour it and proclaim it in Dhaka.