This song was inspired by a Franciscan Priest, Joshua Sterk, Headmaster of St Francis School in Quetta - built out of the rubble of the 1930s earthquake. When the Silver Train was passing through Baluchistan there was some objection to the presence of an Indian (Kamal Kant) on board. Joshua's intervention helped to resolve the matter. His comment at the time that there must be a reason for everything became a song: it was first sung at the Green Pennant Awards in Delhi (in Hindi) by a female choir from the university, organised by Kamal Kant. It is performed here by the Heritage Singers and, for contrast, it is followed by a new version recorded in Delhi by the same team that recorded Gaon Ki Jyoti, again organized by Kamal Kant.

There must be a reason - but who can tell you why -

For men to be born, and for men to die;

A place and a purpose that makes it all clear,

Where the end of the journey is the end of doubt and fear.

For if there’s no reason - it surely will seem -

This life is a nightmare, or at best a bad dream,

And a better tomorrow, ever one day away,

But without that tomorrow there’ s no hope anyway.

So there must be a reason - and all we need know -

A day is a lifetime, nothing less - nothing more,

And fill all the hours with joy and with love,

And leave the rest of the matter to the Heavens above.

Repeat once more from the beginning.

Father Joshua

The Heritage Singers conducted by John Mwesa