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The West Midlands Synod has a particular relationship with the Diocese of Durgapur of the Church of North India.
Friendship exchanges take place frequently and mutual support given. |
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'GOD CHILD SPONSORING SCHEME
In February 2018, a group from the Synod visited the Hostel and saw for themselves the excellent work that is taking place there. The young girls’ faces indicate the love, care and protection that the staff is giving them. It would help the Diocese with their future planning to have sponsorship through the ‘God Parent Child Sponsoring Programme’ of the DWFC Diocese of Durgapur, as this scheme enables the young girls to be educated and enriched, so they can live life to the full and become responsible, educated citizens of tomorrow and flourish in this ever changing fast paced world. It is our intention to maintain the work undertaken at the Colin Choyce Hostel for many years to come. However, this depends on the generosity of the members of the West Midlands Synod. Can we invite you to give this Sponsorship prayerful thought? Please find here a copy of the Sponsorship form. If you have any queries about the ‘God Parent Child Sponsoring Programme’, please do not hesitate to contact Mervyn Davies the Synod Finance Officer or Margaret Marshall, Synod Clerk. |
OFFICIAL OPENING OF COLIN CHOYCE HOUSE
In 2017 the Colin Choyce Hostel was opened in memory of one of our members, who left a legacy for use in India Revd Steve Faber, Synod Moderator, visited the Diocese of Durgapur to officially open Colin Choyce House. |
Residents with computer equipment recently acquired with a grant from WMURC churches.
April 2021: Latest news from the Diocese of Durgapur
We've been horrified at the scale of the second wave of the pandemic affecting India - over a third of a million new cases are being reported every day, and over 200,000 deaths overall so far.
We've had news from the Diocese of Durgapur, our world Church partner. Bishop Sameer Isaac Khimla writes,
Warm Greetings from the Diocese. Thank you for your mail and your assured prayer support for all of us. We do need all your prayers. The situation in India and here in Durgapur is not very good. The Corona Tsunami if one could say that has left all of us paralysed. There is immense suffering as the medical and social infrastructure struggles to cope with the pandemic.
From the Diocese office would like to inform you that two of our staff Tarun and Atin have tested Covid positive. They both are in home isolation and treatment; as it is no longer easy to get a hospital bed with the overwhelming numbers. Please continue to pray for them as well as Mr.Banerjee our Accountant who has recovered but is extremely weak to resume duties. We are all in prayers as the situation is grim here and hoping and praying for God's grace and mercies. Personally further I have lost good friends, acquaintances in the past couple of weeks. The Church has also lost many ministers both Pastors and Bishops in this period.
We are assured that you continue to be with us in spirit and prayers and believe that this too shall pass.
Deacon Ruth Pugh who has taught music to children through the Diocese for many years has told us that, "when the [Diocesan Child Study and Development Centres] are shut the teachers are still in contact with students and their families. The DCSDC, who have a much more spread out set of students [than government schools] have a Whatsapp group and Zoom meeting with them." However, many of the poorest children have little or no access to technology for home-schooling and have largely uneducated parents who cannot support home schooling. There are huge issues also with access to fast internet and uninterrupted power supplies in rural areas - things that we increasingly take for granted.
The Diocese also writes that the pandemic has caused widespread unemployment, and poverty is increasing across the country. They write,
"So it is our request that you kindly reconsider about the situation and support us with your contributions, so that we can together pave the way for a better and brighter future for these underprivileged children. Just as in Psalm 127: 3 it says, “Behold Children Are A Heritage from the Lord, the Fruit of the Womb A Reward”, it is our duty and our responsibility to preserve our heritage so that they can stand as an exquisite exception in the society.
You have to pay online: Minimum US$250 or UK£160." If you currently sponsor a child in India through the Diocese of Durgapur, please continue to do so, but you will need to make payments through a new bank account because of a a change in banking regulations in India. The new account details are available on request from Margaret Marshall or the Synod Office.
We've also heard from Khristiya Neva Niketan Hospital which is run by the DIocese:
"Things are not very bright here. Already three of our staff members are diagnosed positive. Because of the magnitude of the problem, the government with all possibility will ask us to have separate covid unit. Announcement has been made in this regard, we are waiting for government order. We have very limited facility of oxygen and critical care equipment."
You can provide practical support if you have an Amazon account in the UK by following this link: amzn.in/60DmxyO This will take you to KSN's "wish list" for supplies, which will be delivered directly to the hospital. The current exchange rate means that 1 rupee is about 1 penny, so an item costing R100 will cost you about £1.00.
We've had news from the Diocese of Durgapur, our world Church partner. Bishop Sameer Isaac Khimla writes,
Warm Greetings from the Diocese. Thank you for your mail and your assured prayer support for all of us. We do need all your prayers. The situation in India and here in Durgapur is not very good. The Corona Tsunami if one could say that has left all of us paralysed. There is immense suffering as the medical and social infrastructure struggles to cope with the pandemic.
From the Diocese office would like to inform you that two of our staff Tarun and Atin have tested Covid positive. They both are in home isolation and treatment; as it is no longer easy to get a hospital bed with the overwhelming numbers. Please continue to pray for them as well as Mr.Banerjee our Accountant who has recovered but is extremely weak to resume duties. We are all in prayers as the situation is grim here and hoping and praying for God's grace and mercies. Personally further I have lost good friends, acquaintances in the past couple of weeks. The Church has also lost many ministers both Pastors and Bishops in this period.
We are assured that you continue to be with us in spirit and prayers and believe that this too shall pass.
Deacon Ruth Pugh who has taught music to children through the Diocese for many years has told us that, "when the [Diocesan Child Study and Development Centres] are shut the teachers are still in contact with students and their families. The DCSDC, who have a much more spread out set of students [than government schools] have a Whatsapp group and Zoom meeting with them." However, many of the poorest children have little or no access to technology for home-schooling and have largely uneducated parents who cannot support home schooling. There are huge issues also with access to fast internet and uninterrupted power supplies in rural areas - things that we increasingly take for granted.
The Diocese also writes that the pandemic has caused widespread unemployment, and poverty is increasing across the country. They write,
"So it is our request that you kindly reconsider about the situation and support us with your contributions, so that we can together pave the way for a better and brighter future for these underprivileged children. Just as in Psalm 127: 3 it says, “Behold Children Are A Heritage from the Lord, the Fruit of the Womb A Reward”, it is our duty and our responsibility to preserve our heritage so that they can stand as an exquisite exception in the society.
You have to pay online: Minimum US$250 or UK£160." If you currently sponsor a child in India through the Diocese of Durgapur, please continue to do so, but you will need to make payments through a new bank account because of a a change in banking regulations in India. The new account details are available on request from Margaret Marshall or the Synod Office.
We've also heard from Khristiya Neva Niketan Hospital which is run by the DIocese:
"Things are not very bright here. Already three of our staff members are diagnosed positive. Because of the magnitude of the problem, the government with all possibility will ask us to have separate covid unit. Announcement has been made in this regard, we are waiting for government order. We have very limited facility of oxygen and critical care equipment."
You can provide practical support if you have an Amazon account in the UK by following this link: amzn.in/60DmxyO This will take you to KSN's "wish list" for supplies, which will be delivered directly to the hospital. The current exchange rate means that 1 rupee is about 1 penny, so an item costing R100 will cost you about £1.00.