'AILA' - Update News

The Coastal areas of Chandpur, Tajpur and Khejuri Villages in the District of East Midnapur in West Bengal is slowly getting back to normalcy after it was devastated by Cyclone AILA on 25th May 2009. The Disaster Management Committee of the Diocese, headed by the Bishop, The Rt. Revd. Dr. Probal Kanto Dutta in its meeting had taken a decision to send a team to the above target Coastal areas after a survey of the Cyclone Aila affected people. The Aila devastation situation was reviewed and the decision taken by the Diocese was to rescue and sustain the life of the victims and to take up rehabilitation activities within the limited resources of the Diocese

On 13th July 2009 a team of 14 volunteers including 8 youth, went to these villages with Relief materials for distribution. We distributed the Relief material to about 1000 families in the three villages. The most hearting thing was taken that the young generation to take part in the Relief operation where they were able to witness and serve the needy people.

As requested by Mr. Staya Ranjan Bera, President, Khejuri-I Block Trinamul Congress, Haria, East Midnapur to our Bishop to take up the Rehabilitation Programme. A meeting was held on 27th July 2009 between the Disaster Management Committee, Diocese of Durgapur and the representatives of the Khejuri Block-I, the following decision have been taken for immediate implementation.

· After scrutiny of the quotations it was decided that the low cost houses will be constructed with Asbestos roof for the Cyclone Aila affected beneficiaries. The work will start form 8th August 2009 for the following beneficiaries. The work will be completed within 90 days.

1. Mr. Kalipada Jana, Vill. Erinchi, P.O. Krishnanagar. Purba Midnapur.
2. Mr. Srimanta Pradhan, -do-
3. Mr. Haripada Das -do-
4. Mr. Bablu Barik -do-
5. Mr. Gonesh Jana. Vill & P.O. D. Kalamdan, Dist.Purba Midnapur.

· It was further decided that tubewelsl will be installed in the following beneficiaries areas at the same time.

Village Total Benefiheries.
1. Erinchi 500
2. Erinchi Easrt 1000
3. D. Kalamdan 500
4. Bajbajia West 600
5. Krishnanagar, Das Palli 500

Your prayers for the Rehabilitation of the Cyclone Aila affected people will be great blessing
A.K. Roba
Disaster Management Committee
Diocese of Durgapur, C.N.I.

DIOCESE FIGHTS CYCLONE ‘AILA’

K.N. Das : ‘AILA’-the Cyclone formed on Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal on 24th of May 2009 shaped into a severe cyclone with a whirling stormy speed of 120-150 kms/hrs and hit coastal area of West Bengal on 25th May. Thousand and thousand of houses were destroyed and million of people became homeless, lost their crops, livestock, hose hold articles. Hundred of villages still marooned, thousand and thousand acres of agriculture land were under sea saline water, crops were destroyed, live stock drift away. Total power and communication- surface, telephone and electronic, has been broken down. Around 1500 large trees were uprooted and more than 2500 smaller ones badly damaged while the cyclone went past the area. The death toll stands at 115. Nearly 53 lakh people are effected and 5.24 lakh dwellings either partly or fully damaged. Breaches have occurred in 400 km of embankments in North and South 24 Parganas and along 100 km in other districts,”32 deaths were reported from South 24 Parganas, 26 from Darjeeling and 21 in North 24 Parganas, besides Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, Nadia, Bardhaman, Birbhum, Murshidabad, Bankura, East Midnapore and Cooch Behar.The Government has appealed to center to declare the devastation as a “NATIONAL DISASTER.”As humanitarian response the Bishop of the Diocese of Durgapur Rt.Rev.Dr.P.K.Dutta called a emergency meeting of Disaster Mitigation Committee and send Mr.K.N.Das, diocesan social service coordinator, to visit the casualty area particularly to East Midnapur, that comes under its geographical province, to take a devastating situational assessment and how the Diocese can stand and support the victim of natural calamity
The Bishop of the Diocese of Durgapur sent appeals to the church partners, seeking for aid and prayers. The Methodist Church of United Kingdom, Episcopal Relief and Development Fund of USA, the Church Of North India Synod and CASA responded to the appeal of the Bishop of Durgapur. The Diocese Disaster Operational Team distributed one thousand sets of shari, dhoti, blanket and kitchen utensils as an immediate relief. These aid were distributed in Talgathari and Khejuri 1 panchayat.Now the work is in progress and the plan is to work out a rehabilitation for these villages. As per the rehabilitation plan digging tube wells for drinking water and some low cost houses are to be made. The digging of tube wells have started. The casualties are great and we still need your prayers and support for this rehabilitation work.

Priests of Durgapur attend URC Summer School

Rev. Samiran Sinha: Three priest of the Diocese of Durgapur Rev. Samiran Sinha, Rev. Jacob Amrita Singh and Rev.Swagata Das attended the summer school or the United Reformed Church at Launde Abbey in United Kingdom. The summer school was organised by the URC West Midlands Synod from 15 to 18 June 2009. The theme for the summer school was 'Reclaiming the Bible'. The topics which was taken up was 'Reclaiming the Bible', 'the humour in scripture'., and 'Remembering Bible'. The resource persons were Janet Tollington and Janet Lees.It was really a new experience and also a refreshning course for those who have done theology a couple years ago. Thanks to Rev. Roy Lowes Moderator of the URC West Midlands Synod for giving this opportunity to attend this summer school.

Training on Holistic Child Cevelopment

Mr. A. K. Roba: The Training Programme was organized by Mankar Child Development Centre held on 7th July 2009 at Shantigriha, Diocese of Durgapur at 10.30 a.m. The programme began with a word of prayer by Revd. Samiran Sinha, Bishop’s Commissary and word of welcome address by Mr. A. K. Roba, Project Director, M.C.D.C. In his welcome address Mr. Roba spoke about our Facilitator, Revd. Pratap Nayak, who comes from development background presently posted in St. Paul’s Church, Asansol as Priest. Mr. Roba conveyed thanks to Revd.. Nayak who had taken up the challenge to facilitate the topic ‘HOLISTIC CHILD DEVELOPMENT training programme at a very short time. The Staff and Care Givers along with PAT Committee members of M.C.D.C. attended the above mentioned training programme. Emphasis was made to pay attention to give love and care for the overall growth of the children with suitable examples in the field of (a) Physical (b) Psychological (c) Social (d) Ecumenical (e) Educational and (f) Spiritual etc.It is important to consider the child background to be fruitful and successful in the social work. The children should be taken care properly with physical care and hygienic food and cleanliness. Due to poor situational background, the thinking patterns of the children remain undeveloped narrow and poor. The dreams and aspiration are low and self-image also stay low. The children in the family and society, the relation grows day by day. The communication, interactions grow.Due to the poor Economic status and especially West Bengal, the condition of parents become utmost impossible to carry out their children growth in education. The Trainers were fought to be concern and meet parents to help them to do something for their stability of economy and their livelihood..Whoever may be, whether other faith children or of Christian faith children, should pray to God to relate and to help in time of Joy and sadness to make the impossible to possible.
With love, care and paying attention in listening and through interaction with children the Holistic Development takes place and it is in process. For everything there is time.

SCHOOL UNDER A TREE

A.K.Roba : The St. Thomas tribal School established and started in the open field under the shelter of tree in the year 2002. in the remote village of Malipara of Daskhin Dinajpur District with the poor , downtrodden tribal children. The Malipara Congregation is under the Gangaranpur Pastorate. During the last visit of our Gangarampur Pastorate. In the month of November 2008, the committee of the Gangarampur Pastorate informed the Bishop about the running of the school that Church has extended the services by opening a school for the poor., downtrodden children. First of all we are very much thankful and grateful to our Good Lord for his wonderful Ministry thet He has proved to the members of the Gngarampur Pastorate by making the Church more united, more witnessed with extending more services to the mankind. At the same time we would like to congratulate the members of the Gangarampur Pastorate for their noble work initiated by the local Church.On that auspicious day few members of the one family in malipara Congregation Mr. Daniel Murmu, Mr. Nikodin Murmu, Ms. Illasan Hasda, Mr. Nikolas Hasda and mr. Arnest Hasda donated about 10 Copttahs of land to our beloved Bishop for the purpose of Mission work. One thing I never forget that Mr. Daniel Murmu, Head of the family, who has been suffering from paralytic decease and was bed ridden , who initiated the whole process and convinced all the family members to donate the land to Bishop for Mission work. It is example of kindness, greatness and love to the decease as well as love to the Bishop. The Bishop prayed for Mr. Daniel Murmu for early recovery. On that day we had sent that the Bishop was very happy & overwhelming to receive the donated land sketch. After that it was registered in the name of Durgapur Diocesan Trust Association on 27.11.2008. On the spot the Bishop informed the General Secretary, CNI- Synod over Mobile for kindness of the people of Malipara. Immediately instructed us to construct the school Building. There is no Church Building and any other building in Malipara. The regular Sunday service is running in the houses of member conducted by the Church worker, Mr. Nikolas Hansda through the instruction of the building it will be used for both the purposes that as for school as well as for worship.After great initiation of our beloved Bishop, The Rt. Rev.Dr.Probal Kanto Dutta started the construction by arranging fund of Rs. 1 lacs. The school is growing with 59 children. The building has been constructed up to roof lebel. It is rainy season, if we unable to complete the roof, the constructed wall might get damaged by rain. There is no other seating arrangement for the school children. We have already spent Rs. 85,000/- for the construction up to roof level. Rs. 70,000/- more are needed to complete the building. But at this stage there is no fund available for the purpose. But I believe that God will provide us to complete the building through our beloved Bishop who taught us the God’s belief. We need Corrugated Tins, wood for the support of Tin, Windows, Doors and Grill for window to complete the building.In view of the above, one behalf of the Diocese we appeal all our members and well wishers to extend help & support for completing the project for the uplifmint of the poor downtrodden children towards kingdom of God.
The children are getting school education through our teachers. This school is making a big impact in the life of the children as well as in the society. The children are very happy to come to school. Their life has flourished like never before. Due to illiteracy as well as poverty in the families it was not able to provide proper education. Most important of all, the teachers, teach children about Jesus Christ at the time when Bishop visited. On behalf of the Diocese and Bishop I as a Co- worker expressed our hearty thanks to all our teachers, Ramai Tudu, Nikodem Murmu, Rabin Soren, Subhasini Soren and Ellerson Handa, Nikolaus Hasda and also those who are behind the screen for their hard work, continuous support, prayer and love to transform in the life of the St. Thomas Tribal School and pray for the teachers as they work for these children to help them to future uplifment and nurture them to grow up into better-educated persons, so that they can make themselves example of God’s children as well as to make them good citizen of India.

THE HIDDEN TRUTH

Sandipan Sinha : The first rays of sun touches the earth, the first ray of moon sparkles in the sky, just like we the Diocese of Durgapur is going to touch the hearts of the million Indians each and every time. Just like that the Community Study Center in Purulia is creating the hikes of the future India. The Community Study Center Purulia is situated near Leprosy Mission behind St. Barnabas Church, Uffampur, Purulia by Rt. Rev. Probal Kanto Dutta with collaboration Durapur Women Fellowship for Christain Studies (D.W.F.C.S) on 1st March 2007. Till date many interfaith children have joined the process and are blooming in the mean time. Ms. Bleesy Saniel is one of them. She is just 6 Yr old and studying in Holy Child Primary School in class-I. she has completed 2 yr in the center besides her schooling. She is a sweet little girl with a charming smile which notifies us to think that her smile and affection for the center and her life should remain constant throughout her life. Economic condition of her family is not so sound but still her parents have high hope and dreams for their only daughter.

While talking to her mother I realized the Hidden Truth of Life. Her mother is a housewife and her father Mr. Sukhoranjan Saniel is mechanic by profession. Their family income is too marginal in this high expenditure period, Still they are sending their only daughter to good school for better education and to the center for value education. On the other hand their daughter had shown the faithfulness to them by ranking 1st in the class in the merit list in the Holy Child School. she is also coming to center in regular basis and taking part in the all the extra curricular activities. She has ranked 1st in the drawing competition organized by the community study center, Purulia. When I asked her mother about their ambition for their child, she just surprised me saying that they want to commit her daughter for the service of the Lord. This is the real fact as the center had created a new platform which not only give emphasis on the overall development of the society but create a grass root level base of the believers in Christ. All these days of my study in the various project has given me enough proof of the principle of individuality and principle of self determination. Regarding the intellectual suggestion from the society of Purulia,’ They said blessing of the Lord is always on us , the only thing is we have to utilize it in perfect period in proper place i.e Purulia Child Development Center.”

Contribution of a Missionary

A.K. Roba: The Diocese have started the Slum Hostel in the month of February 2009 with 24 slum children under the Durgapur Child Study Centre organized by Diocese Women Fellowship headed by Mrs. Rita Dutta, President of DWFCS. The very beginning of the Hostel Mrs. Lynn Coulthard, Missionary from Western North Carolina Diocese, U.S.A. had resided in the Missionary Flat of our Diocese in the same Hostel Building and looked after the children. She loves the children too much individually. She knows every child by their name. She also knows each necessity of all-102 children of the Centre. She visited the houses of the children and as per need of the family she fulfilled their requirements and helped. When the new admission started in the govt. school of the locality she was very much worried for admission some of the children. There is no birth certificate of these children. Day by day she went to the school and talked with the School Authority for their admission. As per the instruction of the School authority she prepared affidavit from the Civil Court. But the School authority again turned down the admission. I shall never forget when she expressed her wariness and about the admission of the children in front of us. We realized that day about her love, affection, kindness, worry for the Children and her Motherly attitude had over whelming to us. It is an example and lesson for us about her exam-plenary attitude and services as a human being. At last after long fight with the School Authority she got admitted the left-out children in the local govt. school two days before leaving India and was very much satisfied before leaving this countryShe started a Kitchen Garden to produce vegetables for the hostel children. The quantity of production was in low scale. But one-day before leaving India she donated a POWER TILLER (HAND TRACTOR) to cultivate the vegetables for the use of the hostel children. In this rainy season, now Diocese has started cultivation in large scale so that the children of the hostel will be benefited. We shall never forget her help through to the Diocese and her love and affection shown the good of the children..

Strength of Smile (Editorial- 'deep- thelight' vol 45)

Abhik Viktor Kashyap: Workers at Keihin Electric Express Railway in Japan are facing enforce “smile scans” every morning in a bid to boost their customer services, says a report. The “smile scan” software produces a sweeping analysis of a smile based on facial characteristics. After scanning a face, the device produces a rating of 0 to 100 depending on the estimated value of the fulfilled potential of a person’s biggest smile. For those with below-par grin, one of an array of smile-boosting message will pop up on the computer screen. Workers receive a print out of their daily smiles, which they are expected to keep with them throughout the day to inspire them to smile at all times, resulting better work better morale.In a Group Discussion, I took part during my graduation, in which topics based on, our daily lives were discussed. We conversant on, how we pass on smiles to one another, but the questions were “Can we really inspire or uplift someone’s morale?” Someone said “The question is to be asked to oneself, because the answer lies with in.” A science student was asked, what is smile? He said “the expression that you have on your face when you are happy, amused, etc. in which the corners of your mouth turns upwards.” & a commerce guy said “looking very happy, especially soon after you have been looking worried or sad”. Literature and its associates said there are different kinds of smiles, elaborated their thoughts but the debatable point still was “Does smile has strength, to change someone’s life?”I found the answer to this question very recently when I visited MOTHER HOUSE in Kolkata. A sister narrated the story, how Mother Teresa started her work, she said “when Mother saw small children suffering on streets of Kolkata she thought to do something for them so she stopped a man passing by and asked him for monetary help.” With chocking voice and wet eyes the sister continued “the man didn’t look interested and started walking, Mother stretched out her right hand and asked for some money again, the man spat on her palm and said this is what he can offer. Mother smiled and closed her right palm hiding it behind her back. With smile on her face Mother said “I accept what ever you can give me, thank you.” Then putting her left palm right in front of the man Mother asked “what can you offer for these children?”” Sister continued with more excitement “the man moved with compassion and handed his wallet to Mother.” The sister joined her hands and pressed them on her lips as she completed her narration, the joy was evident in her eyes. While I was walking out of Mother House I saw a quotation on the wall “PEACE BEGINS WITH A SMILE.” Our identity changes with how we perceive reality!

Women’s Meeting in Raghunathpur

Rev. Balius Hembrom: The Women Fellowship of Mostapur Pastorate organized a day’s meeting on 10 th’ June 2009 at CNI Central Church Raghunathpur, Balurghat. In that meeting there were 150 participents besides their children form Mostapur, Balurghat and Mokhrampur Pastotate. The Presbyter –in- Charge Rev. Balias Hembrom inaugurated the meeting with the verse from Proverb 31:27 “She watches over the affairs of her house hold.” With these words he reminded their responsibility towards the members of their families & that their behavior may be as true as a Christians, the followers of Christ. The associate Presbyter Rev.Suresh Hembrom gave a very inspiring teaching on the giving of the Tithe and it’s blessings from Malach :8-10. Rev. Santosh Mardi from Kaliganj gave a good teaching from Esther 2 : 15-16 and Genesis 2 : 18 about the role of women in family, congregation and pasotorates. Then the Presbyter –in – Charge handed over the entire meeting to Smt. Shefali Murmu and Smt. Sushoma Chowria, the conductors s of the meeting. The women of every pastorate took active part in singing , prayer , Bible reading and giving testimonies. The women from Mastapur Congregation enacted the life of Samaritan women through singing. The former teacher Mrs. Maloti bala encouraged the women to keep the commandments of God from Deuteromim 6: 1-4. the whole day programme was a very enthusiastic and the meeting ended with a word of prayer & Fellowship Meal.

Reported by - Rev. Balius Hembrom