India is ........ Global Video Challenge

My son, Jonny has produced a video of his trip last year to Kashmir where he was involved in helping teach 90 India school kids to ski on a golf course!   They were all from CMS-founded Tyndale-Biscoe School in Srinagar (which celebrates its centenary this year). The invitation to help came when they visited the school, as part of a visit to the Diocese of Amritsar, following on from the SACYN conference in Nepal and the Asia CMS CoMP conference in Amritsar in 2010. Jonny came along as photographer and took pictures of all the CoMPs.

We also went with Bishop Samantaroy up to a Youth conference in Gulmarg run by the Diocese of Amritsar and visited the T-B school in Srinagar, near the famous Dal Lake.  A conversation with the principal’s son over a cup of tea, lead to Jonny being invited to return and help teach skiing to kids at the school.

You may also remember that the beautiful (wooden, Chalet style) daughter school in Tanmarg was also burnt to the ground by a mob in reaction to an alleged Koran burning by a pastor in the US. Ironically the only Korans burnt were those in the school library burnt as a result of the arson attack!   Kashmir remains a fragile, conflict torn region and peaceful encounters, like the ski school, are all the more necessary.

Jonny and Stefan had both served with Skiers for Christ (SfC)   - a specialized ministry to skiers and snowboarders. They desire to share their faith, in practical ways, by serving the skiing and snowboarding community.  So they undertook the trip as a joint AsiaCMS & SfC enterprise in Feb 2011.   

This was one of 3 AsiaCMS interchange projects in 2011, including Chuli teaching cricket to Nepali Girls and Frederica facilitating Community Art in Pakistan. All three trips found their origin as a by-product of the SACYN conference meeting in Nepal

Stephen, the CMS Coordinator for India helped to set it all up and to orientate them on their exchange trip.  They also visited Dr Lalita in Pune and made a video of her work   called Positive + Children

The video Jonny made of Kashmir is stunningly beautiful......    

He also entered a briefer version of the video into the India Is Global video challenge and got through to the final round - one of 30 finalists - the outcome all depends on social network voting.

His video can be found on the India Is website.  (or You can cut and paste in the following link...http://indiais.org/rateit_eachvideos.php?userid1=372&videoid=3   and then you have 5 votes ..... so make them count…  that's the Challenge...

 

Tangmarg School: before and after

The beautful Tangmarg school BEFORE

And AFTER !

We had a day of fasting prayer in the Diocese (Report below). Thank you for praying with us.
I have attached a heart-breaking photo of Tangmarg school after it was burnt. Please share with other friends!

+ Samantaroy

Responding to a call by Bp.P.K.Samantaroy, fasting prayers were observed throughout the diocese from morning till 4:00 p.m. Pastors, field workers, the diocesan office staff, teachers and lay men and women totaling above 100 assembled in the St.Paul’s Church, Amritsar and spent time in prayer, singing and reflection. The participants were seen emotionally moved as they prayed for peace in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab. A candlelight dedication prayer marked the closing of the fasting prayer during which people committed themselves to stick to Christian values and to work for peace. The Bishop and a few leaders met the D.C. of Amritsar and handed over a memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister of India. The participants broke their fast with tea and snacks over an informal fellowship.

Tragedy in Kashmir

I received the following from the Bishop of Amritsar about the school in Tangmarg. I quote it in full because it sets the context so well:

Dear Friends,

Warm greetings to you from Amritsar! Today was a very special day for me. In the midst of receiving greetings and messages for my birthday I got a horrifying message from Parwez that the Tangmarg branch of Tyndale Biscoe & Mallinson was vandalized and set on fire. I was shocked and immobilized for few moments not willing to believe what I had just heard. I was even hopeful that the fire brigade would be able to reach the School and save it from devastation. But the unexpected happened. The whole school building got completely burnt destroying everything in it. We have lost the most beautiful school of the Diocese. However, I thank God for there was no human casualty. The few support staff who were present in the School managed to run away to safety in time.

This ghastly incident was a result of a rumor that was deliberately spread to announce an alleged burning of copies of Quran in the U.S.A. There were few other incidents of attacks on church. Last night a C.N.I. Church was burnt in Malerkotla (Chandigarh Diocese) and a Roman Catholic Church was attacked in Poonch (Jammu) but the police successfully prevented any damage to the Church.

I have written letters to the President, Prime Minister and other high officials to take steps to give adequate protection to the Christians of J & K. apart from informing the C.N.I. Synod office, friends and partners. I request you to write letters to the Prime Minister of India urging him to take appropriate action.

The Tangmarg School building is gone but not our hope and confidence. I thank God for the gift of this challenge to rebuild on my birthday. I know my limitations. But I believe your prayers will cause a storm in heaven and invite God’s intervention in the Kashmir situation.

It is a time to pray and act together.

+Samantaroy

Diocese of Amritsar

Kashmir school principal on burning of Tangmarg school

Mr Parwez Kaul, head of the Tyndale-Biscoe and Mallinson schools, speaks on the shocking arson attack

LISTEN HERE

"We ask everyone to pray for us around the world," he says. "In Kashmir we are used to facing challenges, this the worst challenge I have been forced to face."

The sound quality is far from excellent, but we wanted you to hear the voice of those involved.

a school in Kashmir burnt in reaction to a pastor in Florida

Ed Lorenz famously said that a butterfly flaps its wings in the Amazon and there is a Hurricane on the other side of the world. (1972 “Predictability: Does the Flap of a Butterfly’s Wings in Brazil Set Off a Tornado in Texas?”) A threat of burning a Koran by a small town pastor of a tiny congregation in Florida and the next thing you know there are riots in Kabul and then in Kashmir schools being burnt. It is worth noting that this is a supposed 'reaction' or response to the proposed 'Koran Burnings' that did not actually happen. Fighting fire with fire just does not make sense to me.

I received a number of messages about the Tyndale Biscoe School in Tangmarg. I visited it a couple of months ago and it was definitely one of the highlights of our trip - seeing the kids reherse a cultural performance they were doing for their proud parents. And a real sense of bringing education to remote under-served areas where it was most needed. I remember two young girls I spoke to during the tea break and their dream to be doctors..... Now all such dreams are on hold.

I include some of the messages as I received them and the unfolding story of this senseless waste.....

Bishop Pradeep Samantaroy of Amritsar writes:

following the Quaran burning threats in America, the Tangmarg branch of the Tyndale Biscoe and Mallinson Educational Society in Jammu and Kashmir has been put on fire. Curfew has been imposed. Even as this message is being typed, the school building is still burning! Kindly pray that peace will be restored soon and that nobody is hurt.

Read more from the local press in Greater Kashmir and Kashmir Observer

LATEST UPDATE:

S. Samantaroy The School students are not hurt. The building has totally burnt down. It was entirely made of wood. Though the officials were informed of a possible attack and requested for safety there was no action taken. The mob even stopped the fire brigade from reaching the spot. We are yet to procure a photograph. We will keep you updated.

Bishop Pradeep Samantaroy I am heart broken because I was involved with the Tangmarg School from the time we selected the land. I saw the building built and the School grow and flourish with committed staff and beautiful Kashmiri children. The School was more like a beautiful garden. How can I see it turn to ashes? The students are crying because they learnt their School is no more.

Tahaan - a boy with a grenade

one of the advantages of travel is the opportunity to see different things. Access to different movies whether on the plane or the bazaars. 

I stumbled accross this truely beautiful film   'Tahaan: a boy with a grenade' Directed by Santosh Sivan

Set in war torn Kashmir (the Indian side) it tells the story of Tahaan an 8-year old boy who is parted from his beloved donkey, Birbal.   

 

It is an allegorical film,  a  parable  about searching for meaning.   His grandfather and mother look after Tahaan, since his father has been missing for 3 years.  They live in hope of his return. But for Tahaan the return of his donkey becomes his soul purpose in life.  He will do anything to get his donkey back.   So when he is asked by an older boy to carry a handgrenade over the military checkpoint his adventure takes on a  more dangerous turn.

It was shown at the BFI  in October 2008  and a  movie trailer preview is available on YouTube 

Also take a look at the  official website.

There are some stunning images. A great movie.