BALANILAYAM a gift for children

The above facility started in the nineteen eighties near to the Bagayam campus of the Christian Medical College,Vellore (CMCV) by two nursing professionals, Ms Marlene Thomson and Ms Ann Bothamley, working at CMCV. This was to offer a residential facility for school going children, whose parents were working cross culturally in mission hospitals in different parts in India, where adequate schooling opportunity did not exist. 

Marlene and Ann were colleagues at CMCV and felt for professionals working in mission hospitals, who needed affordable education for their children, where they can receive help to be educated and formed to move on to their college education. Many parents thought of  the Ida Scudder School at Vellore as a suitable place to send their children to, for schooling, but did not have a suitable accommodation for them to live and attend school. 

Marlene and Ann who shared an accommodation at the CMCV campus initially offered their home to welcome girls, while they went to study at Ida Scudder School. Dr P Zachariah, working at CMCV supported this good will gesture. Following the formation of a trust, BALANILAYAM, a suitable place was found at Bagayam to build the facility to have a custom made home for children to stay with house parents. Marlene and Ann received support from their friends, well wishers and their supporting organisations in Australia and Britain to build and furnish the home for children.  The facility was dedicated on 1.1.1990.

When we relocated at Vellore in 1997, Anna was invited to be associated with the trust, which gave us opportunities to have more regular contacts with Marlene and Ann. By then the home for children had developed into a second home away from their biological home, for children who came from different parts of India. 

There were two separate residential places, one each for boys and girls with dormitories, study rooms, dining hall, book room, recreation room, outdoor play area, garden, and plenty of space for quiet walk. The routine of the day corresponded to what would happen, in a regular home with considerable attention to upbuild children in their formative process. Marlene and Ann took turns to be with children in the evenings and week ends, while the house parents took the lead in being the foster parents and  primary care providers during the rest of the week. I recall how parents who came to meet the children periodically felt comforted by the efforts at BALANILAYAM to make children feel loved, cared and provided for, which brought the needed comfort for parents, who missed being away from children. 

The photos below taken in July 2007, during a get-together of children and parents bring back many memories of gladness, for what was offered to children by the thoughtful response of Marlene and Ann to attend to the felt needs of parents.

By this time Marlene had left for Australia after her retirement from CMCV. 

During a visit to Australia, in 2004 I remember meeting her, who lived well with happy memories of her time in India at CMCV and initiating the BALNILAYAM service along with Ann. Drs Val and Frank Garlick who used to visit India regularly, often brought to her news about friends and about CMCV. 

Ann continued her active involvement in BALANILAYAM with more of her time being with children after Marlene retired and returned to Australia. 

The BALANILAYAM services gradually ceased to be needed, and the premises are currently used by CMCV to locate its Distance Education Department. 

Yesterday, CMCV organised a community farewell to Ann as she now plans to relocate in Britain. The memories shared at the occasion were heart warming and moving, remembering the two nursing professionals who took a decision to support the mission hospital net work by offering to provide a second home for the children of professionals, working in mission hospitals or in similar service. 

Anna and I recall Ann with many instances of thoughtful support she offered to us in our involvements. One instance I recall was that of her visit to the developmental paediatrics facility, ASHIRVAD partnered with CMCV, on the first day in February 1997. 

The room where the facility was located was in the W ward, which was a good enough facility to start the clinical service. Ms Annie George, developmental psychologist and I were the two professionals, who moved from the Child Development Centre of  ASHIRVAD at Chennai to begin the service. 

Ann came to visit the room and felt that it needed more lighting. She arranged an additional tube light to be fixed on the same afternoon and requested the Medical Superintendent to appoint a domestic staff for the unit. It was her custom to visit us couple of times in a week to enquire about our wellness and help with some practical arrangements we needed.  

There were other occasions when Ann was thoughtful to help and encourage us. Ann had a difficult time to decide whether to return to Britain following her retirement from CMCV. Her supporting organisation was keen to have her back in Britain for her to have more contribution to make in Britain. Ann chose to stay back in India. We felt her desire to do so as genuine and favoured her decision when her supporting organisation sought our opinion. 

The memories about Ann are many. We remember her with love and warm regards and wish her peaceful transition after nearly half a century of involvement at CMCV. 

A dog whom she did not own, would be around her, when Ann was in BALNILAYAM. Ann made the dog feel welcome in the garden! The children too became fond of the dog as their pet.

It was common to see Peacocks in the campus in the earlier days when the area had more open space. Ann referred to the peacock coming to greet her  as one among the many gifts she received from God. 

Anna and I want to offer our appreciation, warm regards and good wishes as Ann returns to her home country! We keep her in our thoughts and fondly remember association with her with gratitude and joyful recollections. 

The picture above is the main building at BALANILAYAM in 2007, when it was a home for children

The picture above taken a week ago, now houses the department of Distance Education of Christian Medical College, Vellore. 

This building is iconic in more than one way. It stands as a memorial to Marlene and Ann, for their heart of love for children and generosity of thoughtfulness towards professionals working in cross cultural situations in different parts of India. It is a place where children received a home to live to learn, grow and become who they are now in different walks of life. This home created a future for them beyond their expectations. It became a place where children had found two foster mothers and foster parents to accompany them in their formative years. 

Now it houses a department of CMCV, which is engaged in enabling professionals in this country and five other countries to receive continuing education through distance learning mode in multiple domains and specialities. 

This building dedicated in January 1990, bears a history of considerable importance in the cross-cultural health care net work in India!

We remember Marlene and Ann as those 'who gave everything they had' to love, care and support professionals, who lived cross culturally in India with a mission in their heart! Their pilgrim journey in the foot prints of Jesus of Nazareth in 'doing good' as a vocation, inspire us!

Anna and M.C.Mathew( text and photo)