Linking to Learn - Indian Cluster
Written by Nathan Grills Tuesday, 26 May 2009 10:18
From March 15-18 representatives from 24 Christian community health programs meet together for a time of fellowship, training, and to launch an antismoking DVD: the result of their first collaborative activity. 24 Christian community programmes working together? Now that is almost an oxymoron!Report on the cluster Workshop (March 15-18 2009)
Spread over 4 days it was at times depressing and challenging, but on the whole inspiring and very exciting. The whole event has been thoroughly bathed in prayer from faithful people from Australia, India, UK and beyond. This prayer was needed too!
The exciting: Above all there was an ongoing sense of unity and sharing: "I wasn't going to come, but I am so glad I did. I have swapped ideas with my Christian brothers and they are going to teach me about improving our slum work...I can't believe we didn't do this years ago".
The depressing: There was a sheet of paper asking for future workshop ideas ....and there were only 4 responses: 1) "don't have dinner before 7pm" and 2) "next time get a different venue". The other two ideas were excellent, but they were both mine!
The challenging: Over the three days we had a cluster of sickness...which could have easily been a spiritual attack: an outbreak of food poisoning occurred (thank God I was fasting that day!), some had the flu, my grandfather was diagnosed with Cancer, and one of the programs had a close relative die.
The inspiring: The DVD Launch!
We launched the Anti-smoking DVD with much fanfare. After our October meeting the cluster had commissioned and produced this as their first project: the media came, the Health Department head and various other dignitaries. All of a sudden these small and vulnerable FBOs were very visible and credible....and the head of the health department has invited them to come and see him. Now that's the value of the cluster!
A taste of heaven: The best part of the DVD launch was the team building activity it turned out to be. On the morning of the ,launch I had planned a devotion and prayer time... but instead we decided to take everyone to the Aketa Hotel to help prepare for the launch.
It turned out to be an excellent team building exercise as everyone pitched in to make this complex schedule run very smoothly. There were people on registration, DVD sales, the garland girls, the banner and poster putter-up'erers, the schedule planners, the presenters, cluster photographer, cluster video person, cluster minute taker, a gofor, the worship team.....and the result was a seamless program. The media and chief guests (the Director of National programs and director of the NRHM) were very impressed. The Health department offered to help the cluster programs in the future: "The door is open" they said "and please continue this good work and we are always here to help you".
The anti tobacco DVD was a hit! Our chief song writer is a very talented person and the DVD would be fit for Bollywood complete with dancing, singing and unrealistic dramatisations! The launch event and the DVD itself were mixed with Christian principles and practises. We opened in prayer, sang a Christian song, and the DVD mentioned principles like "our bodies being a temple of the Holy Spirit".
The cluster launch
We then formally launched the cluster itself. The cluster was launched with each cluster consultant swearing an oath which was lead by the chief guest MP MAnil Sharma, Director of National Programs.
"We, the CHGN Uttarakhand Cluster of Community Health Programs, commit to serving together to bring holistic health to the people of Uttarakhand"
Using the Anti Tobacco DVD
Arul Paul chaired a session where we explored different ways to make use of this excellent resource. The following opportunities were put forward as possible ways to get the antismoking message out:
Screening in Schools
Cable operators
Village clinics
BDC meeting
Through Nukkad Nataka
Panchayats
Church fellowships
Hospitals/ Out patients
National TV channels Melas, Rallies
Awareness programs in villages with other NGOs
Angawadi workers
ASHA/VHW
A number of the community health programs, (eg Sampan and Bhawan) have made plans to use this DVD to help launch an anti tobacco campaign in their program areas.
A Christ focused cluster:
Networking is at the heart of authentic Christianity....the body of Christ has many parts that is most effective when all parts are working together.
Making a taste of heaven a full meal!
We are unique in our desire to serve each other in love, giving of our gifts for others. It will be a feast if there is a focus on giving. Can we as individual programs focus on giving before getting instead of getting before giving? Promoting this attitude of giving is the greatest challenge. If each cluster member focuses on giving then will cluster members will be blessed.... 10x fold. However, if we come with a attitude of "what can I get" then the cluster is lost! Unfortunately the missionary history of many of these programs has promoted a history of "receiving".
Promoting openness and sharing: many programs come from a history where secrecy has been a survival technique. This is a zero sum gain attitude: "If we share information they will take our support and work". This is compounded by secrecy that surrounds support for mission activities. We don't want people to expose our supporters.
Prayer coordinator appointed: Raju Lingual
A focus on prayer is a spiritual tool that must employed as glue in this network . We are not just another network coming together for self advancement. A prayer coordinator, Raju Lingual, was appointed to bath the cluster in prayer. Raju Lingual will contact each program by PHONE (as per address list) and ask for at least one prayer point. This is to be done every 6 months- in between cluster meetings (Ie the first will be in July 09). Then he will compile this into an email and send to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Also email these prayer points to the Newsletter editor: Mr Pradeep Singh ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) (Pradeep has agreed to be newsletter editor instead of the prayer coordinator). The prayer coordinator will also receive email prayer points and distribute these to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it as appropriate. Finally the prayer coordinator will receive prayer requests via the website and decide whether to forwards them or pray for them yourself.
SALT Training:
This, it seems, will be a central tool for the cluster training. We developed a practical framework of how we could do this. We finished the training by two things:
1) An area where we have expertise where we would be able to accommodate and host people from other programs.
2) Identifying one need in our program and planning a SALT visit to another program with expertise in that area to: Sensitise Ask and Analyse that writing anidentifying one area where we are happy to host other programs to oursthis might look.
"We came to know each other and from each other's experiences that we could learn from each other. We can use each other's resources" D Shalendra
"It was so good. We can get involved with others to learn more. In areas like disability...we can get help from other organisations. I met AP Mumgain and he was very encouraging to us." : Minima Dayal
Disability was seen as a key area for the cluster. This may be the first SALT visit but it will require a program to write an objective and contact Anugrah.
SALT METHOD:
S is for Support, Stimulate, Share
A is for Appreciate, Analyse
L is for Listen, Learn, and Link
T is for Transfer
All the delegates developed a Program-to-Program Knowledge Transfer systems, which they will pilot amongst themselves, and use during visits to other project sites.
The Cluster Newsletter was launched:
Feedback included:
"This is a very useful document"
"It looks really good...very professional"
Pradeep Singh has agreed to be the Cluster newsletter editor.