IndiaVisit: 1-21 October 2007
Also see Emily Chapman-Searle's report on the same visit.
Valerie Joy
India, with its riches in spiritual and cultural diversity evokes in many a sense of mystery, its very long history and an exciting present. Westerners struggle to understand the myriad paradoxes. How the 4th richest nation in the world can still have 77% of its population living on 20 rupees a day (USD 0.50c) Why is religion so vital in the lives of the mainly Hindu and Muslim population? We have witnessed the end of Ramadan, and helped to celebrate eid in a Muslim home, as well as the lead up to the Hindu Dusshera, where every street is full of lights, loud music, prayers, and people wearing red and gold cloth over their already beautiful sarees. During our visit, we were interested to learn about the impact of a march on land rights from Gwalior, 340 kms to Delhi. Organised by the Ekta Parishad, Buddhist monks from China and Japan, and land rights activists from Kenya, the walk attracted sympathizers from around the world and brought the attention of the world to the realization that a tiny minority of the population owns over 50% of the land in India. We plan to invite a speaker from the Ekta Parishad headquarters in Bhopal to the Section Gathering.
The tiny minority of Christians impact on the country in provision of schooling and social programs. Quakers are like a tiny pin-prick amongst the Christian population, but visible in interfaith and ecumenical forums and their programs of good works. The exciting thing for me this visit was the discovery of Quakers in places where no church exists. They have not been visited for decades, but regard themselves as free to follow the inner Light. They are ripe for re-connection and through new technology or further contacts, will add new vitality to the numbers in the existing Yearly Meetings and groups. Some traveled many hours just to meet with us and described a hunger to again be associated with Friends.
At the George Fox Hall Itarsi, home of Mid India YM
Emily Chapman-Searle and I have visited all Yearly Meetings and groups, including many smaller meetings in the Bundelkhand area. For every reason it has been good to be in India with a task or tasks. We have found doors opening unexpectedly and the Light pouring through, giving us direction and sometimes solace. Blocks arose at times, but we found faithfulness in prayer, and knowledge that we were being upheld in our tasks, gave us confidence to move ahead.
Bundelkhand Yearly Meeting:
Chhatarpur: This is the headquarters of Bundelkhand YM and has a large congregation, with three pastors.
Nowgong: This church seemed to be of an even stronger evangelical flavour. Pastor Veersing and his family run the Sunday School and the church services. They said they do not have any projects of a social nature- it is all about evangelisation.
Bijawar: Here Prateep Singh is very busy in his retirement, supervising repairs to the church, which is currently closed, operating a primary school and planning to establish another primary school on land owned by the Friends Church.
Gwhara: This is quite a remote village, with the Friends Church also having a paid pastor. Next to the church are two large buildings, which have also been identified as suitable to develop as a school. The Masih family and other Friends of several generations are based in Gwhara.
Scattered Quakers: Over the years since missionary visits ceased and Quakers have moved to other places for employment or because of marriage, there are considerable numbers of people who still identify as Quakers, and showed a hunger to be visited and acknowledged. The Rev Philip Masih, a senior Methodist clergyman is one such former Quaker. He has been invited to deliver the first keynote address at the Section Gathering. He is also willing to arrange a meeting for the 14 + Quaker families living in Delhi in October 2008, during my visit to that city. It is also hoped that other Friends en route to the Section Gathering will meet with this group.
Summary: This Chhatarpur visit over 6 days, was hosted by Dr Jairaj Brown and family and was a lively introduction to our entire visit. The enthusiasm for meeting us was almost overwhelming, and we felt blessed with all that seemed so positive, at least on the surface. This YM was also visited by Viv Hawkins from Philadelphia YM, India Friends Working Group (IFWG). At this time, Friends identified that they wished to learn more on Quakerism.
Sohagpur Friends Girls Secondary School: AWPS will recall this school was proposed as the venue for the 2008 Section Gathering, but changed due to legal issues being heard in court during 2006. Now this is legally finalized, the school and the hostel is still recovering from the impact of this. No visitors had been to the school for over a year (from the Visitor’s book) and we were welcomed like water in a thirsty desert. Our main contacts were with the hostel girls ( now numbering 50, as opposed to over 100, 2 years ago). We briefly visited the school classrooms, introduced by the Principal. I would have valued a more meaningful contact with the whole school. On the other hand, we developed strong ties with both hostel principal Sheelah Jacob and the hostel girls. We offered a games and singing session, which was really enjoyable, as well as sharing in worship with the girls, two mornings running.
It is recommended that a visit to this school is included in the pre-or post-Section Gathering program. Intending visitors may consider bringing resources, eg books, science equipment, a simple presentation on an interesting topic, games, music, dancing.
GCFI: Their annual Gathering at Friends Rural Centre was attended by both local Friends and others who traveled a great distance. Devdas Shrisunder from Bhopal YM spoke to the group on the preparations for the Section Gathering at the Pastoral Centre, Bhopal.
Friends Rural Centre, Rasulia: On observation the centre looked less neglected than 2 years ago, on my last visit. There has been a great deal of planting of fruit and other trees, crops of rice and dahl are looking healthy and government funds are being sought to do further development. A young man is being sponsored to undertake training in horticulture, to better manage the property. Eye camps and other medical outreach to the local community have been based at these premises. There is a potential at FRC for so much more extension of Quaker work, but at present there is no one to manage and plan change.
Mid India: Our time with MIYM was relatively short, but very hospitable. They took great care of us and managed to fit in several sub meetings as well as the time of worship together in the George Fox hall in Itarsi.
Emily and I collating the APWS Newsletter in a Bhopal Market
Bhopal Pastoral Centre and Bhopal Yearly Meeting:
Father Harrison is in charge of the Pastoral
Centre. He spoke of
the Centre being principally for retreats for priests and other
religious. However on seeing our draft program, which included
“games”, he offered to ask St Joseph’s school over
the road, if we could access their sports ground for this purpose,
which was helpful.
More work took place on the draft program, with a visit to SEWA, (the Self Employed Women’s Association), and a telephone conversation with Rev Phillip Masih, an invited speaker.
We did not find the computer access very easy, and the Bhopal Committee will investigate other ways of providing internet access and a printer for the week. A cyber café is 15 minutes walk away.
We sent a letter of thanks to all Indian Friends who had looked after us. This was attached to a copy of the AWPS September Newsletter, with 64 mailings.
Bhopal YM: Because we were not in Bhopal for Sunday worship, we were given private hospitality in the homes of two members. We worshipped and discussed issues around
Bhopal YM Young Friends
Young Friends, the role of AWPS and other topics. Their young people were very fluent English speakers, and I hope they can be involved in assisting at the Section Gathering.
Return via Mumbai: The only direct flights to Australia go through Mumbai, and I was pleased to reconnect with a Catholic retreat centre in Andheri East, which is very close to the International airport. I would be able to give out the address of this to people who wish to travel via this route to the Section Gathering. The daily tariff was almost the same as that charged at Bhopal.
Conclusion: Emily and I had an overwhelming sense of guidance and presence of the Holy Spirit though out our travels. Having two people involved in visitation is an excellent method, and particularly from different age groups, to get varied perspectives. We developed a series of tasks and goals, and gave thanks when each set of arrangements worked out so well. India is not an easy place in which to operate, but this was more than compensated for by the strength and depth of welcome, and the joy experienced in shared worship and discussion. Conflict abounds within and between the various groups, some of which is healthy, but some is destructive. The most positive aspect was the young people in every group- well educated, sophisticated, offering their skills and their visions for the Light of Quakerism to lead them forward.
Valerie Joy
Executive Secretary AWPS
Another impression
Emily Chapman-Searle was on the same visit. These are her impressions.....