The Derbyshire Churches in Partnership with The Church of North
India
The Allestree - Nagpur Link
Chris & Trisha visit CNI-SSI
The partnership between the group of Churches in Derby and Church of North India – Social Service Institute is of 25 years
old. The partnership for mission is rooted over the years through visits, prayers, and resource sharing.
The visit of Mrs.Chris Burns, the Chair person, Nagpur Link Committee and Mrs.Trisha Thomas, a member of Broadway Baptist
Church, between 22nd October and 3rd November to CNI-SSI was an excellent time of fellowship, learning and celebration.
Mrs.Chris Burns is one of the old members of the Nagpur Link Committee. Her contribution as an active member of the Link
for a long time brought her to Nagpur in 1999 alongwith a group of friends from U.K. The recent visit from 22nd to 3rd
November 2006 to CNI-SSI was her second visit to India as the Chairperson of Nagpur Link Committee.
Mrs.Trisha Thomas, who works with the Derby Council, is an active member of the Broadway Baptist Church, Derby.
Incidentally the Minister of the Broadway Baptist Church, Dr.Peter Shepherd was the previous Chairperson for the Nagpur
Link Committee. Mrs.Trisha, has visited India and the CNI-SSI, Nagpur for the first time.
They arrived in Mumbai, on 21st night and 22nd morning to Nagpur. The first thing that they witnessed in Mumbai on the
midnight of 21st was, thousands of pavement dwellers who were in deep sleep on the roadside, on the footpath. Trisha asked a
question quietly “Do you have many who sleep on the pavements like this?”
On 22nd evening Trisha and Chris took part in a Diwali celebration organized in a local street called Tukaram chawl and had
dinner with Mrs.Mukta Ghodmare’s family. Mrs.Ghodmare was happy to mention that for the first time ever two foreigners
visited their family on Diwali. Trisha and Chris were happy to interact with Mr.& Mrs.Mukta on various points related to
Diwali.
On 23rd morning they met the staff of CNI-SSI and were welcomed by the staff. One of the questions that staff asked was
“How is the unemployment there in UK? How does the government solve this problem?” There was a good interaction with the
staff. Chris, briefed to the staff members about the Link and its history. She also mentioned Revd. Arthur Henry Bonser who
started this idea of starting a link, has passed away recently.
The visit to ERADC (Ecumenical Rural Agriculture Development Center) at Khandala on 23rd evening was good. This center was
built on the piece of land, which was bought with the donation from Nagpur Link, Derby few years ago and was inaugurated by
the then Chairperson of Nagpur Link Committee, Rev.John Warman. Presently it’s a well-known training center on appropriate
indigenous technologies for farmers and also a production center. Chris and Trisha got quite interested about the medicinal
plants in the farm and they interacted with Dr.S.Bhange who is Incharge for ERADC and Community health. Mr.Pusaram, the
agriculturist at the Center was very excited to talk to the guests and explain them about the process for cotton and
soybean crops.
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Contact Chris Burns 01332 551508 or email cchrisandrich@AOL.com