Two CMS Co Mission Partner (Timothy Partner) couples are now serving with Pandita Ramabai Mukti Mission in Khedgaon , in the Indian State of Maharashtra .  The couples are jointly sent by the Synod Mission Board – Presbyterian Church of Mizoram along with AsiaCMS / CMS.

Dina & Azahi along with Saia & Melody began serving with Mukti Mission on the second week of March, 2012 after finishing a three year commitment in Punjab, working with Church of North India affiliated educational and social organisations. Azahi and Melody were involved in raising awareness on HIV/AIDs, gender violence and female infanticide which are major challenges in that region of Punjab. Dina and Saia were involved in teaching in a school.

Mukti Mission was founded by Pandita Ramabai in 1889. She was born into a high caste Hindu family and educated at some of the best institutions of higher learning in both India and England at a time when women in India did not have access to even basic education. She encountered Jesus  Christ during her time in England and came back to have an immense contribution both in India’s Christian heritage as well as social reform , most prominently, that related to women . She was a renowned Sanskrit scholar of her time and also translated the Bible into her native tongue, Marathi, from the original Hebrew and Greek texts.

Pandita Ramabai devoted her whole life in service of women, especially those who were destitute, abused and victims of caste and tradition entrenched violence. Her thinking was ahead of her time, both theologically and socially, and in a way it is only now that her profound insights are being understood and appreciated by scholars and practitioners in both spheres.

 Mukti Mission today continues to serve women and local communities, drawing on Pandita Ramabai’s values and with a strong Christian commitment and identity.  Based in Khedgaon , a village an hour’s drive away from the city of Pune , the Mission runs  orphanages , schools , a hospital and  homes for the ‘unwanted’.  All this work and infrastructure is literally centred on a historical church building which dates back to the establishment of the Mission.

Our Co- Misson partners, with their background in nursing and education will be primarily involved with the schools and hospital, besides assisting with other aspects of the Mission’s work. Azahi and Melody’s work in Punjab, counselling women with HIV/AIDS will be of value while ministering to women at the Mukti home who are recovering from physiological and physical trauma and abuse. Saia and Dina will also be helping with moral education for the children at the schools and the orphanages. 

Do keep them in your thoughts and prayers as they serve people who have a special place in God’s heart .

O.P.D Block

The hospital I was there to visit is located in the town of Anantnag , about 64 kms from Srinagar which is the biggest city in the Kashmir Valley . The two weeks spent there, interacting with the staff was a fruitful and encouraging experience. The Hospital admin was kind enough to give me access to the reports dating back to the 1930’s. Some were hand written, some typed; there were annual reports, articles and letters penned by the medical superintendents who served here.

JBM Hospital stands as a testament to the faith, courage, devotion and service of remarkable women both British and Indian, who used their medical knowledge for the service of the people, especially the women of Anantnag and its neighbouring villages. Starting from Dr. Minnie Gomery (1902 -1935) to Dr Sarah (1997 onwards till date) they have pressed on in face of often overwhelming odds.

The history of the hospital predates its establishment in its current location in 1902. In 1888 Mrs. Isabella Bird , the widow of Dr. John Bishop travelled to Srinagar where she found Dr. Fanny Butler, one of England’s pioneer women doctors, working among the women of the Valley without a hospital as a base to serve. Through her generosity a small hospital was built in memory of her late husband. Sadly however, not many years later a disastrous flood in the Valley swept this hospital away.

The hospital built later has CMS origins and is now an institution of the CNI – Amritsar Diocese.

Dr. Gomery began work in 1902 when the new hospital building was still under construction. After many years of pioneering service she retired in 1938. In that year Dr. Noel Fletcher took over as the Medical Superintendent of the hospital and served through the Second World War, dealing with shortages and overcoming the challenges, before retiring in 1964. She was followed by Dr. M. Mitchell who after a few years handed over to Dr. Millicent Xavier who became the first national Medical Superintendent. Dr. Xavier served till 1989.

The phase from 1989 until 1996 was marked by short term commitments by different doctors. From 1992 to 1996 there was no doctor at the hospital. This phase coincided with the most violent phase of the armed insurgency and military action in the valley.

Dr. Sarah took over as the Medical superintendent in 1997. She arrived at a time when the hospital was struggling with no doctors and was having trouble providing for even the basic medical needs of the community. Though the work remains challenging today, the initial period was significantly hard and a test to her faith and determination.

For an institution to be truly effective an essential requisite is the passion and commitment of the staff and that is something which the people at JBMH have. Challenges are many and so are the needs. The most important of which is another resident female gynaecologist who could take on some of the workload of Dr. Sarah.

Back in New Delhi now and getting on with other tasks and hope we could , Lord willing , stand with this hospital .

Dr . Sarah with some of her team

Recently while reading this passage in my quiet time, I tried to put myself in the shoes of both Simon and the Woman and began reflecting on what might have been going on in their hearts and minds as this event unfolded.

We know very little about the woman here, except for the fact that she did not enjoy a very good reputation. She was living in a time and cultural setting when a person’s adherence to the law was the basis of his or her standing in the society. She was probably also aware of the fact that given the life she led , she would not be welcome into most people’s houses , least of all that of a Pharisee. She had no idea on how she would be treated when she entered a gathering of religious people. Perhaps she was also embarrassed, a woman who was not invited and probably not wanted anywhere near there. But she had experienced Jesus’ love and sensed his genuine concern for her and she was overcome and expressed her thankfulness and devotion in the best way she could think of, kissing Jesus’ feet , washing them with her tears , wiping them dry with her hair and finally anointing them with perfume.

We then turn to Simon the Pharisee who was watching this happening and was filled with self righteous indignation. He was a Pharisee, a respectable man and one of moral standing in the community. He was well versed in the scriptures and probably held a leadership position in the local synagogue. What this lady was doing perhaps repulsed him; here she was with her hair down – indicating that she may be a prostitute – entering his house and causing this embarrassing scene.

In verse 39 he assumes that the only way Jesus behaviour and his lack of indignation similar to his could be explained was that he was ignorant of who this woman was. In his mind he questions Jesus’ prophet hood and character. He reasons, if Jesus knew what kind of woman this was, He would have rebuked her and have her shown out, therefore he was either not a prophet or his character was in question . Perhaps this is why he invited Jesus to His house in the first place , to judge for himself based on his understanding , if Jesus was righteous or not . Jesus was still on probation! This is hinted in verse 44 in which it’s stated that he had forgone the basic courtesy due to an honoured guest – the washing of feet. Any deviation from norms of conventional morality meant either ignorance or immorality for him.

While he was still seething with these thoughts in mind, Jesus after sharing a parable asks him “do you see this woman?” The answer would have to be no, Simon did not see the woman. His was looking at her, his vision blurred by a fog of judgement and legalism which limited his vision to actually see her.

As part of my role with CMS, I visit individuals, NGOs, projects , churches and institutions in our subcontinent .There are initiatives which are reaching out to people living with HIV/AIDS, commercial sex workers, the transgender and homosexual community, people battling addictions….the list goes on. It is often an emotional experience listening to them. Some stories bring joy and encouragement and some bring sorrow and pain. Of the latter, what I found heartbreaking was some of their experience with Churches and Christians who like Simon, had failed to see them.

Rather then opening a debate on morality and what is right and wrong I hope that this reflection lets us pause for a bit and think about how we as individuals treat and perceive other individuals whom we may not agree with or whom we somehow perceive children of a lesser God even as our hearts and conscience know better . Maybe its convenient not to rock the boat or not challenge conventional norms . Maybe this may move you to start a conversation with a person different then those in your sphere and see them !

Author Philip Yancey recounts an event in the life of C.S Lewis: ‘ During a British conference on comparative religions, experts from around the world debated what, if any, belief was unique to the Christian faith. They began eliminating possibilities. Incarnation? Other religions had different versions of gods appearing in human form. Resurrection? Again, other religions had accounts of returns from death. The debate went on for some time until C.S. Lewis wandered into the room. “What’s the rumpus about?” he asked, and heard in reply that his colleagues were discussing Christianity’s unique contribution among world religions. Lewis responded,” Oh, that’s easy. It’s grace.’ Only Christianity dares to make God’s love unconditional to human actions .

Why is it then that we find it so hard to extend the divine grace , forgiveness and love so pivotal for for our salvation to our fellow men ? It would be useful to reflect on that . Are we ignoring the very essence of our hope and faith and wandering down the labyrinth of legalisms ?

I obviously write from a Christian perspective , would be interesting to have similar reflections from from an Islamic , Hindu and other perspective. Somehow we have all ended up with systems of ungrace and discriminations in spite of what we claim to adhere . Systems based on rejection of the Divine have ended up catching up in this department in an impressively short time .

Musings and our differences aside , maybe a start would be to practice compassion for our fellow men and raging against stereotypes and conventional manifestations of injustice and discrimination in our own little spheres …

The immediate loss of lives may not seem exceptional when compared to other major disasters in the past few years but the potential numbers, if adequate relief and assistance is not provided in time, are staggering. Imagine over 20 million people, without shelter, food, exposed to the elements and living a hand to mouth existence. This is an ideal breeding ground for diseases which would spread very quickly in high density living arrangements like relief camps and temporary living arrangements.

Couple to this the sheer challenge of feeding and sustainable assistance for millions of affected people who outnumber the total population of Australia!

Aid is needed, and in much greater sums then that which has already been pledged. One major reason which has people hesitating to loosen their purse strings is the fear that the money may not reach the people in need , or that the money may fall into the hands of the radical Islamist groups with a presence in those parts. This fear is not without justification. However these reasons should not be used as an excuse when millions are suffering and surviving on the brink.

If you don’t trust official channels, please assist work which is focused on rescue, care and rehabilitation of people affected by floods in Pakistan. Choose a charity or organisation on the ground involved in this work which you trust and contribute.

Organisations like United Nation Agencies ,World Vision , Save the Children, Islamic Aid , Christian Aid and many others are already on the ground and have began addressing immediate needs .

CMS is also raising funds to support the relief efforts of our partners in Pakistan as they respond in appropriate ways to the needs around them.

Let us also uphold the people and this situation in prayer.

Amritsar - Attari highway , Punjab ( India)

One of the many brilliant local innovations you can find in India which falls under the local term which encompasses them all “Jugaad”. This is a old tractor engine based passenger/ goods transporter very common in the rural areas of Punjab . Source the engine , and folks here can get the structure made for a few thousand rupees !

As part of my job, I get to travel to and visit people and organisations involved in work which seek to serve people shackled by poverty, hopelessness and rejected by society. There are many individuals and organisations doing this in their own capacities and methodologies but once in a while you meet people and see projects which uplift you and inspire you with their passion, commitment and genuine love for the people they serve.

During my recent visit to the states of Maharashtra and Punjab I met two such individuals: Dr. Lalita Edwards in Pune and Dr. Alma Ram in Tarn Taran in Punjab. Both are medical doctors and have been involved in their work even before I was born. Both address very challenging issues in difficult situations

Dr.Lalita Edwards

The Transgender community is at the lowest of the bottom strata if society in India. Rejected and feared by many, cultural legends attribute them with potent blessings and curses. Since the avenues of livelihood are limited to begging for money ; singing ,dancing and giving blessings at weddings and when a child is born ( boy child in particular ) ,many have to turn to prostitution to make ends meet.

This was my first opportunity to meet and interact a little with them when I visited the area with Dr. Edwards. Her project coordinator is from the community itself. They are warm, friendly and very creative people and when they lower their emotional guard a little, you can see the pain and trauma they go through when faced with discrimination and abuse; verbal and physical, every day.

Dr. Edwards, after years of service is now accepted and loved by this community which is extremely closed and distrustful to others for reasons obvious .She hopes for transformational change in their lives. For this the first step would be a change in the way we view them and also the way they view themselves.

We unfortunately are people who excel in keeping our eyes and ears selectively shut when it comes to issues which make us uncomfortable. We also have a tremendous talent when it comes to hypocrisy. The society, the Church and other faith communities have walls of apathy well entrenched which need to be broken down. Considering how hard it is to accept women who are sex workers, Lord knows how we would react when it comes to reaching out to the Transgender people in the shadowy fringes of our society.

Dr.Alma Ram

While visiting her and her work, I came to understand how important the work she is doing is, in this context. Two nurses who are co-sent by CMS, Melody and Azahi , work alongside Dr. Alma .

I was encouraged by the focus of work which she carries out among people with HIV/AIDS. During my years in Nepal, working in peace building in close association with technical staff who address HIV/AIDS we came to realise something. All activities carried out mainly focused on awareness, Anti retroviral treatment and community home based care. But of what use is extended life and health if the spirit is dying? People with HIV/AIDS facing discrimination and exclusion often spiral into depression and feeling of hopelessness and being of no use. Yes , there is no SMART way or ‘indicators’ to measure quantifiable and time frame bound impact of spending time , encouraging , being patient as they vent their anger and frustration , showing genuine concern and love for them and generating creative ways both vocational and hope inducing , but this is just as important .

Today as I write this, India celebrates its independence day. We have come a long way, achieved a lot and have a lot of reasons to be proud of, but we also have a long way to go and we need to shed our apathy and wage a peaceful struggle against bastions of modern day slavery and injustice , so that we may be truly free .

Dr.Alma with one of her many friends with a newfound zest for life ! proudly showing off her handiwork

On my way to Mumbai to attend the premiere , I was reading a government of India report which carried out a survey among school children in different parts of India found out of the total of 2211 respondents, 42% children faced at least one form of sexual abuse or the other. 48% of boys and 39% of the girls faced sexual abuse.

Sex is a taboo issue to discuss in India and for that matter in Asia. There is a lack of legal safeguards and laws to protect the boy child and also a general lack of awareness on the matter .This makes it very difficult for people suffering from abuse, even more so for the boy child and men.
Let us hope and pray that this movie may be a driving force in opening eyes, galvanising and inspiring the church and society to accept this reality as well as begin to fight back.
One other recent movie by Timothy is ‘Zindagi : breaking the cycle’ which deals with the issue of trafficking in India , more specifically , the trafficking of girls from poor rural areas to urban areas and into prostitution . India has emerged as one of the main Asian hubs for trafficking.
These works are a window into lives and situations which are desperate, degrading and soul destroying. If you may be interested to obtain copies of these movies, please contact IMCARES, their contact information is:
Phone: ++91 22 2380 6237 Fax: ++91 22 2380 3278
E-mail: agape@imcares.org
Suman and Reema , CMS co mission partners have been working with IMCARES. Suman works with HIV/AIDS awareness activities and Reena is involved in helping with day care centres for vulnerable children. Both of them also are involved in reaching out and building bridges with the girls involved in commercial sex trade in Mumbai’s red light district.
I spend four days in Mumbai in course of which I visited some of IMCARES projects. It was wonderful to see their passion and commitment to those living in the fringes of the society, visible everywhere but rarely ‘seen’ …….people living on the pavement, sex workers living and working in appealing circumstances, children of sex workers who have a precarious existence; marked by stigma and vulnerable to abuse , people living in slums trying to make ends meet .
This was a surreal experience for me, a widow into a world which I had hardly encountered before at a human

Mrs.Jha with children at a day care center in a slum

The raise in violence and unrest has led to a shortage in essential commodities in the valley and people who work as daily wage labor are now finding it difficult to make ends meet .

Please also keep in mind students, who are finding it difficult to focus on their studies in this stressful environment.

Above all uphold the politicians and people involved in negotiations in your prayers , there are a lot of interests at work here who may not want a peaceful end to this current spurt in violence .

CMS has two people on the ground in Srinagar,the capital of Kashmir; one a teacher and the other a health worker .

Based on what i am reading and I understand, the situation is indeed getting serious and unfortunately the focus both in New Delhi and in Srinagar is to quell the current uprising without realizing ( willfully or otherwise ) the deep roots behind it and the disconnect between the majority of the people there and the state machinery and government.

The state police has poor training on crowd control measures which has resulted in deaths and more escalation in tensions. Yesterday the news was that the army is called in which i think has the potential to aggravate the matter. So please pray especially for the voices of reason on all sides, that they may prevail and violence may subside for now .

The month of May brought me back to Nepal, one month and one week after I left , finishing a two year commitment with the United Mission to Nepal . SACYN’s ( South Asian Christian Youth Network ) third conference brought together Christian youth leaders from India , Nepal , Pakistan , Bangladesh , Sri Lanka , Myanmar and Bhutan . The Focus: Building Bridges in a region plagued by conflicts both within and between countries.

I arrived in Nepal a week before the conference to catch up with friends and people I had come to know during my years here. Enjoyed fellowship and reconnecting with them and then it was time to meet up with the CMS group and head out to Pokhara .

The venue was the Fulbari Resort which was located in the midst of breathtaking scenery and set on a lush green table top plateau . Looking down one can see the shimmering Seti river snaking its way between banks carpeted by rice fields , look up and the feeling of awe is inescapable when one beholds the mighty Himalayan snow capped peaks towering over the lesser densely forested mountains .

The conference kicked off with a small rally -actually a walk down the immediate driveway of Resort buildings – with people marching in their respective national attire. What followed were days of sessions, workshops, group discussions and the all important informal personal interactions. It was heartening to see the passion and commitment of the participants to be instruments of change for God and their countries and communities.

There were an interesting range of speakers which I found fascinating. There were those who had different socio political leanings as well as those who had different ideas on the scope and limit of the great commission, some strongly moved by complete focus on evangelical pursuits while some stressed on the failure of fulfilling the commission in its entirety by concentrating on just that. Overall I hope it gave a lot of food for though for folks to chew on and appreciate diverse views which may be different to their own.

Spend a lot of time interacting, especially with folks from Pakistan and Nepal and had some interesting discussions. Acquaintances were made and friendships forged and I hope in this age of virtual social networking, they would sustain.

It is easy to feel helpless and discouraged looking at the subcontinent and taking in the sheer scale of long running conflicts, corruption and social and structural inequalities, but I still believe change will come. It may take years and decades perhaps, but it will happen; and it will have to be bottom up. These young people and countless others, in their own small way;driven by love and commitment for issues, people and places they are concerned with; being salt and light wherever they are, will make this happen.

Now I head back to Delhi for a day before heading up the Indian side of the Himalayas , to a small hill station called Dalhouise for the CMS co Mission Partners retreat . It would be good to catch up and spend time with old friends and also hope I will have a clearer idea of where the Lord leads next work wise.

South Asia represent !

A couple of interesting photos from the monastery :                                                                                                                                          prayer strips wrapped in a Union Jack 

A monk speeding around the monastery grounds on an electric step scooter