Dear friends,

A child is born into this world, not simply by the consent of a man and woman, but also because God creates a life in the womb of a mother. In every child there is the image and likeness of God and the flesh and blood comes to life with the breath of God. A transgender born to a couple carries this divine touch. We should be willing to accept this divine gift of God in a transgender child without any hesitation.

Every child needs protection and care till he or she reaches adulthood. A common observation is that transgender individuals are not loved and accepted by both the parents upon realization that their child is becoming a Transman or Transwoman. A child grows into god-designed potential and that process is to be guided and blessed by the loving and caring parents. When this is not happening, the child is cast out of the home or forced to leave to the streets. Should we not understand this predicament as human sin and seek counselling to correct ourselves?

God is placing a child into a community for community living. It is in a community that a child grows with proper education, health, skill training and career. To accept another, who is different from us, is a lesson to be learned in our community living. Only in such a context can a transgender grow without being a drop out from school, without being rejected by medical professionals and being considered for a decent job based on their merit and eligibility. When we see a transgender begging or going for sex-work, let us recognize that there is a corporate sin underlying in such public acts. This must be corrected and it is our corporate responsibility.

God has found his creation good. Our world is the cradle where transgenders are placed by God. Let them grow to their full god-designed potential, for they also carry divine gifts good for our world. Let us rejoice in accepting a transgender as our sibling and creating a space for all of us to live together. Life thus becomes beautiful.

Rt. Rev. Dr. Geevarghese Mar Theodosius

            About Mar Thoma Navodaya Movement Society :

Navodaya movement was initiated in Mumbai with trans community by then Diocesan Episcopa Rt. Rev. Dr. Thomas Mar Theethos Mumbai Diocese of Mar Thoma Church. Officially ianugurated in Mumbai on 2nd October 2012 by The Most Rev. Dr. Joseph Mar Irenius Metropolitan.  Later it was undertaken by the Church  and was registered as an organization of the Mar Thoma Church in 2019.  It is a social platform for justice, equality and empowerment, striving to reach out to the unseen, unheard and the unheeded voices of the Transgender community. Mar Thoma Navodaya Movement is a project of the Mar Thoma church to help the transgender community irrespective of caste, color or creed.

It is indeed the first time in the history of churches in India that a church as a whole has initiated a project to uplift the Transgender community. The Mar Thoma Syrian church has been in the forefront for helping the marginalized communities in India. It has been an integral part of the mission of the church to reach out to the downtrodden and outcast members of the society and help uplift them. As part of centenary celebration of the Valiya Metropolitan Most Rev. Dr. Philipose Mar Chrysostom, the Church began to reach out to the transgender community in Kerala through the Mar Thoma Navodaya Movement Society. Through this outreach to the oppressed, the Mar Thoma church is able to live up to its motto “Lighted to lighten”.

Mar Thoma Navodaya Movement Society facilitates the members of these communities to voice their concerns and be active participants in the decision-making processes which affect their lives. The organization works on collaborating with them to help attain the fulfillment of their basic human rights, and empowering them to experience and enjoy life in its fullness.

Values:

In all aspects of the work of MTNMS and throughout the organization, as we pursue our mission, we live by the values listed below. Together, they provide a picture of who we are and how we want to be: