A Taste of India – Missouri UMC, Columbia
17 May 2012 Leave a Comment
Members of Missouri United Methodist Church, in Columbia, Missouri were recently treated to “A Taste of India.” The evening was a benefit to raise support for the Ludhiana Medical College and Hospital in India. The evening included an Indian dinner cooked by members of the Missouri United Methodist Church Ludhiana Task Force. Girls from Rock Bridge High School performed Indian dances and two short three minute videos about the ministry in India were shown. The event raised $2844 to provide scholarships for students and to provide health care to those who could not otherwise afford it.
For information about how to give your congregation “A Taste of India” call or email the Office of Creative Ministries. (573-474-7155 / thackery@umocm.com)
Mission Trip to Ludhiana Christian Medical College & Hospital
18 Jan 2012 Leave a Comment
2012 Ludhiana Christian Medical College & Hospital Mission Trip (September 19-October 1)
Consider joining Max Marble, a Board member of the Ludhiana Christian Medical College USA Board on a trip to experience India and visit the Ludhiana Christian Medical College and Hospital. Founded by missionary doctor Edith Brown in the 1890s to provide medical care for women, the institution has grown to providing an education to Christian men and women through colleges of medicine, dentistry, nursing, physical therapy and allied health. Operating out of a large urban city the college provides community health services to rural areas through four rural clinics, frequent mobile clinics and home health visits by nursing students. The college and hospital is affiliated with almost every church denomination serving in India. Upon return it is our hope that your experience of visiting Ludhiana will be shared with family, friends and congregations. Video clips and photos from the mission trip and other resources will be provided for this sharing.
The mission team will arrive in Delhi, the capital of India. In Delhi the team will experience urban India, shop, attend church and see some of the sites like the Qutab Minar, Humayan’s Tomb, the Gandhi Samadhi and Akshardham. The mission trip will also include a visit to Fatehpur Sikri and the Taj Mahal in Agra.
Max Marble was born and raised in India and is fluent in everyday Hindi. Max has visited Ludhiana 4 times in the past two years as a member of the Ludhiana Christian Medical College and Hospital US Board. The total cost including travel to India, travel within India, lodging and food will be $2,700. To register for the trip fill out the registration form and return it to the Office of Creative Ministries with a check for $200. A payment of $1500 will be due on May 1 with a final payment of $1000 due on July 15. Applicants will need to apply for a visa and will need to consult their physician about health precautions for traveling in India. May 1 will be the deadline for applying.
19 – Wed Depart Chicago
20 – Thurs Arrive New Delhi at night
21 – Fri Rest in morning / See Delhi (capital) sites in afternoon
22 – Sat Train to Ludhiana (5 hour trip)
23-26 Ludhiana \ Visit with Dr. Thomas, Director / Tour of hospital / Visit to Dental College, Allied Health Sciences College, Medical College, Physical Therapy College, and College of Nursing / Visit with chaplains / Prayer rounds with chaplains / Visit rural hospitals \ attend Nursing College worship services / Community Health visits with nursing students / Home health visits with nursing students / Visit to Jalandhar – Haveli, Cultural Exhibits
27 – Thurs Train back to Delhi
28 – Fri Delhi shopping and sites
29 – Sat Agra – Fatehpur Sikri & Taj Mahal
30 – Sun Attend church / Depart of airport in evening
Oct 1 Depart Delhi just after midnight / Arrive Chicago 5am
Sponsored by the Office of Creative Ministries, 3009 David Dr. Columbia, MO 65202 Phone: (573) 474-7155 Email: marble@umocm.com
Ludhiana Christian Medical College History
28 Oct 2011 Leave a Comment
History of the Ludhiana Christian Medical College and Hospital
by Steve Hall, Red Bridge UMC, Ludhiana Mission Ambassador
Bindu’s third child was about to be born. In her 20 years life had been hard. Her first baby died at age 17 days. The second, a girl named Greena, was almost two years old before succumbing to diarrhea. The first 2 pregnancies had not been difficult, but this one was different. There were no mid-wives in this rural area south of Ludhiana and certainly no women doctors. Custom prevented male doctors from entering the woman’s section of the home. Something was wrong with the baby and no one knew what to do or could offer direct help.
Born in 1864 to a respected English family, Edith Mary Brown grew up in a strictly disciplined Christian life. She was influenced by a series of events to develop a vision leading her to become a doctor and go to India to share the love and comfort of Jesus Christ, particularly to women. With intense perseverance she studied at the best schools in England and became one of the first female graduates in medicine and surgery.
Edith Brown transitioned from one life to another when she first arrived in India in 1891 at the age of 27. Ludhiana was a large and busy city in the Punjab region of northern India. English and American missionaries had already established a presence there including a very small hospital and nursing school. Here Edith Brown now found herself as the first qualified medical doctor on the staff.
Edith made an immediate impact on community health including its first surgery – primitive by today’s standards. She was even called to attend to a Brahmin cow, sacred to the numerous Hindus. There was great rejoicing, and the doctor’s stature immediately increased in the community, for she had saved the life of a sacred cow
The need for trained assistants and hospital staff was obvious. It was extremely challenging for Edith to manage a clinic, dispensary, and rural visits by herself, much less perform surgery.
In addition to generally limited opportunities for women, the custom of the time did not condone the free association between male and female students. It would be unthinkable to have boys and girls sit together for a lecture on human anatomy and biology. Training Christian girls who could be missionaries as well as medical assistants would be difficult.
A dream took shape and in 1894 the North Indian School of Medicine for Christian Women was started by Dr. Brown and her colleagues with the object of training Indian nationals to serve in the field of medical education and health care services. In 1952 the name was changed to Christian Medical College to enable it to admit men and women for the upgraded MBBS course.
Almost one hundred twenty years later, Ludhiana Christian Medical College and Hospital continues to be a key educational and medical facility in northern India. Over the years many United Methodist missionary doctors, nurses and staff members have served in the College and Hospital. The Missouri Conference Creative Ministries Team and the Festival of Sharing Coordinating Committee are currently urging support for this ministry.
Spread over a patchwork quilt of 46 acres in the heart of the older section of Ludhiana, students, faculty, and staff are a common sight walking in their white coats and Punjabi style student nursing uniforms. After all this time CMC still serves the community – those who can pay, those who can not, as well as those of other faiths – educating desperately needed medical professionals and performing cutting edge research and surgery, all of this in the name of Christ.
Steve Hall, from Red Bridge United Methodist Church, in Kansas City, is one of five Ludhiana Christian Medical College Mission Ambassadors who traveled to India in March 2011. Steve and the other mission ambassadors are available to speak on Sunday morning or to groups during the week. You can contact the Missouri Conference Office of Creative Ministries for more information. (Phone 573-474-7155 / marble@umocm.com)
Community Health Outreach
23 Mar 2011 Leave a Comment
Community Outreach Program at
Ludhiana Christian Medical College and Hospital
Home Health Education by Nursing Students
Several statistics highlight the tremendous need for accessible health care services in India. Infant mortality rates and life expectancy are two measures of the level of health care services in a country.
Country United States India
Infant Mortality 6.26 30.15
(death of infants under one year old per 1000 live births)
Life Expectancy – Men 75.6 63.2
Women 80.6 63.2
Ratio of Doctors to Population 1: 350 1: 1722
The Ludhiana Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMC) has integrated a vital
Community Outreach Program into the training of doctors, dentists, and nurses as a means of delivering health care services to the villages around Ludhiana in northern India. During the Mission Ambassadors trip to Ludhiana CMC in March 2011, we visited several urban and rural medical clinics where villagers can receive inoculations and basic medical care.
Nursing Students
We tagged along with student nurses who visit villagers’ homes to interact one-on-one with people who have little access to any other health care providers. During the home visits nurses share health information on topics such as balanced diet, HIV prevention, contraception, immunizations, and clean water.
The village clinic and hospital in Malerkortla is located in a building that was formerly used as a school. A local Muslim businessman provided the funding to refurbish the building as a small hospital. He partners with Ludhiana CMC to have doctors and medical students visit on a rotating basis to provide medical care to the residents of Malerkortla.
At the rural clinic of Lalton Kalan, nursing students live at the complex for two weeks at a time because of the distance from CMC. They travel by bicycle into the village to meet with families, provide health care assessments, and answer questions. We observed nurses meeting with family members in their courtyard while two water buffalo tied up just a few feet away kept a wary eye on the visitors.
Rural Home Health Visit on Bicycle
CMC owns two large vans equipped with dental equipment that are dispatched to dental camps around northern India.
Mobile Dental Clinic Headed Out To Villages
CMC holds dental camps 10-12 days each month where dentists and dental students provide a variety of free dental services including X-rays, extracting teeth, and making dentures. Often the dental care a villager receives at a CMC dental camp is the first time he or she has ever seen a dentist.
Ludhiana Christian Medical College and Hospital places a strong emphasis on community health care. The urban and rural clinics provide a valuable training opportunity for student doctors, nurses, and dentists. Many CMC graduates recognize the importance of community-based health services and dedicate their careers to meeting the needs of the poor and underserved throughout India. Ludhiana CMC’s mission is to provide health care to all whether they are able to pay for services or not. Through their community outreach efforts, CMC students and staff are following the example of Jesus Christ to heal the poor and sick.
Ludhiana CMC Reaches Out to Africa
18 Feb 2011 Leave a Comment
The Ludhiana Christian Medical College Governing Body took an historic action during their September 2010 meeting; they voted to receive international students for the first time in their history.
Years of civil war in Liberia brought about an extreme shortage of dentists. So that there were only three dentists serving the entire country, and they were all in their 60s. The Ganta Methodist Hospital in Liberia, which had a dental clinic but no dentist, contacted the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church for help with this problem.
In the past the General Board of Global Ministries would have looked for a solution here at home. However, this time they turned to the Ludhiana Christian Medical College in India. Dr. Abraham Thomas, Director of the Ludhiana Christian Medical College and Hospital sent, Dr. Abi Thomas, Principle of the Ludhiana Christian Dental College, to Liberia to see how they might help.
The trip led to an arrangement whereby the Ludhiana Christian Dental College is sending their graduates to Liberia to serve at the Ganta Methodist Hospital on a rotating basis for 8 months at a time. Their $1,500 a month salary and travel expenses are born by the General Board of Global Ministries.
Mr. Franklin Walker, Creative Ministries Team Chairperson, made a special point to meet and visit with Dr. Ashwin Zechariah when he lead the St. James United Methodist Church VIM team to Liberia in November.
While in Liberia, visiting with Liberian United Methodist Bishop Arthur Kulah, Dr. Abi Thomas suggested a longer term solution to their shortage of dentists. He proposed that Liberian students be sent to the Ludhiana Christian Dental College to receive their training. This proposal had three bright sides. First, they would receive the best training offered anywhere in the world. Secondly, their training would cost less than sending students to the United States, as has been the practice in the past. And Bishop Kulah feels the students will be more inclined to return to Liberia to serve upon graduation.
Christmas Shadow Drama
15 Dec 2010 Leave a Comment
Watch the Ludhiana Christian Medical College shadow dance about the birth and life of Jesus.
Christmas Letter From Roberta Jones
15 Dec 2010 Leave a Comment
Rev. Roberta Jones is the Executive Director of the United States support board for the Ludhiana Christian Medical College and Hospital. Her office is in Florida. We just received her Christmas newsletter and have posted it for you to see. Just click on the image above.
Christmas Program
05 Dec 2010 1 Comment
Enjoy the Ludhiana Medical College students, staff and faculty sing “How Shall The King Come” which was a part of their Christmas program.
