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| Dear Friends |
March 2005 UK News
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| In January, Richard Adams (one of our Trustees) and Max Philbrick (our new Administration Co-ordinator) visited RTU in India. You will have read the letter they wrote in January explaining the planned response to the tsunami. In this UK newsletter they share some of their other impressions. But first, Max Philbrick introduces himself…
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| Dear Friends
Thank you to all those of you who have sent greetings, and assured me of your good wishes and prayers as I embark on the day-to-day operation of the RTU “office”. As you may know, this is a grand title for what was a spare bedroom in David and Jo’s house in the south of England; and is now half a room in ours in the far north! Corbridge is a large village on the River Tyne, a few miles south of Hadrian’s Wall and less than half an hour’s drive west of Newcastle. My wife Monica and I are southerners by birth but northerners now for over 20 years. We have 2 grown-up daughters. (I should explain that my wife Monica is very supportive, but is not directly involved in RTU work!) My RTU work is only part-time, so the office is “open” at limited and variable times (currently parts of Wednesday-Friday). If you telephone and need to leave a message, I will call you back – in the evening if that suits you better. My other work uses my computing skills for ‘Northumberland Warm Zone’, a project designed to help people in the county who can’t afford to keep their homes properly heated; and I do some part-time teaching at Sunderland University.
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| Thank you too for bearing with me as acknowledgment of cheques is taking a little longer than you are used to! Many people who responded to our tsunami letter said they did not need an acknowledgment, so I take this opportunity of thanking them for their great generosity. As I write, we have received £32,000, and Brother James’ letter explains the latest spending plans: not as we originally expected, but still meeting very real needs. |
| I first came across Reaching the Unreached whilst working for Traidcraft, the fair-trade company, which bought goods made by RTU villagers in the 1980s. More recently, I have been involved with trustee Richard Adams on the autumn brochure of RTU handloom goods and cards which some of you have bought from. |
| I keep in close touch with David and Jo, who are still trustees and are still producing and sending out the Newsletter. I know they do regard many of our supporters as friends, especially those who wrote personally to them from time to time when enclosing a gift or describing a successful activity raising funds for RTU. I look forward to maintaining the personal links that have always been a feature of RTU in the UK.
Max Philbrick
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| FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF REACHING THE UNREACHED
Richard and I, unlike previous visits by David and Jo, approached RTU from the west! We flew into Goa (on a cheap – and very cramped – charter flight), and took an overnight train down the coast to Ernakulam followed by a 7-hour drive (taxis are cheap in India!) through the hills - up to 8000 feet or more - and tea estates, down to the hot plains of Tamil Nadu. Three years of severe drought had ended with good rains before Christmas: the rivers were flowing and crops and vegetation were green and healthy. But the damage was still evident; we saw many coconut palms that had died, each representing a loss of livelihood. The rains have been good enough to last until June or July, then water is again likely to be short.
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| We stayed at Anbu Illam, the original children’s village. Although Brother James now prefers a more spacious layout, the mature trees and network of paved paths between the houses contribute to a welcoming and peaceful atmosphere. This is greatly added to by the children! The invitations to join families for their meal are endless (and always regretfully declined – Brother James knows he’d never get anything done if he started accepting them). There is a buzz of chatter from the play area: RTU villages have swings and slides specially made by a local blacksmith, and a real bonus for the orphans – such playthings are not often found elsewhere. Behind the little row of simple one-room bungalows where visitors stay (and where Brother James lives) is a large field. At 4 o’clock each day, children home from school play there – cricket, throwing quoits, complicated variations on hopscotch, and the usual running around and chatting with friends. I was surprised that, the entire time we were there, I never heard any angry voices, or witnessed the aggression that we might expect in similar British settings. I expect some of this is down to cultural differences, but there was no doubt that most of the children were open, happy, and full of life! Once or twice I was there when Brother James spoke to a girl who was recovering from a series of most painful operations. Subdued? Perhaps a little, but not at all withdrawn. Brother James was admiring of her courage and determination. |
| Our first weekend was a holiday for “Pongal”. (I tried to explain that this word sounds amusing to English ears, but I’m not sure I succeeded.) It is a kind of Indian harvest festival, celebrated particularly in Tamil Nadu. The word carries the meaning of “overflowing”, and is also identified with a big cooking pot filled with cooked sweet rice, with fruit and nuts. As guests on various visits we tasted quite a lot of pongal: some was excellent, and some needed rather more effort, even when washed down with the inevitable ultra-sweet ‘chai’ (which is very pleasant as long as you accept it as a completely different drink to ‘tea’). Another feature of Pongal is the decorative patterns almost every family draws on the ground outside their front door in brightly coloured spices or powder. Some of these are immensely ornate, and often the words are added (mysteriously – always in English) “Happy Pongal”. |
| Last year, David and Jo visited the village of Silvarpatti, where RTU has constructed a new building for the state-run High School. I also visited, and this was an opportunity to see in action the Mobile Science Lab that was dedicated last year. This 4-wheel drive vehicle is fitted out with drawers and cupboards packed with scientific equipment for demonstrations and experiments. This vehicle has a schedule covering 43 schools in the area (at all levels) catering for 20,000 children! Staff from RTU travel out with the vehicle, and their lessons are designed to fit in with the topics that are being covered by the school’s own teachers. This is made easier because there are standard state course books that every school uses. The schools themselves have no or inadequate equipment for science lessons, so the mobile lab has proved very popular. I watched as a large group of children observed an intriguing mix of demonstrations and visual displays. While a beaker of water containing a thermometer was steadily heating (boiling point of water?), acid was added to chemicals in a flask to show the release of hydrogen, which would go “pop” when a lighted taper was held to the flask. (“Pop” seems to be the same in Tamil.) A boy held the taper, and the gas duly popped. Then an anatomical model was used to explain some aspects of the digestive system, and the children were quizzed on it. The girls answered more questions throughout; would that be the same at home, I wondered? |
| Another visit was to one of the 26 villages where RTU has an outreach programme. Self-help groups (“sangams”) are established with the women in the village, who meet together each month for discussion and planning. Tonight’s topic had been the need to clean up the village (for sanitary/ health reasons). The members will do it themselves of course. Members pay a monthly subscription of 50 rupees (about 60p), and can take loans from the group. Tonight 3 members had asked for loans; 2 to buy milch cows, and 1 to pay for a family celebration for the coming of age of a daughter. (This happens at 12. I explained the nearest similar party we have is at 18. They were most amused - at 18 a girl could be married and even have 2 or 3 children of her own. Although marriage below 18 is not legally permitted, it does happen in villages.) The greatest benefit the women felt they had gained from their Sangam was freedom from the local moneylenders. They charge exorbitant rates of interest, and take any few valuables (such as much-prized jewellery) as security, often not returning them. RTU provides training in running the groups, and has also linked them with an insurance scheme which provides cover against the sort of injuries which can affect agricultural workers – and prevent them from working. This has provided real additional security. |
| Back at Anbu Illam, the day always ends with the children, mothers, and staff who live on-site coming together for prayers, often lead by the children with readings, songs and spoken prayers. This time reflects the different faiths present in the local community, and yet is a remarkable expression of the unity of purpose found at RTU. Once a week Brother James leads, with prayers for healing. Some of the children of course have physical sickness; others have sadness or abuse or other trauma in their past, and it is these memories that need to be softened and lost. If you are a praying person, then do pray for the children (and teenagers and young adults) of RTU; and also for the foster mothers, teachers, other staff, and of course Brother James; who are all committed to their care and development. |
| I hope this brief Update conveys what a positive impression RTU made on me. I am now an RTU enthusiast, and look forward to helping RTU UK continue its support for Reaching the Unreached in South India! |
| Max Philbrick |
| Cordially yours, |
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| Brother James
Kimpton |
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