Partnering the Palani Mission in Tamil Nadu, India
The Palani Mission is in a remote part of the southern province of India called Tamil Nadu and belongs to the St Thomas Evangelical Churches of India. The Palani Mission has two objectives: firstly, to provide religious teaching based upon the life and work of Jesus and, 
secondly, to relieve the poverty and suffering of the poor. In the case of the latter it is very much a charity, providing shelter, food and clothing, the very basics of life.
Revd John Abraham, now retired, was the full-time pharmacist at the Palani Mission Hospital, and is the leader of the local Christian church at Palani. He and his wife Sheeba John, who coordinates the nursing support at the Hospital, have devoted their lives to tending the needs of the congregation. To many the Mission represents hope, and with its open generosity it provides a welcoming place to shelter.
In 2016 Fleet URC forged a partnership with the Palani Mission Church. Our then Minister, Ruth Dillon, along with Bee and Gordon Griffiths, visited the location and helped set up several initiatives, most of which are still running today. The mainstay activities were the training and employment of midwives, goat husbandry and medical care. The goat husbandry has been so successful that the community no longer needs to buy goats as the herd is now self-sustaining and provides adequate meat and milk.
The initial work evolved in many directions: a supply of fresh, clean drinking water from a deep well sited at the church in the centre of the village, medical camps utilising out of date but still effective and safe medicines, and the construction of basic housing from stronger metal frames and corrugated steel roofing to survive the monsoon weather. The beneficiaries of these houses now offer them as cottage churches, where small groups led by a Christian evangelist meet every Sunday.
A second visit, by Ruth Dillon, Bee Griffiths and Val Cox, reviewed the work and reported back on the progress made.
We receive regular updates from Revd John on the progress of our work and new requests for financial support to transform young people’s lives, giving them hope where very little exists and the ability to work as professionals within the caste system. Fulltime employment means that they can support their immediate and extended family members. We have to date trained – and the hospital employed – some nine young people, and raised over £30,000. All the money sent to Palani is a direct result of fundraising events and donations.
This is a long term partnership, enabling the churches in Fleet and Palani to develop a closer relationship, whilst improving significantly the quality of life, spreading the Good News of Jesus, and helping alleviate poverty within the local community of Palani.