A two-day workshop for Care Givers of People with Disability was held at the Elwin Centre, CSI Deaf School Campus, Sachiyapuram, Sivakasi District in Tamilnadu on 16th and 17th April 2016.
World Vision India, Indian Disability Ecumenical Accompaniment (IDEA), standing forum of National Council of Churches in India, Engage Disability, Tamilnadu Christian Council and CSI Diocese of Madurai and Ramnad, jointly organised this workshop. This workshop module was designed to help the Caregivers and Church Leaders not only to cope with the challenges posed while handling a PWD but also to bring awareness about the modern approaches to disability care.
There were 50 participants representing over 20 care giving organizations from 5 districts, including caregivers from 18 Care-Giving Institutions, Parents and Relatives of PWD accompanied by church leaders.
Inauguration:
The Rev. Jeyasing, Director, Dalit and Social Concerns of the DMR inaugurated this workshop. Rev. M Dayalan Barnabas, Director, ELWYN Centre introduced the workshop, Prof. C Jebasinthai, Correspondent of CSI School for the Mentally Retarded, Satchiyapuram welcomed and Dr. Esther Kathiroli, Secretary of TNCC, greeted and Mr. Allan Benjamin, World Vision, Chennai and Mrs. Avitha Daniel, Jesus Enables Ministries, Chennai, served as the resource persons. Mr. Augustine Ponraj, Co-ordinator Dalit and Social Concerns, CSI DMR proposed the vote of thanks.
Aims & Objectives:
• To build the capacity of Caregivers in therapeutic techniques while addressing the different issues encountered by them and enabling PWD’s personality resiliency by different techniques
• To share and develop disabled-friendly infrastructural settings in institutions and to campaign for and facilitate their implementation.
• To empower, facilitate and share the use of already existing resources, services and good practices within the networking Care giver Institutions
Session on Mapping the Minds:
The workshop started with a mapping session, where the expectations of the participants were recorded along with identifying and listing the challenges in care-giving.
Mr. Alan (World Vision India) facilitated this session. The participants were made to work in for identifying their purpose and setting their activities. The groups highlighted the purpose aims and objectives of their respective care-giving Institutions. In another activity, Mr. Alan asked each participant to look at some given pictures (like the candle, tree, ship etc.) and then to write down the seen and unseen character of the picture. This activity not only gave a clear picture of recognizing the hidden talent of person with disability but also the keen observation of the care-giver.
The session was helpful as it enabled the concerned Caregivers to understand themselves and their care-receivers leading to a better proactive mode for understanding modern Approaches to Disability Care.
Session on Qualities of Care-givers:
Mrs. Avitha Daniel (Jesus Enables Ministries) facilitated a discussion on Different Types of Disabilities, how to approach them, and what should be the qualities of the care-givers. She also initiated a group activity emphasizing on the support through accompaniment needed for the development of the Person/Child with disability. During this activity four persons were chosen to represent each disability where each of them had to take a step forward for every positive thought shared and a step back for every negative thought thus reaching the target finish line. It was amazing to see the positive energy flowing through this activity where each care-giver demonstrated his committed skill in caring for their care-receivers. She went on to highlight the essential qualities required of the care-giver in facilitating the development of children with special needs and also the importance of educating the parents and their relatives about the various existing govt. schemes for the PWDs.
Morning Devotion
The second day (17th April 2016) started with morning devotion. Mr.Paulraj, Headmaster, CSI High School for the hearing impaired, Schiyapuram led the worship and Mr. Allen Shared the word of God.
Session on Modern Approaches to Disability Ministry:
Mrs. Avitha Daniel facilitated this session. She introduced the present and modern approaches to disability work both at technical and at ministerial levels. In this session she also highlighted the unintentional attitudes towards PWDs.
She invited the caregivers to come forward and share their best practices as individuals and as Institutions. This session also included a space for analyzing the traditional institutional attitudes toward PWD. The participants also were inspired to adopt alternate approaches both at administrative and ministerial levels.
Session on Accompanying PWDS:
It Mr. Allen facilitated this session with group activities. Participants were blindfolded and asked to draw a tail for an elephant. Through this activity he shared the importance of accompanying and guiding the PWD to give their best potentials. This activity was found useful and the participants were inspired to decide to become the best possible accompaniers.
The Concluding Session:
Mrs. Avitha Daniel facilitated the concluding session of the workshop. This was an eye opening activity for the participants to understand the challenges faced by a PWD in this inaccessible society because in this scenario the PWDs completely trust their Care-giver/accompanier’s guidelines in accomplishing their goals or to perform their daily routines and if they do not hear their care-givers voice they become more disabled in this fast moving world. Thus she emphasized the importance of the care-givers role who will not only accompany them but also builds a platform for PWDs to express and share their experiences. Hence the care giver should have genuine concern for their care-receiver. She concluded the session showing a Special Olympics video on a Mentally Challenged Athletic.
The two-day workshop ended with the closing act by, the Rt. Rev. Dr. M. Joseph Bishop, CSI Madurai-Ramnad Diocese and President of TNCC. Bishop invited all the organizations to work towards the inclusive society where every PWD and their families would be accompanied by societies and communities around them. The Office Bearers of the Diocese, Correspondents of the Care-giving institutions and clergies from different ecclesial confessions were part of the inauguration. Mrs. Leela Manohari(Bishop Amma) Rev. I Stanley Jeyaraj, Council Chairman and Rev. Jeyasing were also present. Bishop called the participating PWD members and were given an opportunity to share their learning from this workshop. The workshop ended with prayer and benediction by the Bishop. Mr. Augustin Ponraj and Rev. M. Dayalan Barnabas coordinated this entire workshop.
Outcome of the Workshop:-
Ø Stakeholders/Care-givers understood the impediments faced by a person or child with disability and the use of different techniques that would help the child perform better.
Ø It helped the stakeholders/Caregivers to assess their own capabilities and enhance them through accompaniment
Ø The participants were empowered to address complex issues when handling or interacting with a PWD
Ø They were able to identify the resources and talents of the PWDs’ by helping them to articulate the same.
Ø They learnt the importance of accompanying the PWDs’ and educating their families about the benefits available for PWDs
Ø The workshop brought about intentional attitudinal changes of Care-givers
Ecumenical news
Statement condemning atrocities against Dalits by cow vigilante groups in Una, Gujarat
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have attempted to end their lives since July 11, 2016. Violent protests by Dalits have been taking place in Gujarat demanding stern action against the cow vigilante group members who publicly flogged a Dalit family and brutally beaten up seven Dalit men for allegedly skinning a dead cow in Una in Gir Somnath district of Saurashtra region on July 11, 2016. The victims’ contention was that they were just skinning a dead cow and had not killed it, whereas the accused alleged these dalits were involved in cow slaughter.
As many as 200 cow vigilante groups have sprung up Gujarat. They have become a law and order problem in Gujarat because of their aggression and the way they take law into their hands. With names such as Gau Raksha Samiti, Gau Raksha Ekta Samiti, they have percolated from taluka to even village level and the groups take law into their hands to deal with minorities and Dalits who run meat businesses.
Asia Bibi’s death sentence suspended by Pakistan Supreme Court
/26 Comments/in Other concerns /by CommunicationsGreetings from NCC- Pakistan!
The good news that Asia Bibi who is in jail from the last 6/7 years and was charged under Blasphemy law. Her case was heard by the Supreme Court of Pakistan to-day, 22nd July, 2015.
The Supreme Court in its preliminary orders suspended the death penalty which was awarded by the session Court and subsequently upheld by the High Court, under Blasphemy Law.
This order of the Supreme Court paved the way for her complete acquittal from the Blasphemy charge.
Now she could be released on bail but due to sensitivity of the issue it was advised that she should remain in jail for security reasons and wait for the final judgment of the Supreme Court.
(Source: Email received from Mr. Victor Azariah, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches in Pakistan
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/26 Comments/in News from NCCI /by CommunicationsEcumenism of the 21st Century: Insights from Samuel Kobia’s Thoughts.
/24 Comments/in Articles /by Caesar DavidThe term ecumenism, common though it is in Christian theological vocabularies and in high level conferences and consultations, is still not so well known at the grassroots level. To put it very simply, ecumenism is concerned with relationships which encourage and facilitate listening, learning, mature criticism, mutual edification and change, commitment and solidarity, thereby continuously moving people on to increasingly loving, responsible, just and peaceful integration with God and all creation. Ideally speaking, ecumenism should be a movement. However, most movements usually tend to set up their own structures and institutions. It is best that these structures and institutions are flexible, and keep on changing in line with the spirit and emphases of the movements in the light of the changing contexts. Over the decades, there is a danger for any movement to be reduced to its structures and institutions. The movement of ecclesial ecumenism, which came to prominence during the twentieth century, is now faced with the question: How will this ecumenism find expression in the twenty-first century? While one look at this question from a global perspective, one has to keep in mind its importance from the grassroots perspective.
I
One might immediately recall the well-articulated presentation of Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, former General Secretary of the World Council of Churches on “New Visions and Challenges to Ecumenism in the 21st Century” made on 18th November 2006 in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China. (http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/general-secretary/speeches/new-visions-and-challenges-to-ecumenism-in-the-21st-century).
In that address, he first highlights the changing ecclesial scenario:
The decline of Protestant churches and of ecumenism in Europe and North America
Kobia observes:
Protestantism in Europe is changing: the number of church members is declining, their influence vis-à-vis the state seems to be decreasing, and financial arrangements are changing. At the same time, the agencies or specialized ministries associated with these churches have become important – and increasingly independent – actors in their own right. The situation in North America – another pillar of the ecumenical movement – is quite different in many respects, but in other ways is quite similar. The mainline churches are experiencing decreases in membership, funding for the national church is becoming more difficult, and access to those in power seems to have shifted to a different set of churches. The growth of non-denominational mega-churches is more a US (NA) phenomenon than a European one.
Consequently,
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Dr. Hunter P. Mabry passes away
/25 Comments/in General news /by Caesar DavidReport on Two Days Workshop for Caregivers on ‘Modern Approaches to Disability Care’
/25 Comments/in News from NCCI /by Caesar DavidNational Council of Churches in India
Commission on Justice, Peace and Creation
World Vision – India
Engage Disability
Tamilnadu Christian Council &
CSI Diocese of Madurai-Ramnad
Pre-assembly statements (for NCCI XXVIII Quadrennial Assembly)
/24 Comments/in News from NCCI /by Caesar DavidPre-assembly Statements:
Download here: Pre-assembly statements all
NCCI XXVIII Quadrennial Assembly: Resolution on Public Issues
/25 Comments/in News from NCCI, Statements /by Caesar DavidWe, the delegates of the 28th Quadrennial Assembly of the National Council of Churches in India held at Christ Church Girls’ Senior Secondary School, Jabalpur from April 27 to April 30, 2016, having solemnly reflected upon issues affecting India in particular and the world at large, hereby pass resolutions on the same.
1. Affirming Secularism in Pluralistic Society:
The present Indian society is seriously affected by the phenomena of fundamentalism, communalism, saffronisation of education and cultures, restrictions on churches, christian institutions and their services, intolerance, shrinking space for freedom of speech and expression, attacks on religious minorities, criminalization in the name of God, Faith, Ideologies and Confessions.
We therefore resolve:
2. Affirming Human Rights in Indian Society:
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Rev. Dr. K. C. Abraham passes away
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