Edinburgh Exploring

In truth, Monday really started about 8.30pm on Sunday night when we left the Cathedral Guesthouse for the final time and headed out to the airport.  Our driver, Mr Doss, who had been wih us all week, and whom we grew to really like, is thankfully no shrinking violet in the ordered chaos of the traffic – because even late on a Sunday evening there’s masses of activity on the roads, and there are many traffic jams that need to be skillfully negotiated.

We stopped off at Madras Christian College to pick up our host, Dr Cornelius.  Cornelius wished us farewell at the airport, and was also able to connect us over the telephone with the Bishop.  The Bishop had popped along to the guesthouse in the morning to wish us a safe journey, but by then we were on our way to church in North Chennai.  He was now on the other side of Tamil Nadu, but wanted to send us home with his greetings to everyone he knew in Edinburgh, and to all the Presbytery, and to share again his hopes for the development of a vibrant Partnership between two independent churches with a shared heritage.

We travelled home by Dubai, and interestingly the journey from Dubai to Edinburgh takes us over Iran, the Black Sea, Eastern Europe, the Baltic Sea and North Sea, coming onto the British landmass around Yorkshire.  There we found snow, snow, snow everywhere we looked.

There were a few holdups because of weather, so our journey home took about 20 hours in all.

But it has been a remarkable visit.  The hospitality shown to us by all the projects and individuals has been extraordinary, and we are extremely grateful to the Diocese of Madras and to all the individuals – from Bishop to Pastor to individual member of congregation , from project manager to project beneficiary - for the time they took with us, and for the obvious and genuine enthusiasm they all showed for the scottish part of their heritage.

We are forever in their debt.

Today we attended worship in two churches in North Chennai.  the first was Holy Rood Church at 7am, where George preached and also was a celebrant in the communion.  The CSI practice an Anglican form of communion, with people coming forward to the chancel area.  The communion was quite emotional for us, because there were a number of new friends there to share the eucharist with.

At 8.30 we attended a Tamil service in one church with over 1200 family members.  The church had originally been a methodist church before the creation of CSI and is the second biggest congregation in the Diocese – they count families, not individual members!   Again we gave greetings on behalf of the Church of Scotland and the Presbytery of Edinburgh.

After worship we spent some time with the youth fellowship.  That was rewarding, as they were able to ask us lots of questions about young people in the churches in Scotland, and the situation with the churches.  They were keen to  make links with similar groups in Edinburgh and we agreed to look out some possibilities. They promised to keep in touch – and of course they were true to their word – an email awaited us on our return to Scotland.

PARTNERSHIP.

Both these churches are in Chennai North, and we have been trying to learn as much as we can about this area, because that is seen as the most appropriate area for us to link to.  Dr Cornelius has given us a statistical report to study, and we will make further contact with him.

Today has been rearranged.  We have taken some time out from a tourist visit to a Hindu temple and shopping, to go back to the school of the deaf to tape the dancing, and also for lunch.  But first of all we attended a graduation ceremony for communicants in the LITE centre.  It was great to see this new centre being used already and also to be amazed at the number of graduates of training who will be able to use their skills in their local congregations.

In the evening we spent some time with a new friend of ours – Joshua and his family.  We went out for a meal and sampled 5 star Indian cooking.  And sampled.  and sampled.

Our programme today started very early, and finished very late.  We crossed to central Tamil Nadu, about 15okm away to get an insight into the development of the Church – by being part of the dedication ceremonies at a foundation stone for a new church, dedicating a newbuilt church, and an extension to a church, and then attending a confirmation ceremony for 85 new communicants.  All this was very exciting for two ministers of the church who, at home, hear more about church closure than church opening, and it gave us a real insight into the way of working of a developing church.   The church encourages – and resources – its members in sharing their Gospel commitment, and also encourages city churches to link up with rural communities.  Members from city churches will go out to the villages and speak to people – often this is simply just about being there and taking an interest in people’s lives – and when  there are opportunities to witness to their faith often the basis for a church is created.  In one instance we heard that the first meetings of a congregation were held out in the open, under the light of a street lamp.  Of course a small rural grouping that is just getting going doesn’t have the resources to construct its own meeting place.  The churches we saw today- their building costs had been covered by a member of the church from Chennai, a local landowner had donated the land, and, in one instance, some funding had been given from a church in Australia.

It all struck us as very much like the development of the early church – where communities who had had no prior knowledge of the gospel began to respond to it.

In the afternoon on our way back to Chennai, we stopped in at the CSI Home for Girls at Arakkonam, to get an insight into the ‘Inter Hostels Leadership Training Programme for Girls’.  This was a very impressive new development.  Girls from hostels throughout the Diocese had come together for a weekend of training in the broader issues of leadership – good values and good leadership, positive thinking, communication skills and motivation.  It was really good to see such a programme being delivered for these young girls, most of whom come from the poorer villages, come from the underclasses, and will have to struggle hard to make their way in life.

PARTNERSHIP.  There is quite a lot we can learn from a church ‘in growth’, and in particular a church which fully understands what it needs to do to facilitate growth.  It is very active in resourcing all its members for outreach.   They are, of course, in a very different situation from us.

so much we can learn from just seeing a church

Today we were again out of the city, heading towards more schools – at Melrosapuram and Ewart College, at the community college pre school, at Chengalput and the Allison Mat. School.   The church does some remarkable work in education around disadvantaged young people. 

It is obvious that considerable economic development is going in in and around Chennai.  This has had an impact on land values, in many cases rising by 100’s of percents.  For a growing church this causes a problem, if they do not have enough land for development.  So the diocese has been looking at innovative ways of raising funds for development, so that individual congregations are not isolated in this important area.  But for their projects, many of them with a long heritage, again, going back to the late 1800’s and scottish missionaries - all of them tend to have ample grounds to develop within.

 There were schools where youngsters were sponsored through World Vision and another organisation, but this support was diminishing, and we were informed that some individual congregations within the diocese had taken on some of these sponsorship arrangements to see indivifuals through their schooling.

 At Chengalput we were particularly impressed with a vocational training project for young men which involved training in precision lathework.  The project was run by a gentleman with industry experience, and this could be seen in the links established with companies such as Ford motors.  the youngsters had, in the main, dropped out of mainstream education, but, withouyt any skills, would be inlikely to ginf any wothwhile employemtn.  The skills training project gave many of them an in into the major industries moving into the area.  The youngsters tended mainly to be children of ‘coolie’ families.  Land labourers who did not own any property themselves. 

 The project felt very familiar to vocational skills practical projects run by the Voluntary Sector in the UK, and seemed to have a high success rate for placements in industry, but most of the youngsters couldn’t afford to go home on week days and stayed in the hostel – except there isn’t one built yet, sp the youngsters share what was once a massive classroom, sleeping on the floor without mattresses, and cooking for themselves.  This project was also struggling for cash to keep its head above water.

In terms of education, as far as we can gather, the state will pay for a teacher’s salary for children of school age , but not for costs associated with management or quality of education or education of certain low priority groups. 

PARTNERSHIP.  Again, alongside learning about the wide spread and innovative work of the Diocese, we became aware of projects with vulnerabilities  – both for young children and for the vocation skills/ latheworking project, and that there might be some opportunities for support there, if a congregation was interested.  But this should not be the main focus of the development of Partnership – which is about learning from each other.

Today was another hectic day.  We started off with a visit to the vocational training centre for youngsters with learning disabilities at Puthuir.  The manager, Carmen, showed us round their wide range of activities.  Her current main concern is with developing accommodation and support for older girls whose time has come to leave the educational facility.  She is concerned about the possible risks of exploitation they face otherwise.

At the end of our visit we were given another dance demonstration.  This was more modern than the school of the deaf, and one youngster seemed to have a talent for imitating one of the stars of Indian popular cinema.  The dancing was very entertaining.

Rainy hospital is massive and does a really excellent job, especially for those people who cannot afford medical treatment.  The hospital is situated where a great many of its patients come from the fishing community.

There were other schools to visit, including Northwick school, Ewart girl’s school and the Bain school.  We were able to take some photos of north Chennai from the roof of one of the Bain schools buildings.  The other photos show the constant queue of lorries waiting to get into the nearby port.  Roadblocks like this seem to be a daily occurance.

LITE.  This was alos our first visit to the visionary LITE building.  We forget the exact words that constitute LITE, but it is about Laity Education.  Currently being constructed to a high standard is a centre for education, with a congerence facility, offices, accommodation for visitors and people who have to travel in to the city.  The whole emphasis is on having the best facilities available to facilitate education, and also to ensure that people coming in from out of town are not penalised through cost.    There is a strong emphasis all throughout themoife of the diocese in ensuring that resources are not just concentrated in urban areas, but are a service to the poorer rural communities as well.

Again visiting projects.  It starts to get a bit confused what project we visited when, but today was the day we visited the School for the Deaf, and had our lunch there.  That was a really refreshing experience.  First of all, there were strong links with Scotland from the staff group, and then, at the end of our visit, we were given a lovely display of traditional dancing from both the girls and the boys.  It was really good.  It made us think that it would be lovely if we could have found the funding to bring them across to Scotland (for the Festival). 

The photograph is of twins dancing, and is disappointing.  But we returned to the project on the Saturday in our ’shopping’ time both to collect some mail to deliver to contacts in Scotland, and for Scott to take a video of the dancing.  If we find a better picture we will put that up, and if we can get help from worldwithoutwalls we will also post the video so you can see for yourself.

Today, and over the following days we visited a lot of schools.  They merge a bit into one.  But the work of CSI in this area is very impressive and the need is great.  The schools do charge for children’s education, but much less than other establishments.  It keeps the schooling well within the reach of most parents.

Evening.  We attended an event hosted by the Bishop in North Chennai.  This had been billed to us as an opportunity to get to know more of the Pastors and administrators in the churches in North Chennaiand was a very informative event.  It will take time to get to know all the churches and the projects they are involved in.  We heard brief reports from the rainy Hospital, and about higher and elementary education.  In discussion we discovered information about a couple of projects we would not be able to see.  One was a ‘Women’s Hostel’ run as a refuge for women and families where they have suffered abuse, been kicked out, etc.  The other was a project running out of the Anderson Church (our venue) to do with woman at risk of becoming prostitutes. 

So, as well as contributing to the general projects of the diocese, each congregation has its own priorities.

PARTNERSHIP.  The choice of north Chennai as the area to link into gives many opportunities for learning about the life of each congregation.  We are discovering that congregations are pretty large, and growing, in most places.  But  congregation to congregation partnership doesn’t preclude any interest in any of the projects – even if they are situated outside north Chennai.

Our week began outside Chennai, visiting the work of the churches in the villages.

We started off at Roshanagar where the Pastor has responsibility for 19 villages.  There are congregations in each village – he can only visit five on a Sunday for worship, so he only sees them once a month.  But within each congregation there are people trained to lead worship.

At Roshnagar, beside the church there was a daycare centre.  This is a common feature of life in the villages – somewhere for the children to go while the parents are working.  At the daycare centre the young children were learning about  birds in the Bible and they sang us a beautiful song.  Outside we were able to tour the organic farm which is developing – growing groundnuts and mangoes.  Very early in its phase of development, this seemed to be something that has significant potential for the future.

 Then we visited the village of Ikkadu which also has a Hospital, a nurse training institution and a school.  All of these activities were very impressive.  Without an education there is little opportunity for development for the children of the area.  We learnt that children can go to the local school, and then, if older, they can attend the church run high schools – but these are in the city – the children have to live in Hostels because transportation is so difficult and expensive.  During the week we met a number of pastors and individuals who were the ‘product’ of the hostel system.  The Bishop himself  was from a village near Ikkadu, and went through this system.  Everyone agrees that education is so crucially important.  But a number of people have also said not to undervalue the impostance of education for girls – because an educated girl means an educated household!

The photograph of the children is one of many we had to taek at every establishment.  As soon as they spot you have a camera, they crowd around.  The children are very friendly always.

The photograph of the bus is put in there because this was the first day we had seen, on our way to the school, crowded buses taking people to work, so crowded that people were actually hanging on to the outside of the stairs when the bus was moving – sometimes pretty fast.  We couldn’t believe what we were seeing – just one slip and there would be no second chances.  But it was even more striking when, after we has spent most of the day at the school, when the public bus came past the school, it was some of the young kids we had got to know who were hanging on outside the bus – the bus in this picture is already moving.

PARTNERSHIP.

We met Paul, who is a volunteer from the Uniting Church of Australia.  Paul is just finishing a one year volunteer programme at Ikkadu, and showed us the recent work that had been done ( financed by UCA) to upgrade one of the buildings as accommodation for future volunteers.  This seems to be an area of possibility, although there needs to be appropriate training given before someone does volunteer – it can be difficult and isolating out in the country and there is a need to be adaptable.  What you think you are brionging might not be what is actually needed.  Paul has had a wonderful experience, but he was also quite clear that before he came he thought his agricultural experience and training would be very helpful – but there just hasn’t been the opportunity to use it.

Later in the week we met another three volunteers from Australia – all of whom felt they had been able to contribute to the life of the village communities – all of whom felt they had received so much more than they were able to give.

The day began with a visit to the Redeemer Church for 7am and 8.30 services – the first to the English speaking congregation, the second to the Tamil speaking one.  Scott preached at both services and it went over well – but the second service was more difficult because there was a line by line translation. 

Adter worship and some breakfast, we visited the organisations – again, a very busy sunday school (taking exams) – again about 250 children, and a young parents group, full of questions about living out their beliefs in their work/family life.  And then some time spent with a leper group.

These were a group of lepers who had been begging outside the church.   The church invited them in, gave them an allowance so they wouldn’t need to beg and now gives them instruction, and they have a bible study and prayer group.  It seems to have had a significant impact on the lives of these lepers.  They said they would pray for Scott and George and for our churches.  The Redeemer Church has also built 12 new houses in the leper area, to give better accommodation to those attending the church, and to others.

In the afternoon the Pastor took us on a visit to the slums – to visit some of the members of the church who live there.  A member of the congregation is a community leader and he took us about.  It is hard to put anything into words about this – a profound experience.    One man was very ill.   The Pastor not only prayed with him, and for him, but also asministered ‘oils of unction’ on his chest.  This was very powerful to watch.  Afterwards we spoke about the man’s illness.   What was the point of him, in his poverty and his old age, going to the doctor?  He will only be advised to go for a scan… and he has no money for that.   All he has left, said the Pastor, is the Kingdom of God.  Spiritual healing.  His belief in the healing power of the gospel.  That get’s us really close to what it really is all about.

PARTNERSHIP.

Again, Scott and george were very impressed by how well the CSI  ’does’ mission – how people are resourced, and how everything is organised. 

And the public displays they are able to make.  At Easter they are planning a walk that will take in all the churches in the City.  On Good Friday two hours will be set aside.  About 60 Churches will be designated pilgrimage sites and small groups will walk between them – starting wherever appropriate and finishing wherever appropriate.  A very public profession of the importance of this time in the life of the church.

PARTNERSHIP. 

Even with the cultural differences, we can learn a lot about the role of the church in ‘blessing’ people’s experience in life,  and in public initiatives. 

Today, Saturday, we have been gently eased into our visit, and have first of all been taken to tourist spots - St Thomas’s Mount, above the city, near the airport, and on a trip round St Thomas’s Basilica, which is reputed to be one of only three churches built on the site of the grave of an apostle – St. Peters in Rome, and St James in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

Then we visited St Mary’s Church at Fort St George.  It is a bit difficult for a modern day Scot to know what to make of all those military names enscribed on plaques on the church.  There is a big issue I need to sort out to my satisfaction - the distincton between the development of the church in India, and the building of an empire.  I am happy to see the one develop, and want to divorce myself emotionally from the other. 

But, already, we are being made very aware of the affection held for the missionaries from Scotland for what they brought to India – establishing churches and also educational and health projects.   This is the affection of a modern, mature, and independent Indian church, looking back upon its roots.

In the evening we attended, and spoke at, a LENTEN convention.  We arrived early, were seated down at the front – in the forecourt of St. Paul’s church – and the lights and the music were so overpowering that we didn’t realize until invited up onto the stage that about 400 people were present for an evening of song, and a sermon from the Bishop (delivered in English and translated into Tamil).   Scott and I gave the first of what will be many greetings from Edinburgh, and from the Church in Scotland, and we were well received.

After the event we were the guests of the pastor of the church and found out more about the church – one of the back rooms was set up for sunday school the next morning – for 250 kids!!  They are having their annual Sunday School exams this Sunday throughout the Diocese.

250 kids!   Large numbers will be the hallmark of our visit to all the churches.   Nobody is in decline!   But also, the general impression of India is of a country teeming with people.   In Scotland where there might be an automatic machine now – eg petrol station – in India there is still a person.  And buses are always crowded out, loads of people walking and cycling.  Not yet seen much in the way of begging, but certainly a city which is a hive of industry.

PARTNERSHIP.

In his talk, the Bishop mentioned how much of the Church in Madras owesits beginnings to the Church in Scotland – perhaps as many as 1 in 3 churches.  There is a shared heritage here, with an opportunity to revuild links of friendship for a new age.  If so, for us, that would be an age in which our Church in Scotland is struggling with the environment it lives within, whilst the CSI is developing strongly, building new churches every year, establishing new congregations.  They have a very strong ethic of mission and of empowering the laity, that we could learn a lot from.  Perhaps for them the learning could be about how the church might fare as a more secular society develops in India.  We have obviously made some mistakes they could avoid, and come up with soem very fruitful responses.

It is already obvious that we we do establish a Partnership, it will be about building a NEW relationship, on a firm and respected heritage, and one where we have so much we can learn.