Divine Sparks in the Early Life of Mother Eliswa

Certain people are born with the signature of God in their soul. They are endowed with a celestial charisma and a divine glow in their lives. Such people are surrounded by a heavenly halo that gets manifested from the time of their birth.  For them childhood becomes the canvas upon which the sparks of special talents, capacities and gifts first get evinced. It is during these formative years that the potential, calibre, ability and ambition of an individual begins to reveal itself, laying the foundation of life’s purpose and mission.  Observing a child closely
can unveil glimpses of their innate gifts, as they naturally gravitate towards activities that resonate with their inner strengths. In their thoughts, words and deeds, the sparks of their creativity may flicker. Childhood can be compared to a rich palette of potential with marvellous hues waiting to be discovered. 

Moreover, the manifestation of special talents and charisma in childhood often serve as a compass guiding individuals towards their true calling. The emotions, attachments and attitudes a child exhibits while immersed in their activities can serve as a roadmap for future endeavours and achievements.  These sparks not only allow children to develop their skills but also foster a sense of purpose and self-awareness that can shape their identity as they grow. As these sparks are kindled and cultivated, they have the potential to evolve into enduring flames that illuminate the unique path a person is destined to tread. These sparks may be varied in nature and manifestation; intellectual, spiritual, aesthetic and the like.

The sparks of spirituality often manifest in childhood, revealing a profound connection to the mysteries of existence, a natural inclination towards the transcendent and an innate love for other beings. In the early years of spiritually inclined persons, there is a purity of spirit that allows them to perceive the awe-inspiring beauty of the world with a clarity unclouded by skepticism. This inherent spirituality can be observed in their contemplation of the cosmos, the fascination with life's profound questions, and an intuitive understanding of interconnectedness. Very often it gets revealed in their day to day life even in small, simple actions and communication with the world and
the people around them. The spiritual sparks in childhood are evident in the participation in rituals, humaneness and sympathy for the weak and the powerless and the desire for prayer and contemplation. Their thoughts and activities will reflect an innate desire to connect with something beyond the tangible. The early glimpses into the spiritual realm lay the foundation for a lifelong journey of purity and service. Furthermore, the sparks of spirituality in childhood are not confined to organized religious practices; they transcend cultural boundaries and can manifest in diverse ways. The genuine compassion and empathy displayed by spiritually gifted children, their ability to find joy in simple moments, and their intuitive sense of fairness all bear witness to a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of all living beings around them.

However, it is crucial to acknowledge that the journey from childhood sparks to fully realized talents is a dynamic and evolving process. As children grow and mature, their interests and aptitudes may evolve, requiring a supportive environment that adapts to these changes. The sparks ignited in childhood are the seeds of potential, and with the right nurturing, they can flourish into the extraordinary capacities and gifts that define a person's distinctive contribution to the world. Venerable Mother Eliswa’s childhood bear witness to these divine sparks and the supportive environment that helped her to ignite them into wings of fire of spirituality that became capable of illuminating the
world around her. Eliswa was born to the affluent aristocratic Vyppissery family of Ochanthuruth in the island of Vypeen. She was born as the first child of Mr. Thomman and Mrs. Thanda on October 15, 1831 and was baptized in Cruz Milagris Church. The Cruz Milagris Parish has a rich legacy of being one of theancent parishes in Kerala which is supposed to be established in 1527. The present church was built by Fr. Anthony Decostius in 1851. Vyppissery family was one of the richest families in the neighbourhood owning acres of land. Eliswa
was born in the 19th century that was marked with patriarchal valuesand fendal ethos. The social milieu was also replete with many social evils, superstitions and unfair practices. There were different kinds of discriminations, and oppression. Untouchability, social inequality and
partiachal hegemony made the life of the minorities, subalterns and women really difficult and pathetic. The divide between the haves and have nots was very prominent. The predicament of women in 19th century Kerala society was very pitiable as they were denied the right to education, property, etc. they were not given any choice in deciding their vocation. Girl children were not allowed to go to schools while boys were given the right for education. Women had subordinate and submissive roles that were confined within the four walls of their houses. Most of the girls were given training in managing the domestic duties and household chores from childhood onwards. They never had any purpose or dreams about their own lives. They were not allowed to think, learn and earn for themselves. Their lives were spent as shadows of the male members in the family.

It is to be remembered that the society was highly unfair and injust filled with superstitions and evil practices like sati, child marriage, un-touchablity, etc. The life of a woman was highly pathetic, pitiable and cursed. She was considered as a possession and a commodity by the patriarchal society. Though this was the general social situation in Kerala, the condition in Christian families was a little better. They were free from practices like sati and were allowed to remarry in the light of the Christian tradition in the western countries. Eliswa was born to an ancient and noble family in Ochanthuruth near Vypeen. The family was an honourable and affluent one with almost all male members educated and financially well to do. The family named Vyppissery was also known as Kapithan family as many of the ancestors had served in the army making soldiering this profession. Some of them even got promoted as commanders/captains. Kapithan is the Malayalam word for captain. They were educated and many of them held honourable positions in society and in government service. 

The Vyppissery family was committed to deep catholic faith and was involved in the activities of the chuch. Parents of Eliswa, Thomman and Thanda were an ideal couple who were ardent followers of Jesus Christ leading a very pious and exemplary life. This family was specially chosen by God for Eliswa to be born as she was divinely designed to lead a sacred life which was to be instrumental
in bringing about tremendous changes in the spiritual and social domains of Kerala history. She was initiated into Catholic faith through the noble and devoted life of her own parents, who used to attend daily Holy Mass and other religious services in the parish church ardently. Her brothers Joseph, Vareed, Antony, Thomman, Louis and the only sister Thresia functioned like beacons around her igniting and illumining the spiritual glow that resided within her. Her third brother, Louis later became a priest, Fr. Louis TOCD who had
tremendous impact and influence on her vocation, vision and mission. He was an ideal and ardent priest and a renowned writer. He was the first editor of the journal ‘Satyanada Kahalam’ one of the early periodicals in Malayalam. He was a maestro in translation and his ‘Vedaprasangasarani’ which was the translation of a book from Latin to Malayalam became very famous. He was the first to
translate the Holy Bible into Malayalam in Kerala and was the inspiring force behind the magazine ‘Cherupushpam’. He has authored several books like ‘Vyakulaprasangam’. Of course, the influence of this enlightened brother during the childhood years of Eliswa’s life was really remarkable. She imbibed the spiritual legacy and the intellectual calibre of this elder brother which can be seen reflected in her
later life. 

Eliswa’s family was renowned for its philanthropic and altruistic values. The family was devoted to the service of the downtrodden and the deprived. The 19th century society was marked with patriarchal hegemony and feudal ethos. Women and the subaltern sections of the society were undergoing subjugation and discrimination. While the elite sections of the society enjoyed affluence and power, the majority of the population was crippled by poverty and hunger. Eliswa could see and experience their pathetic predicament as her family
harboured a lot of servants, maids and workers in the household. She witnessed the misery and suffering of thousands of labours in the society around her who toiled day and night irrespective of rain and heat in agricultural and other menial jobs. Her heart went out to them and she identified herself with the distressed and the deprived. She knew what is meant by being ‘poor’ and even as a child, she wanted to help the needy. She had seen her parents and relations becoming sources of solace and support to the poor and the needy providing them
money and things to help them make both ends meet. The Vyppissery family provided provisions and cloths to all the workers who helped them in their agricultural labour and domestic chores. This attitude of the family invigorated the humanitarian attributes of Eliswa and she realized in childhood itself that serving the poor and making them economically independent was her mission in life. She showed love, mercy and compassion to all the dependants of her family. She used to be amidst the tenants and workers related to her family and found constantly conversing with them and helping them. She used to keep for them small things and gifts in her tiny hands. Those acts of charity gave her much contentment and fulfilment. These early sparks of humaneness and enlightenment were strong enough to ignite them into the ardent and radiant fire of divine love in her mature years. The love for the poor and the destitute that was reflected in her childhood days was strong enough to become the hallmark of her vocation. 

Eliswa’s early life was fragrant with spiritual richness and observance of religious rites and services. In this regard, her devotion to Mother Mary was highly distinctive and noteworthy. As a child, she used to spend time in front of the statue of the Holy Mother praying and decorating the statue with flowers. She developed special veneration towards Mother Mary in her early years of life which she continued till her death. This love and faith to the Holy Mother can be seen in the lives of all saintly people. Mother Mary intercedes for divinely inspired persons serving as a catalyst in transforming them to saints. Little Eliswa inherited love towards rosary from her mother and she had a special attachment to rosary. This special love developed into a passion in her and later when she turned to her mission of empowering women though economic independence, she thought of giving entrepreneral training and skill development. Rosary making was the important component in the system of job-training that she materialized for this purpose. Even today, ‘Koonammavu’ the place where she lived after marriage, is famous for the house based small scale industry which play very important role in the economic independence and
self-reliance of women is the present social setting.

Her love of the Holy Eucharist in her childhood was also noteworthy. In many writings, we come across the urge and eagerness she had to receive the Holy Communion. An incident that was narrated related to her first Holy Communion day is very interesting and inspirational. She received her first Holy Communion at the age of 7. Her parents commemorated the event with much jubilation and celebration. Inviting a lot of guests in accordance with the custom of those days. But she was not interested in those celebrations. Her only interest was in having a divine communion with the Host and after receiving the Communion, she continued inside the church in a state of ecstasy. When the other members of the family searched for her outside the church, they couldn’t find her as she was engaged in prayerful contemplation. At last she was forcefully brought by her cousins from the church to the house. 

Eliswa grew up as a dutiful and responsible child with the spiritual attributes of prayer and contemplation. She grew in age and wisdom and in obedience to her parents like Jesus Christ. Family prayers, rosary and reading of the Bible and other spiritual books had been a part of her life which she inherited from her family. Her innate goodness, humanity and compassion combined with the noble family tradition went on igniting the spark of divinity she was born with. These splendid qualities wer      e visible and remarkable in her from the time of infancy. A saint is not born in a single day. It is a long and dedicated process of consistent prayer, preparation and contemplation which starts from the moment one is born. Such divine persons are born with a spark of fire in their soul. Eliswa was such a divinely chosen child. That divine spark got ablaze with more vigour and converged into wings of fire and was able to illumine and illuminate the world around her. The saga of enlightenment and empowerment goes on emanating light to millions of people in the present day.