SIOLIM: In the bustling tourist area of Bardez, where the cost of living is high, labour costs have become a challenge for the local population. As many Goans seek opportunities abroad for better prospects, Goa has become a permanent home for a significant number of people from across India looking for employment. Amidst this scenario, David Kujoor stands out as a testament to sincerity and hard work, defying the trends of changing times.
In 1983, at the age of 30, David Kujoor left his poverty-stricken family in undivided Bihar (now Jharkhand) in search of a livelihood. Landing in Goa after an arduous journey, David, a stranger to the State, connected with the Pilar fathers and dedicated ten years of his life to their service. “I started working for the fathers at Pilar, doing various tasks such as maintaining the garden, cleaning, and assisting priests in outdoor activities. My initial salary was just a few hundred rupees, but job satisfaction mattered more,” recalls David.
After a decade at Pilar, during which he learned Konkani and became a true Goemkar, David transitioned through various menial jobs for five years before finding his place at Siolim’s St Anthony Church in 1999. Despite being 70 years old now and facing health challenges, David continues to serve the church with sincerity and dedication.
Throughout his years at the Siolim Church, David has been a one-man army, handling tasks ranging from gardening to cleaning, digging graves, tolling church bells, and even handling marketing. Despite his age and health concerns, David, with his infectious smile, remains content and never complains about life. Together with his wife, he earns a modest monthly salary of around twenty thousand, finding satisfaction in whatever comes his way.
David’s dedication has not gone unnoticed. Late parish priest Fr Raul considered him a trusted lieutenant, encouraging him to continue working beyond the normal retirement age. David, having embraced Goa as his home, rarely visits Jharkhand and wishes for his last breath to be in Siolim, surrounded by the people who have become his family.
