Gloucester & District Christian Choir

Mission Done

2007-10-17T15:58:00.000-07:00

Mission Done

We’ve been to India – that’s what I said
All the way to India the choir was led.

At first it seemed an impossible task
The amount of money for which to ask
But the funds came in, we got the lot
With God’s help and yours, we filled our pot.

And now we’re back from our India mission
With memories galore of our fulfilled vision.
The wonderful welcome we received and more
With garlands, gifts and food galore.

We sang in churches, inside and out
The people loved us without a doubt.
The sights we saw, the sounds, the smells –
Not all of them good – I have to tell!

The concert held on that balmy night,
The people who came – oh what a sight!
When we joined the choirs of other nations,
And dancers, the children – our Christian relations.

The “Jailbreak” shows where we gave so much
And the people knew they’d received God’s touch.
The girls school where we were all endeared –
To those lovely youngsters who clapped and cheered.

The memories are real, mostly good not bad,
That the trip is over, it makes us sad.
But the one to thank is our God and King –
Who led us to India, His praise to sing.

We welcome you now to our celebration
Of our God sent trip to the Indian nation.

By Jane Broome.

Day Eight - Bishop Cotton Girl's School

2007-10-02T07:40:00.000-07:00

We say goodbye to the Hari International as we begin our long journey home. Our luggage goes with us to Bishop Cotton Girls School so tha we can get changed after our performance.

What a treat, the girls sing for us.

And then we sing to them.

What an appreciative audience they were, and so well behaved.

They knew all the songs before we sang them and would clap and cheer when the music began for such songs as 'My heart will go on' and 'You raise me up'.

They were ready to chat to us after the performance.

We had a wonderful lunch at the school and got changed ready to hit the shops in Bangalore. All the girls came to say goodbye and shake hands.

The shops in Bangalore were a grand experience where we could buy absolutely anything.

There were shops everywhere to suit the most discerning shopper.

There were still street beggars, this little girl must have been about eleven, carrying a little boy.

It was a tiring experience so we found a wall to sit on.

Day Seven - Jailbreak at St Mark's Cathedral

2007-10-02T04:19:00.000-07:00

We set off from the Hari International.

The street outside the Hotel.

We arrive at St Mark's Cathedral.

Our personal time as we share Communion.

The Reverend Graham Osborne, our Choir Chaplain for the visit.

Morning Tea and coffee.

Time to relax.
And so to our rehearsal.

The soloists strut their stuff.

Another packed house, even seated outside.

And so back to the Hotel.

A final celebration for tomorrow we leave for home.

Margaret and Mike celebrate their birthdays.

Day Six - Off to Bangalore.

2007-09-17T09:23:00.000-07:00

We leave the Comfort Inn Marina Towers, Chennai at 5-45am to the Central Railway Station to board the Brindavan Express bound for Bangalore with our packed breakfast.

Reserved seats and air conditioned carriages, not what we had been led to expect.
Every kind of food was offered to us as we travelled on a train journey of over 5 hours.

There were stations along the way giving opportunity for folk to stretch their legs.

From the train we had a look at the real India away from the Cities.

There were lots of photographic opportunities.

Mike photographs Bob,

As Bob photographs everyone else.

Workers in the fields.

More Station buildings.

Karen enjoys the view.

Hasn't Health and Safety spoiled everything. Where else could you dangle your legs out of the train?

What scenery.

We arrive on time at Bangalore Station 13-30.

What a sight to welcome us to our hotel.

Time to relax after our arrival at the Hari International Hotel.

Dinner at the hotel, and so to bed

Marie's Story.

2007-09-05T09:51:00.000-07:00

Marie Muggleton’s Story

We started our trip at 3am when we got up. I had not slept very well that night. We had packed up the night before so all we had to do was have coffee before we started. Our friend picked us up at 3.45am and we made our way over to Christchurch Abbeydale. We arrived at 4am and just sat in the car, talking. Then taxi’s started to turn up and we all got together. The bus turned up a bit lit. On the way, we called in at Membury Services.

We arrived at Heathrow before 7am. I felt so rushed there, where there many people. The group helped me through as I went through the checks. We had breakfast at Heathrow and John took a picture of the aircraft there. The airport staff asked me where I wished to sit and I said by the window. I enjoyed my first ever air flight. We departed from Heathrow at 10.20am and arrived at Helsinki at 3.20pm (Helsinki time – 2 hours in front of BST). We had to wait for our connecting flight so we all put our bags in a pile and stayed together. I was cold. Helsinki was flat and very impersonal although it was clean and tidy. We stayed in Helsinki airport until 8pm, when we boarded the plane to Mumbai. John and I were right at the back of the plane. I was still cold although the staff did provide a blanket and pillow. This was an 8-hour trip. All I wanted to do was sleep and I believe we dozed until about 3am when the staff came round with hot towels, which woke us up. We had curry for breakfast and arrived at Mumbai at 6.10am.

Friday 3rd – Transferred from Mumbai International to Internal airport by coach at 9.40am. Our internal flight from Mumbai arrived in Chennai at 11.25am, a flight time of 1hour 45 minutes. At this airport, there were people to meet us – they gave us quite a welcome. We made our way to the coaches, which took us to a beach resort at Mahabalapuram. We all went to rest after lunch and then dinner was served later. The hotel was beautiful and we all had a good night’s sleep.

Saturday 4th – After breakfast we went sightseeing around Mahabalapuram. We went to a place where there are stone carvings to a great King in India. It was very hot outside the coach and there were stalls that sold coconuts and vegetables. We were told not to buy from the beggars and vendors there. Even when you said no, these people would not let you go. I made my way back to the coach where it was cool and I felt safe. After lunch at one of the temple sites, we went to the Marina Tower Hotel in Chennai. In the evening (5pm) we went to the rehearsal at St Georges School. We sat on the stage and were plagued with flies. We seemed to be waiting ages before the rehearsal began. Our seats were on the back row. All the other choirs rehearsed before we got the chance. We were able to practise some of our songs before we left at 9.30pm to return to our hotel and bed.

Sunday 5th – had breakfast about 7 am and left for church around 7.30am. At approximately 8.30am, we sang 2 songs at a church service attended by 5000 Tamil people. The church staff gave us refreshments in the Church Office – this office is home to 70 pastors. We then went to another service, an English one. It was so free and it was just wonderful to just sing and not worry about your voice. We had lunch and afternoon tea at the hotel and left the hotel to go to the concert at 4.45pm. We assembled at the Venue at 5pm. The One World One Voice programme started about 6pm. The expected audience was 6,000 and in fact there were well over that number and it was quite wonderful. We sang at the end of the programme. They made a great fuss of us. We all had dinner in a separate area to the audience. We were all tired.

Monday 6th – we went shopping to a silk shop. We wanted to get to a big market but could not get the coach near so we went to the Silk shop. The shop was on 3 floors and it was beautiful. I was so confused by the different colours and so many things, scarves, dresses and tops. There was so much and so many people talking at the same time. We did a practice at St Andrews. There seemed to be a problem with the sound system but it did go right on the night. There was a wall surrounding the grounds in which we sang and people looked over the wall and stayed and listened to us singing. We were fed again before we went back to the hotel.

Tuesday 7th – We were woken at 6am, as we were to leave for Bangalore by coach to the train station. The train left at 7.15am and arrived at Bangalore at 1.15pm.

Wednesday 8th – Free day. We went to St Marks Cathedral for a small service for the choir followed by a rehearsal of Jailbreak. As we rehearsed, people came in and listened. Then we broke up and some went back to the hotel and some went shopping, trying to get a CD player. We met again later in the day for the main performance of Jailbreak. The cathedral was full and people were stood outside listening.

Thursday 9th – in the morning we went to Bishop Cotton School for girls to sing to them. They sang to us first and then we sang to them. The girls were so well behaved and they did enjoy us singing. We were given lunch and then we went shopping in Bangalore. I thought we would be going in a group but the group broke up so we went on our own. I bought a top costing about £5 but did not have a lot of money. We walked so far but John was hot and worried about the sun. We met Frank who told us about a wall we could sit on where we sheltered under the trees until the coach came. We returned to the girls school, where we were given tea before we made our way to the airport to get our 8pm flight to Mumbai. We arrived at Mumbai only to find the departure lounge was closed so we had to wait in a waiting area until about 5am. We left Mumbai at 8.15am and arrived in Helsinki at 1.45pm. We then left Helsinki at 4pm and arrived in Heathrow at 5.10pm. We finally arrived back in Gloucester at approximately 9pm.

Frank, Eve and Susan's Story.

2007-09-03T06:29:00.000-07:00

Monday morning was originally scheduled as a free morning and having met the children from the Alpha India orphanage the day before, Frank, Eve and Susan planned to visit them. In fact, we were invited to lunch. The first problem was how to get there so Frank asked at the travel desk. Should we take a taxi? Oh no, we can take the hotel limousine and their chauffeur for only 2,000 rupees for the day, that's about £25.

The journey was a surprise, our driver was so attentive and every time you raised a camera he would slow down and open the window. Somehow it seemed the highlight of the trip.

The traffic in India is something to behold. They might drive on the right side of the road, that is the left, but other rules seem few and far between. They travel only inches from one another and just weave in and out of lanes as they please. Everyone sounds their horns. In India it is just a warning to say I'm here. Most of the public transport in the City is by Auto-Rickshaw and it seems everyone has a motorbike.

Traffic appears from any direction and no one wears a crash helmet. Apparently there was a law but local politics decrees that it is not enforced.

It is an anomaly that there are so many billboards advertising things that very few can buy.

Not a very good photograph, but everywhere you look there are people living under shelters on the street.

On our way to the orphanage we wanted to buy the children some sweets. Our driver took us out of the City before stopping at roadside shops. Here you could buy anything.

Pamela sent us on a mission to buy some poles for the flags Sally uses in jailbreak. We couldn't take them on the plane. So our driver called in at various hardware shops on the way. When he explained what we wanted, the shop keepers would dive into piles of junk to try and find us what we wanted. After several stops it seemed we weren't going to be able to get anything until at last under a pile we found one that would do. Immediately the town stopped and we were asked to wait 5 minutes and sure enough after 5 minutes we could see a motorbike making its way down the road with every size and length of pole imaginable.

After all our adventures we were quite late arriving at the orphanage in Salamangam village and it took a while to find the right place, but when we arrived we found ourselves in an oasis of peace in the countryside of India. All the squallor of the City was left behind. Suresh came out to greet us and after giving our driver some money for his lunch, (the custom apparently), he promised to return at 2 O'clock. We were introduced to the children and I suggested they take us on a tour of their home. They divided into three groups and one of us went with each.

My group wanted to show me a tank where they were breeding fish.

And then to show me their play equipment. How many children can you get on one swing?

They showed us their rooms, one for the boys and one for the girls. They just sleep on mats on the floor.

This little girl is the latest arrival. She has only been there eight weeks and when they showed us a photograph of when she arrived, the difference was remarkable. There was a quote in the paper whilst we were there, that India will never be independant until it eradicates its poverty. I see places like this as the only hope for India. These children are not all orphans but they have been rescued off the street. Some still visit their parents in the holidays. They are being educated and learning a different way of life. The Alpha India Foundation will care for them for life and find them work and a home. They are being given a great start in life.

This is the story hut and we were the first to use it. It was a bit of a shock to realise that we were expected to tell a story and lead the children in devotions. They sang to us and we sang to them.

Isn't their house fantastic amidst all that poverty. We enjoyed our trip to India and I wouldn't have missed it for the world, but this is the only place in India I have a desire to go back to.

Eve's group saying their goodbyes. We had a wonderful lunch. After all the curry for breakfast dinner and tea, they cared for us by making us chips with our chicken.

The journey back was just as eventful. We had to get back for our rehearsal or else we would have stayed longer. Here is a mother with a baby on the back of a motorbike. I think six was the most we saw on one bike. Our driver didn't know where St Andrews Kirk was but Suresh explained to him before we left and we arrived just before the rest of the choir. It was hard to make him understand that he could go because we didn't need him any more. we gave him 1.000 rupees tip for giving us the most wonderful day.

Frank, Eve and Susan.

Liz and Bob's Story

2007-09-03T06:21:00.000-07:00

On Monday 6th August Liz and Bob went to see Ann Bothamley at the Christian Medical Centre in Vellore, S.India

We traveled about 100 miles from Chennai to Vellore through traffic and sights never seen before – cars, motor bikes, auto rickshaws, (all sounding horns), animals (including an elephant) and people all interweaving to get to their destination. The hospital dominates Vellore’s chaotic main street and was surrounded by people. Built over 100 years ago the old buildings were very basic and drab. Highlight of the hospital buildings were the Christian Chapels, beautiful in their simplicity and used by Christian and Hindu alike. Inside the hospital long queues waited to register as outpatients. The hospital cares for about 4 – 5,000 outpatients each day which means the doctors work extremely long hours. There are 2,000 beds plus an extra person for each patient who stays to feed and help look after the one needing medical care.

We met Ann in the hospital and she warmly welcomed us – she gets few visitors. Ann has been working at the hospital for 39 years and was in charge of the Haematology Department until retiring eight years ago. She now works in a pastoral way visiting patients and she obviously has a deep love and care for these patients – many of whom are children suffering from leukemia and having received bone marrow transplants from a sibling or relation. Ann has recently been involved in setting up a playroom so that children recovering after surgery have a pleasant and creative environment to go to. This is a great step forward in a place where space is at a premium!

Another part of Ann’s work is the school, named after Dr Ida Scudder who founded the hospital in 1902 after witnessing the death of three Muslim women in childbirth. The existing custom was that women were unable to accept the help of a male doctor - her father who was a missionary doctor was unable to help. The hospital trains a high percentage of women doctors. The school was started to serve the children of doctors and nurses who work at the hospital – all the staff and children are Indian. Ann’s role at present is pastoral – the children come and see her if they have problems or need to talk – she is a wonderful listening ear with great wisdom.

The third part of our visit was to Balanilayam – a home for children – the vision, buying and building overseen by Ann and her working companion for all the years she has been in Vallore. Money was never asked for but God provided through donations coming from all over the world. As the construction was undertaken so the money came in stage by stage. The home was built for children, and for many years Ann and her friend Marlienne looked after and loved the children as their own while their parents served as missionaries in other parts of India. At present this building is empty, mainly because the needs of families has changed but also because there has been difficulty in finding suitable house-parents. Ann’s friend who worked with her in this has now returned to her native Australia due to ill health so Ann is waiting for God’s guidance to show the way forward for its use. It is a special place for God’s work, and she is waiting for new direction.

Our visit was a great privilege, and we felt humbled by what we saw and heard. Her courage, determination, love, and the fact that she is greatly respected is a tremendous witness of God’s love demonstrated by this ordinary but God led woman of faith.

Liz and Bob Allen

Day Five - Jailbreak in Chennai

2007-09-02T13:20:00.000-07:00

Below are some views of the orientation tour of Chennai on the Monday morning. Other members of the choir will have to add the narrative.

The statue of Gandhi.

We arrive at St Andrews Kirk for the Jailbreak rehearsal.

Mrs Pamela inspects the set.

The lighting towers were built from wooden poles.

The seating set out for the performance.

St Andrews Kirk in the background. They had decided it wasn't big enough to accomodate all who wanted to attend.

The choir in position for the evening performance.

Very dark, but this is the only photograph I could find of the performance.

It's midnight and Mrs Pamela supervises the loading of the luggage bound for Bangalore over night.

Goodbye to the luggage.

Audrey's Story

2007-09-01T04:37:00.000-07:00

Incredible India

One Monday evening, just after Easter, we heard that our choir, the Gloucester and District Christian Choir, had been invited to sing in India. Did we want to do it? Could we do it? The answer was a definite “yes”. After less than 4 months, busy practising, fundraising, singing and organising, the 2nd August arrived. The choir, including Peter (Staite), Michael (Gregory) and I left by coach from Christchurch Abbeydale at 5am en route for Heathrow, still with signs of the recent flooding around.

After a flight to Helsinki, we flew overnight to Mumbai (Bombay). We landed in pouring monsoon rain, and taxied past a vast array of shacks along the perimeter of the airport. On board our coaches we were handed bottles of water – home from home! Our internal flight took us to Chennai (Madras), where there was a welcoming party, and we were all given garlands. The 2 air-conditioned coaches then took us through Chennai south to Mamallapuram to stay at a Beach Resort Hotel. This was our first real sight of India – small “shops” – little more than shacks – selling anything including fruit and vegetables, motorcycle repair shops and everywhere dirty streets and thousands of people, motorized rickshaws and (we discovered) traffic with horns beeping late into the night.

At the Beach Resort Hotel we were again greeted with garlands, this time made of shells. It was a peaceful place, an oasis set in a poor landscape. We met some of the staff from the travel agency who had organised our trip, and were also involved in the mission at Chennai. The next day, after some sightseeing in Mamallapuram, which is a World Heritage site, we transferred to our hotel in Chennai, to be greeted with garlands of jasmine.

There began the real purpose of our visit – to spread the Christian message in song. Sunday morning saw us visiting the mission church. There are 70 pastors based there. Services start at 7.30am and continue until after lunch. 30,000 people attend every Sunday. We sang to 5,000 people in one area and the service was being relayed to other parts of the building. We then sang in another area and had communion with 700 people, in a congregation of 2000. Peter and I have a very special personal memory of this, as we were wished “Happy Anniversary” and prayed for.

Sunday evening we took part in the “Onre World, One Voice” concert in Chennai, organised by the Indian Missionary Society, in from of 7,000 people. The sound of the other choirs, the dancers, the children dressed in costumes from different countries dancing to Walt Disney’s “It’s a small world after all”, learning a new chorus and singing as a massed choir was truly amazing and very moving. Afterwards, all participants and the 7,000-strong audience were fed with curry, etc. The next evening we sang “Jailbreak” in the open air, with the sounds of the trains and the traffic in the background.

Tuesday morning we were up early to catch the 7.15am train to Bangalore, an experience in itself, which gave us the opportunity to see something of the countryside – very flat with rocky outcrops. At our hotel we were greeted with glasses of fruit punch.

Wednesday morning, we were able to have a communion service and prayer time, taken by one of our choir, Rev Graham Osborne (vicar of St Catharine’s church) in St Mark’s Cathedral, Bangalore, before we had a rehearsal for “Jailbreak” which we sang that evening to a packed cathedral.

The next morning we visited Bishop Cotton School for Girls (attached to the Cathedral), where their choirs sang to us and we sang to them. There are 3,000 girls at the school, with 60 to a class. After shopping time in one of Bangalore’s main shopping streets, we started the long journey home. We had been warmly welcomed wherever we went, and given hospitality after each performance. We found the Indian people warm and friendly.

Yes – we did suffer from stomach upsets, and we were tired from all the early mornings and travelling, but it was an incredible trip to an incredible place and a spiritually rewarding experience.

Audrey Staite

Mike's Story

2007-08-20T12:35:00.000-07:00

Make A Difference Tour of India
“One World One Voice”
Gloucester and District Christian Choir
3rd – 9th August

On 30th March this year Mr Clement Moses of the Indian Missionary Society (IMS) visited Gloucester and offered an opportunity for the G&DCC, to support the One World One Voice concert in Chennai on 5th August. It was my task to sell the tour to the choir, and the following Monday to Frank and my astonishment we stood in St Mary’s Congregational church with a choir hungry to do whatever it would take to raise the funds to get there. By August we had raised £37,000! And were off. Fifty people including (46 choristers, 1 cameraman, 1 sound technician and 4 family members) made up the group, our mission to “Make A Difference”.
We travelled via Finn Air from Heathrow to Helsinki then transferred to Mumbai where we were greeted by dignitaries from the IMS and presented with garlands. We were also greeted by torrential rain (albeit warm) as Mumbai was in the middle of the monsoon season. From Mumbai we transferred to Mumbai internal airport catching the Air India flight to Chennai. We were then transferred to our first destination Mahabalipuram.

After a relaxing evening we were treated to a tour of the ancient Hindu temples for which Mahabalipuram is famous. We were treated to a visit to a cultural centre before returning to Chennai where we went to a Silk Emporium and after many rupees had changed hands we left to book into our second hotel. In the afternoon we were taken to St Georges School for a concert rehearsal. The extraordinary efforts made to create the stage and backdrop left us amazed. We were greeted with warmth and affection wherever we went and nothing was too much trouble, in short we were treated like Kings. The rehearsal over, we retired to our hotel for a much needed rest.

Sunday morning saw us journey into the heart of Chennai. We saw hundreds and hundreds of immaculately turned out people, families walking from all directions streaming along the roads. Where are they going? TO CHURCH! Yes, JESUS IS ALIVE IN CHENNAI. At the New Life Congregational Church we were stunned when we sang to 5000 Christians. No mistake, 5000 in one Church. We were asked to sing at another service on the first floor, to another 1000 young people (I would say 18 plus in age). This service really rocked to songs like Majesty, This is a Church on fire, and it was! and Mat Redman songs, we couldn’t believe what we were hearing in India.

At 6.30pm The Chariots African Choir, The G&DCC, The Gloria Choir from Korea and the Augmented Emmanuel Methodist Choir from Chennai, joined forces for One World one Voice. Oh, I forgot to mention the 7000 people who came to hear the Gospel, and after an exhilarating concert the IMS fed all 7000 + the Choristers.

On Monday morning we were treated to a tour of Chennai and another visit to the silk emporium to pick up made to measure sari blouses and more merchandise before returning to the hotel for lunch. Frank, Eve and Sue, visited the Alpha Orphanage (Frank carried a 14kg paddling pool to India for the orphanage) and they were treated to chips, lucky people. Bob and Liz Allen from Matson Baptist Church visited a Christian mission hospital. On Monday afternoon we all met up to do a sound test at St Andrews Kirk in Chennai. More amazement when we turned up to find they had flattened a huge area for seating and car parking for their first ever Gospel Concert, our rendition of Jail Break. When we returned in the evening huge lighting stands had been constructed out of Cashew nut tree trucks and a huge Jail Break poster commissioned especially for us was hoisted as an amazing backdrop.
The Concert was not without technical problems but we persevered and everyone was blessed. Afterwards a beautiful young boy came up to Pam, Graham and myself and the joy in his eyes was overwhelming. He blessed us when he asked us to pray for him. This young man will do mighty things for his Lord in future. More food and refreshment followed before we departed (with the huge poster as a present).

On Tuesday morning 44 of us travelled by train (1st class air conditioned) to Bangalore on the Bandavian Express, all 29 carriages of it! Unfortunately Frank was not feeling very good, so slept most of the way, I on the other hand spent 5 hours sitting at the carriages open door with my legs dangling in the air FANTASTIC! The Indian people love their railways and were so polite and friendly. The other 6 people travelled to Bangalore by Jet Airways.

After booking into our last and lovely hotel, we were free to roam the busy streets of Bangalore by foot and auto rickshaw. They were much cleaner than Chennai.

Wednesday found us in St Marks Cathedral and a much-needed time of quite, prayer and the most memorable communion led by our wonderful Choir Chaplin Graeme Osborne. Another full house greeted us for our second Jail Break Concert; with yet again more sound problems. We had to stop the performance whilst the congregation prayed and Andy and Frank sorted the problem out. Again the hospitality and genuine warmth of hosts and the congregation was overwhelming.

On Thursday morning we were asked to sing at Bishops Cotton Girls School in Bangalore. This is a Christian school for which we have to say were the privileged girls of Bangalore. Before we sang, their choir entertained us. Remarkable politeness and genuine joy greeted us and was a blessing to send us on our way home.

Virtually everyone suffered from tummy upsets and sickness, some requiring medical/hospital treatment. The plight of the poor in India has to be seen to be believed. The lack of sanitation and the shear numbers of desperate people is heartbreaking. Every one of us are changed people, our lives can and will never be the same. We did “make a difference”. But the people we met, the way we were treated, and the memories we will always have out way the bad bits. India is incredible, the people are amazing and those like our host and now dearest friend Kumar and Mr Clement Moses who’s dream of One World One Voice has become reality deserve all praise for the way they serve their people and the choir in the name of Jesus.

God bless you and thank you India

From your humble and thankful friends

Mike, Glynis, Frank and Ruth.

PS. On Sunday 23rd August the Choir will hold a Thanksgiving Service at Christchurch from 3.00 to 5pm to give thanks to God for the blessings received and anyone who supported us in this venture or would like to join us in celebration. We will also hold another India Evening at Christchurch in October when Les our new minister is with us, this date is yet to be confirmed. This will be an opportunity to see the Video of the tour and listen to individuals stories.

Sunday 19th August

2007-08-18T23:40:00.000-07:00

Pamela, Musical Director, and Frank, Treasurer on Radio Gloucestershire talking about the Choir visit to India. John Hellings was concentrating on the money raised for the visit, £37,000, but this was only to get us there. The main purpose was to raise money for the India Missionary Society and in India they were always introducing us with the fact that we had sponsored ourselves to go there.

Pamela talked about the phone call from Danny Jesudason last April when we first heard about the invitation. It seems Danny and Rani come from Chennai and went to visit this time last year when there was another concert called India Sings and he made contact with the organisers. Subsequently they planned a concert called 'One World, One Voice' and they intended to be an international event inviting choirs from different continents. The IMS contacted Danny and asked if he knew of a Christian Choir. Living in Gloucester, I think we were the only one he knew about. One of the organisers of the concert, Mr Moses, came to visit us in Gloucester and we were invited to represent Europe no less.

The meeting was attended by Pamela, soon to be known as Mrs Pamela, Frank and Mike. Now Pamela lives on Cloud 9 so Mike and Frank were intended to bring us back to reality. Was it practical to take 50 people, several with disabilities and not able to afford fares, could we raise enough money? Mike embraced the idea with enthusiasm and it was left to Frank as Treasurer to be sceptical. We are all involved in many things and did this visit serve the purpose of God?

Well, the visit would encourage fellow believers in a far away land. It would raise money in a poor country to help others and to spread the gospel. We would be giving out the good news through our presentations of Jail Break. But was this to be a 'Jolly' or was it in the Lord's service?

It was time to put out a 'fleece' (Judges 6:36). Frank believed that if it was not of the Lord, there were so many obstacles it just wouldn't happen. But if God wanted us to go, he would overcome all the problems of finance and flights. Yes, we probably could raise the money, but could we raise it in time, deposits had to be paid almost immediately? Could we secure flights for 50 people at such short notice? Could we keep within a reasonable budget?

We first of all set a budget of £650 per person and we spent hours on the internet researching flights and it seemed impossible. This is when we formed a relationship with Albatross Travel based in Chennai and they pulled out all the stops to help us. Their Managing Director is Secretary of IMS and his staff, particularly Irene were determined to make it possible. They obtained flights within our budget, although it was on a roundabout route from Heathrow to Helsinki, on to Mumbai and from there to Chennai.

When we first announce the visit at a concert in Red Marley, Frank presented the bleak picture, we needed to raise £32,500 and we needed £7,625 immediately to pay deposits. After the concert, generous people offered the choir interest free loans, they had amazing faith to believe that it would be possible to repay it. Once the deposit was paid there was no turning back.

The Choir have been amazing in their efforts to raise the money, we have had an Indian Evening when Rani cooked up traditional Indian fare, we have held concerts and barn dances, we have had sponsored slims, swims, walks and cycle rides. We have had sponsorship from Books Plus, Staples, CCCF, local churches and bequests.

We raised the money and our visit to India is recorded on other pages of this blog.

Day Four - One World One Voice

2007-08-16T07:12:00.000-07:00

Sunday began as we went to sing at the 'New Life A G' Church. The streets were packed with Christians going to churches all over the City. We have no photographs of the church or the services. The church is an eight story building and the first service we sang at was a Tamil Service attended by 5,000 on three floors. We sang during Communion.
We were intended to sing at an English speaking service and we were invited to wait on the office floor at the top of the building.

The picture shows the offices used by 70 Pastors serving their membership of 30,000. There are also 30 Regional Pastors.
We had taken out to India a 20ft paddling pool to be delivered to an 'Alpha India' orphanage. Alpha India Foundation was founded in 1999. The aim of the charity is to help orphaned and destitute children in South India, and is presently working in the suburbs of Chennai.
In January 2003 a purpose built building, called Rainbow's end was opened to provide a home for the first family unit of thirteen children. The children were previously being cared for in an old farmhouse on the same land. The children are well loved and cared for by Christian 'house parents', Suresh and Nimi. There are currently 20 boys and girls aged between 2 and 13 years. They are taught English at Christian schools and are taken each week to a lively family orientated church. They came to visit us in our hotel after the service.

Every one fell in love with them.

We tried on our new choir waistcoats before we left for the 'One World, One Voice' concert.

On our way to the concert, we saw one of the huge posters advertising our performance of 'Jailbreak' the following day.

The Choir take their seats for the pre Concert rehearsal at 5 O'clock.

We were joined by an augmented Immanuel Methodist Church Choir.

A choir from Madras Korean Church. Their pastor Dev is a friend of the new Minister at Christchurch.

There was also an African Choir called the Chariots.

The 7,000 strong audience begin to arrive in an especially built hall as they thought it might rain.

Mrs Pamela conducts.

The choir respond.

Sally sings her unaccompanied solo, Amazing Grace, in front of more people than she has ever seen before.

We had traditional Indian dancing.

And the massed choirs.

Mrs Pamela conducts.

And encourages audience participation.

School Children gave a representation in dance of all the countries of the world.

Eve and Mike sing 'My heart will go on'.

The full choir including Mrs Pamela.

Indian hospitality and generosity dictates that they feed us after every performance.

Day Three Sightseeing and Rehearsal

2007-08-14T06:15:00.000-07:00

We leave the Chariot Beach Hotel.
The Tourist Trail

Our guides, Kala and Joy.

All about the Monolithic Temples.

We walk around the site.

Elephant carved out of Granite.

Another Granite Temple.

Our Musical Director all relaxed.

Mother and Daughter.

A helping hand.

Local Art in the Gift Shop.

More of those Temples.

Boats back on the beach where the Tsunami hit.

The Indian Version of Pool.

The local beach.

Carved Elephants

Arrival at the Indian village houses.

The Dancing Peacock.

Was this the restaurant?

Tour of the village.

Welcome to the Marina Towers Hotel, Chennai.

Waiting to mount the stage for rehearsal.

The stage is all ready for us.

The other choirs on stage.

Back to the Marina Towers Hotel.

Ready for Dinner and bed.

Day Two Arrive Mumbai

2007-08-14T05:01:00.000-07:00

Arrival at Mumbai Airport

Arrived Chennai and regaled with garlands and new hats.

The Chariot Beach Resort, Mahabalipuram.

Luxury Hotel or What!

So pleased to be here.

Exploring the facilities.

The biggest pool in India.

Our own private beach.

Or just a paddle.

The best food on the trip.

Poolside Bungalows.

Day One 2nd August 2007

2007-08-02T03:15:00.000-07:00

Todays the day, we leave Christchurch at 04-45 for Heathrow, feel the buzz of excitement.

The coach has arrived.

Pause for breath in Helsinki.

Can't stand the pace.

Flight to Mumbai.

Visit India - Make a Difference

2007-05-31T05:30:00.000-07:00

The Indian Missionary Society Chennai (India) is a missionary organisation working closely with the Anglican Church in India to raise funds to support missionary activities throughout India in preaching the Gospel and running projects involving schools, hospitals and social work.
We have been invited to take part in their Concert "The World Sings", for which they have invited a number of choirs from overseas, or their representatives in India. This event will take place in Chennai on August 5th 2007. The anticipated audience for this event is 7000!
The Gloucester and District Christian Choir have been invited to take part. We will take a party of 50, mostly singers, to Chennai on August 2nd, returning on August 9th. During this time, the choir will also take part in the Sunday morning service, as well as present the concert version of the Roger Jones musical, Jailbreak in Chennai and in Bangalore.
The Gloucester and District Christian Choir was formed in 2000 to back Roger Jones and Christian Music Ministries in their Gloucester Production of Snakes and Ladders, a touring musical. Pamela Dewick is the founder Director of the Choir. She is very popular musical director and an enthusiastic participant in the Gloucester music community. She is a member of a local amateur dramatic society, where she has conducted several shows, including small orchestras.
The 25 member Choir has grown in the last six years to 60 – half way to the original vision of a 100 strong choir. It is an ecumenical Christian choir with members drawn from about 20 different churches and denominations its members come from all parts of Gloucestershire. Their repertoire includes all kinds of modern songs and contemporary music, all with an underlying Christian message. They are a regular fixture in any Church concert in an around Gloucester. Apart from having performed at the Gloucester Cathedral they hold the honour of having performed twice in the massed choir concert at the Birmingham Symphony Hall.
The Gloucester and District Christian Choir being Church oriented, their focus is to communicate in music and song the message of Jesus Christ. Their purpose and objective is to work towards the Great Commission of Christ, to preach the Gospel in love and serve humanity with charity and fellowship.
"Make a difference" is the theme of the Choir's charity tour of India and it is noteworthy to mention that the members of the Choir have volunteered to self sponsor their trip. The Choir will be also be staging a charity performance of their musical, "Jail Break" at St. Andrew's Kirk on Monday, August 6, 2007 followed by another in Bangalore.
Our Itinerary.
Thursday 2nd August - Depart Heathrow for Helsinki (Ay0832FinAir) at 10-20am
Arrive Helsinki 3-20pm (flight time 3 hours)
Depart Helsinki (AY0029 FinAir) at 8pm
Arrive Mumbai at 6-10am (flight time 8 hours)
Friday 3rd August - Transfer to internal Airport by coach
Depart Mumbai (IC0671 Air India) internal at 9-40am
Arrive Chennai at 11-25am (flight time 1hr 45mins)
Coach from Airport to Mahabalipuram Chariot Beach Resort - Rest, Lunch and Dinner
CHARIOT BEACH RESORT
FIVE RATHAS ROAD
MAHABALIPURAM
KANCHIPURAM DISTRICT
TAMIL NADU
TEL : : 91 - 44 - 27443005
FAX : 91 - 44 - 24988282

Saturday 4th August - After breakfast, sightseeing around Mahabalipuram
Lunch at Hotel Benz in T.Nagar for rehearsal
Evening - 5pm Rehearsal at the venue, St Georges School, with massed Choirs
COMFORT INN MARINA TOWER
2A PONNIAMMAN KOIL STREET
EGMORE
CHENNAI - 600 008.
TEL : 91 - 44 - 28585454
FAX : 91 - 44 - 28529998

Sunday 5th August - Breakfast 7am - 8-30am at New Life AG's, Little Mount, Saidapet
11am Rehearsal at Emanuel Methodist Church, Vepery
Lunch at Hotel and leave at 4-45pm
5-30pm Assemble at the Venue - 'One World One Voice' Programme starts at 6pm (6,000 audience expected)
Dinner at 8-30pm for all, including audience.
Monday 6th August - After breakfast, free for shopping, Lunch at Hotel
6pm - perform 'Jailbreak' at St Andrew’s Kirk.
Tuesday 7th August - Leave for Bangalore by train at 7-15am
HOTEL HARI INTERNATIONAL
# 68, 68/1, SUBHEDAR CHATRAM ROAD
BANGALORE 560 009.
TEL : 91 - 80 - 40214021
FAX : 91 - 80 - 40214200

Wednesday 8th August - Free day, Evening sing 'Jailbreak' in St Marks Cathedral, Bangalore
Thursday 9th August - Check out and depart Bangalore (IC0108 Air India) at 8pm
Arrive Mumbai 9-30pm
Friday 10th August - Depart Mumbai (AY0030 FinAir) at 8-15am
Arrive Helsinki at 1-45pm (flight time 8 hours)
Depart Helsinki (AY0833 FinAir) at 4pm
Arrive London 5-10pm (flight time 3 hours)