New leadership at BBH

I am back in the Bangalore Baptist Hospital guest house  after attending the handing over ceremony of the leadership of the hospital. Dr. Alex after eight years of most effective leadership, during which time the hospital received many national awards for its excellence in clinical service, quality control, education, etc. passed on the mantle of leadership to Dr. Naveen at the hospital chapel. It was a worshipful and solemn service. There was a prayerful and grateful ambience in the chapel.

Naveen and Asha later were greeted by the staff and visitors in the office, which would be his place of activity for the next five years. 

Anna and I have known Naveen as one who takes his calling soberly and responsibly. Asha inherited leadership qualities from her parents, Drs. Kuruvella and Susan Varkey of the Christian Fellowship Hospital Oddanchatram. It was refreshing to see them conduct themselves gracefully and cheerfully conveying confidence and humility during and after the investiture ceremony.

Every time I come to the Baptist hospital, I continue to be amazed at the way the hospital has moved on from the brink of closure in the early eighties. It is a story of God's enabling for its leaders.

I remember Dr. Rebecca Naylor the founder director, telling me  a few times in the mid eighties the challenge of keeping the hospital going after her expatriate colleagues returned to the United States of America and the Baptist Mission having a second thoughts about continuing its association with the hospital. I was associated with the Emmanuel Hospital Association then and explored if the EHA would take over the governance of the hospital for which Dr. Naylor showed a keen interest. When that did not happen, the Christian Medical College, Vellore responded positively after some persuasion to take over its governance. This was the first time CMC did anything like that to support a mission hospital for its continuance. That is now seen as the seminal event, which made the Baptist Hospital what it is today as a Christian Hospital, showing the way for all the mission hospitals to reinvent its role, governance and direction.

The BBH adapted, changed, and now is at the threshold of another leap forward. This is the Lord's doing. Well done, Dr. Alex for you have been faithful. Welcome, Naveen, to serve with a calling!

M.C.Mathew(Text and poto)