Thirtieth year of ASHIRVAD

This is the team at the Developmental Paediatrics and Child Neurology department at the MOSC Medical College, Kolenchery, which began its services on 14th of September, 2012 on the 42nd anniversary of the founding day of this mission hospital. 

This is the sixth partnership initiative of ASHIRVAD, Christian Concern for Child Care, since this charity was established on 14th November, 1983.

The establishment of a Child Development and Research Centre at Chennai in 1983 was its first activity which was the first stand alone facility for promoting neuro-development in children in India. The second initiative in 1987 was a partnership with St. Andrews Church, Chennai to establish ASHA school for children with special needs. The third was beginning of the ASHIRVAD Early Learning Centre at Nagpur in 1991. The fourth partnership was to begin the Developmental Paediatrics unit at the Christian Medical College Vellore, in 1997, which was the first of its type in any Medical College in India, then. In 2010, ASHIRVAD partnered with Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, to attempt starting a Developmental Paediatrics and Child Neurology department at Pondicherry. 

All the above activities except one, continue offering most meaningful services for children with neuro-developmental needs and are fully taken care by  local teams, with whom we continue to have  fraternal relationships. The department of Developmental Pediatrics and Child Neurology at Pondicherry ceased to exist in July 2012, which was unfortunate and disturbing.     

This sixth initiative at MOSC Medical college at Kolenchery is an activity in the thirtieth year of ASHIRVAD, which is rather significant historically. This hospital was started by a team of doctors from Chrisitian Medical College, Vellore in 1970, to meet the health needs of this region at a time when a secondary care general hospital was needed. Dr. K.C. Mammen, who was the founder director of this hospital, established good practices to make it a mission hospital. The Medical College is in its tenth year.

We feel touched as we realise that a small dream and effort  brought so much into being during the last thirty years. This tell us of God's mysterious ways in human lives.

Anna and I recollect gratefully the arrival of Anita, our daughter, in 1980, who awakened in us a message of the needs of children who are developmentally disadvantaged. She left us at three months of age for her heavenly home. Anna and I were overcome with grief and loss that we left the Chrisitan Medical College, Vellore in 1981 to spend a year at the Christian Fellowship Hospital at Oddanchatram on the invitation of late Dr. A.K.Tharien, for discernment and preparation to begin, ASHIRVAD Christian Concern for Child care, as a memorial for our daughter, Anita.We moved to Chennai in 1983 to explore the prospects of starting a Child Development and Research Centre.

We look back over these thirty years with much gratitude for the liberal and loving support we received from Friends of ASHIRVAD in India, Germany, England, Australia, switzerland,etc. We have been accompanied by many in our journey of learning and growing. Now that Anna and I are in our early sixties, we realise that the remaining years of active life are even more precious. 

We stay open to discern the open doors of opportunity that God has set before us now. We believe that the latter years will be more blessed than the former years. 

Join with us in celebrating God's goodness and faithfulness in our lives and His doings during the last thirty years. Our greatest fulfilment comes from seeing our children, Amy and Arpit,  Aswathy and Anandit, seek after God and choose godly ways in their lives. 

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)