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
Monday, 3 September 2007
Sunday, 2 September 2007
Day Five - Jailbreak in Chennai
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. 
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.
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.Saturday, 1 September 2007
Audrey's Story
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
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
Monday, 20 August 2007
Mike's Story
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.
“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.
Saturday, 18 August 2007
Sunday 19th August
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.
Thursday, 16 August 2007
Day Four - One World One Voice
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 had traditional Indian dancing.
And the massed choirs.
Mrs Pamela conducts.
And encourages audience participation.
The full choir including Mrs Pamela.
Indian hospitality and generosity dictates that they feed us after every performance.
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.
Tuesday, 14 August 2007
Day Three Sightseeing and Rehearsal
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.
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