Partner Church News Summer 2010

In August, the Partner Church Committee will sponsor an Indian dinner at the Meeting House. After tasty Indian food, we will view a very short DVD on the Unitarian Universalist Holdeen India Program, an innovative foundation that strengthens the efforts of the most marginalized groups in India: women, dalits (untouchables), tribals, and other minorities. A discussion will follow.

To this event, bring questions you want to ask the people of our Partner Church in Mukhap about their way of life, family histories, schools and children, cultural heritage, work, Unitarian practices. Phil and Claudia Kern will take these questions to Mukhap this fall. All are invited to the event, including families with children. Exact date to be announced.

From our Partner Church in Mukhap:

Dear Bruce, Claudia, Polly and all our friends of Vermont Church,

We the members of the Unitarian Church Mukhap would like to thank each one of you there. We really appreciate you for your inspiration and knowledge that you shared with us to enhance our relationship in the days to come and make our partnership an evergreen one.

It is quite interesting that you want to learn about our life here in Mukhap. A bulk of villagers and neighbourhoods depend on agriculture as a source of their livelihood. The main crops that they grow are rice, maize, beans, pumpkins, tomato, mustards etc. Majority of our people earns hands to mouth. Quite few of our people are working in different Government departments. Some of them are serving in education departments, offices and some of them are doing business. Some of the people do have to travel to some other towns depending the type of job they are doing. As I had mentioned early in one of my email that in Mukhap there is a School which named after our founder David Edwards. Different subjects have been taught to children like Science and Technology, Mathematics, History, Geography, Health Education, Khasi (our own language), English and others etc curriculum activities. 18th September every year is one of the main holidays in our Church, Death Anniversary of Hajom Kissor Singh (Founder of Unitarian Church in North East India). Social service day, youth day are some of the Holidays that we are celebrate in our Church. In Mukhap Church there is one group of women which is called Unity Self Help Group. These women do weaving mainly baby suits and sell them in the market. This Self Help Group aims to raise the living standard of the people.

Regarding our Church building, I’m really sorry to inform you that the work has been stop for the last few years due to shortage of funds. The members make their best effort in contribute what they can but that is not enough. I hope God will guide us, so that the work will continue and finish it in time. I do hope that sharing all this knowledge will help you to know about the living condition of your friends.

We are ready to welcome you for your visiting to our church at any time.

With best wishes to you all,

Hehbok Sonroy Shadap,

Mukhap