India Oscar Kilo

Ten very productive and profoundly moving days with colleagues working in the Nandyal Diocese in Andhra Pradesh. It’s now three years since Lucy and I first visited, and it was good now to be among recognizable friends in places that now mean very much to us. Our hosts looked after us wonderfully. The four of us were profoundly struck by the warmth, dignity, hospitality and commitment to Christ of our hosts, often in circumstances that would easily drive others insane. Working results still need to be agreed and actioned, but the country was, as ever, crowded, beautiful, raw, elusive and subtle...

Nandyal Ahoy!

A busy week, with Bishop Lawrence of Nandyal visiting, and various meetings scoping the way forward for the relationship between our dioceses.

Historically, Nandyal was an Anglo-Catholic diocese that refused to go into the Church of North India in 1947, and only arrived in the Ecumenical Church of South India in the seventies, but is now fully integrated. I caught up with the Bishop after sharing Mothering Sundy at Chalfont St Peter:
It looks as though a developing Church link would have distinct themes:

1. Mission and Evangelism
   
   
2. Clergy spirituality development
   
   
3. Education at all levels
   
   
4. The renewal of a historical relationship
   
   
5. Leadership development
   
   
6. Concern for one world
   
   
7. A mixed economy in terms of brands of discipleship
   
   
8. an structurally Ecumenical partner diocese (with Methodists, Presbyterians and others)
   

India: resilience and hope

It was surreal this evening to step from village India into a fine hotel in Hyderabad, after being on the road. We feel like we have just come ashore from a long journey, contrasts enhanced by the intensity of our programme of visits and meetings with educators, clergy and children. We have met some amazing, courageous people, and our group is beginning to see a new way forward for our link with schools in Nandyal.


There were moments it was hard not to choke up — blessing children at the children's centre in Kurnool was one. They are so vibrant, and funny and responsive. Yet the way of the world will strip them of hope unless someone finds a way to support them to achieve their hopes and dreams. Unless we know better and are prepared to work to make it so. The four of us (two teachers, two clergy) have been banging away scoping schemes for early years village education to prepare village children for English medium work later. We hope to be able to come up with something really usable by the end of the year, if we can find someone with the Telugu language and teaching skills to make these ideas fly.


Another particularly moving moment came when we visited Pastorate 7 in Kurnool, where the floods were worst, and spent time with people in a new Church that is rising up, which will include a children's centre underneath the sanctuary. I wish Lucy had been with me, because when we last visited she was such a natural at drawing out these children. After all the speeches and formal part people just came to be blessed and prayed with. I came away feeling there is so much to be hopeful for, as this community regenerates after the floods. I wasn’t going to write anything, but we're all full of India — all I wanted to post, as we prepare to fly home tomorrow, are some preliminary pictures from this visit...