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| To fear the Lord is the beginning of freedom. [Ecclesiastes 1:14a] |
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Jothi Hoole, Pastor, Friend and Loving Father
(Feb. 11, 1955 – Dec. 27, 2011),
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| We record with great sadness the passing away of John Ratnajothi Ireneaus Hoole (Feb. 11, 1955 – Dec. 27, 2011), the fourth son of the Rev. Fr. Richard H.R. Hoole and Jeevamany Hoole, the youngest daughter of the Rev. Canon S.S. Somasundaram – all of the Church of Ceylon. |
| It will be recalled that the Rev. Canon Somasundaram, B.A. Calcutta, whose biography was recorded by Bishop Sabapathy Kulandran, was a product of the America Ceylon Mission’s Jaffna College. Both of Jothi’s parents were associated with the undergraduate section of Jaffna College. The Rev. Hoole left his studies during the Second World War to answer the call of the Church when European priests left suddenly and the Bishop of Colombo successfully persuaded him to join the Divinity School in Colombo. Continuing family lines to Jaffna College and the America Ceylon Mission, Jothi’s maternal great-great grandfather Appucutti Kingsbury was Native Professor of Mathematics at Jaffna College and Jothi’s youngest brother Noel is presently the Director of the JC Institute of Technology which was set up by his maternal uncle George D. Somasundaram. |
| Looking back, like his ancestors, Jothi remained committed to his calling and academic endeavours in many ways. He sat the G.C.E. A Level during the worst period of standardization when there was media-wise standardization with a regional basis that worked against Jaffna Tamil candidates. Despite his results of 2As (in Pure and Applied Mathematics) and 1 C and 1 S, he did not receive admission to any Sri Lankan faculty. So at a time when British fees were only 250 pounds a year (rising to 450 pounds by the time he graduated), still a big sum in Sri Lanka, he was fortunate to read electrical engineering at the University of Birmingham, one of the UK’s older and better universities. Unfortunately his father, the Rev. Hoole, passed away barely a month after his departure and Jothi was unable to attend the funeral because of the financial straits his family was then in. Yet, despite the emotional toll, financially supported by his elder brothers working in Singapore and Nigeria, he did so well that the university wrote a special letter to his alma mater, St. John’s, commending the school for her excellent product and the letter was read proudly by then principal K. Pooranampillai at the school assembly. |
| In 1978, immediately following his graduation, Jothi returned to Sri Lanka at a time when many Tamils refused to return. It spoke to his maturity when he decided to serve the Tamil people at a time when they were put down so badly by their government, instead of making an empty political statement by refusing to return. After working for a year at Gnanam’s as an electrical engineer in Colombo, he moved to the KKS Cement Factory where he rose to be Electrical Works Engineer, living with his since departed mother first in Uduvil and finally in their ancestral house in Nallur. His uncle George Somasundaram had been Works Manager at the Cement Factory in the late 1950s after quitting the University of Ceylon. |
| Jothi became increasingly involved in the Church, becoming a regular preacher at St. James’ Nallur (where the first Hoole of Point Pedro, baptised by Peter Percival, married at the CMS Nellore Girls’ Boarding School and settled down in the middle of the nineteenth century, and his grandfather, Canon Somasundaram, had been incumbent for 32 years and his father, Rev Hoole, for 12). He was heavily involved with the Youth Group at church and later expanded to be active in Youth for Christ as well. He married Carmini Francis, whom he had met through his YFC work in Chundikuli |
| Some clergymen were able to use his talents in their own ministries for the glory of God and His Church. But others found it difficult when youth sought Jothi with their problems rather than them. Para-churches also demanded that he show full obedience to their leaders when working with them, citing the phrase “troops follow their general without question.” Unfortunately, such an environment cannot hold thinking persons. |
| Over time, pushed out of formal church and para-church structures, his zeal for ministry and compassion for the poor and the many in the Mannar district who had joined the various militant movements and had left them in disillusionment, drove Jothi into independent evangelical work. He devoted himself and his work to the people in Mannar, working closely with Ragavan Alphonsus, the grandson of another Jaffna College stalwart, Boss Chelliah. |
| As he was increasingly drawn into his religious work in Mannar, realizing that weekends alone were insufficient, he quit engineering and moved with his young family to Mannar where he worked full-time with limited financial support from the impoverished communities he served through the Church he started, Grace and Truth Church, Mannar. Although he had quit engineering, he used his sharp mind teaching at his brother Muktan’s Baldeus Theological College in Trincomalee, did extensive theological writing, pursuing a Master’s Degree from the UK as a semi-external student. |
| Life in Mannar would not be easy without a salary or pension base. There are strong parallels in this to his grandfather, The Rev. Canon Somasundaram, who quit his special post as Dean at St. John’s, a position from which he was expected to succeed the then principal, The Rev. Jacob Thompson, in order to carry out an evangelical mission in the Vanni. As the Rt. Rev. Dr. Subramaniam Jebanesan would remark later, Jothi has lived his life “obedient to the heavenly vision.” |
| Indeed life was not easy in Mannar. At the birth of his third child, Elijah, under the care of well-qualified and well-equipped specialist doctors from Médecins Sans Frontièrs at Mannar General Hospital, he lost his wife, Carmini. A routine drug to halt bleeding following successful delivery required a test dose to check for allergic reactions some women have experienced. Unfortunately, Carmini went into shock from the test dose itself and passed away. As difficult to bear as Carmini’s death were the cruel self-righteous comments of those who never agreed with his decision to quit our settled upper-middle class form of life: that he had killed her by taking her to a place without hospitals. |
| He got through the early years of life with three infants, thanks to the loving care and help of his sister-in-law Baba and mother-in-law Mrs. Francis. In time he would marry Shreerani Vethavanam of the Irrigation Department in Mannar who gave him a fourth child, Ruth, and a settled family life.
Regardless of nay-sayers two of his children, Thabiththa and Elijah ranked No. 1 and 2 in Mannar at Public examinations. Of his brother Muktan’s family, which had joined them in Mannar subsequent to Muktan’s early demise in Trincomalee, a son, Anbesan, ranked No. 1 in the intervening year. A hat trick indeed! Today his eldest daughter, Thabiththa, is at Jaffna’s Medical Faculty reading medicine. It has to be remarked that Anbesan entered Cambridge to read medicine and Raghavan Alphonsus’ son Daniel entered Oxford to read economics, both after going up to the O.Levels at St. Xavier’s, Mannar – something few have matched even from the best schools in Colombo, Kandy or Jaffna, with a strict regime of incessant private tuition classes in every waking hour and being driven to and from classes with all luxuries. To those who believe that all the comforts of life are essential to academic achievements and speaking good English, his children are a true testament that all that is required is a happy home and strong family values. This is perhaps Jothi’s best legacy to all of us.
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Jothi’s last years were troubled by the schisms endemic to evangelical churches without the structures that have come to the established Churches through long years of organizational experience. But he coped well and commanded immense respect among his parishioners of some 80 first generation Christians gathering regularly on Sundays and in between for the study of the Holy Scriptures who included many ex-militants who found solace in the message of the saving grace of Jesus Christ which he carried to them.
In a testimonial his life well-lived, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Daniel Thiagarajah remarked thus: Please know that he was a true blessing to many. He committed himself fully to the Lord and to His ministry. |
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Dr V David Ratnanathan Dental Surgeon says Goodbye to
Department of Health Services
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Having served people via Department of Health Services for 29 years before his retirement and 6 years as re-employed Dental surgeon, he retired from the Department. He worked in 15 Government Hospital like Dental Institute,Colombo ,D.G, Maneragala and G.H,Batticaloa. He worked in Government Hospitals, Akkaraipattu, Chavakachcheri and Chankanais D.M.O also |
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It is our duty to give thanks unto Dr.David for his great and unbeaten service to humanity. He is continuing his sincere serviceas MedicalSuper intendent of Green Memorial Hospital, Manipay and Mclead Hospital, Inuvii. These hospitals are very famous founded by American Missionaries. Dr.David who hails from Erlalai, a village of 7 temples constructed at the same place long ago like7 rooms of a house is praised for his pleasing manners. His father was he Principal of a school.
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The Rev Dr Joseph Gunalan Thiagarajh
endorsed as Bishop’s Commissary
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On the advice of his doctors our Bishop, the Rt Rev Dr Daniel
Thiagarajah has taken leave to recuperate from the consequences of the
injuries he suffered in the recent car accident. We are happy he is
now well on his way to total recovery.
While he is on leave, the Executive Committee of the Jaffna Diocese of
the Church of South India, following constitutional provisions, has
elected the Rev Gunalan Thiagarajah as the Bishop’s Commissary. He was unanimously endorsed.
This decision will now be forwarded to the Moderator of the Church of
South India for formal assignment of the office.
Following his election among the first tasks of the Rev Gunalan
Thiagarajah, significantly was to preside at the celebrations marking
the 64th anniversary of the Church of South India founded in 1947 |
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“You have run your course well, my friend.”
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A Tribute to Rajan Kadirgamar |
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By the Rt Rev Dr Daniel Thiagarajah
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Sunday September 18, 2011
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| I have just received the sad news of the passing away of my good friend Rajan Karirgamar last night in Canada. Although my physical condition from my hospital bed in Colombo is quite constraining, I owe this tribute to my good friend and share my heartfelt feelings with Mahila, their children and Rajan’s siblings, their families and friends. |
| Rajan Kadirgamar was an institution by himself, the longest served principal of Jaffna College and one who took deep interests in every aspect of Christian life of Jaffna College and the JDCSI.
He came to Jaffna as a student soon after the cessation of hostilities of the Second World War from Malaysia and quickly adjusted to settled life at Jaffna College along with his Malaysian peers such as Mr R Kanagaratnam and the late T Anandaratnam. They all became a great asset to the college community many of them excelling in sports especially Hockey and Soccer. Rajan was good at tennis.
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| But it was as a young Christian leader Rajan shone with his total commitment to the Student Christian Movement, the YMCA and the College choir. He developed a remarkable relationship with students and their parents and also kept refreshing the alumni relationships. Bishop Kulandran called him the Man of Letters because he kept in touch with the alumni and also the friends of Jaffna College and the church. |
| After retirement Rajan served as principal of the seminary at Maruthanamadam for sometime before electing to migrate to Canada.
Rajan had strong views and it was always a delight to listen to him with his encyclopaedic knowledge of the college and church and above all his ability to reminisce bringing back events and experiences that cherish and delight a conversation. He was also a god lay preacher.
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| It is my humble feeling that Rajan Kadirgamar should have stayed back in Sri Lanka and served his community for a man of such calibre and commitment is rare. |
| Because of my physical condition this tribute has to be brief at this point of time. Let me conclude expressing our gratitude to the service Rajan rendered to the community. My deeply felt greetings and blessings to all his dear ones. Rajan has run his course well. |
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God is Amazing, An awesome healer indeed. Praise God!
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Bishop meets the clergy at the hospital
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Arul Abraham September 12, 2011 1:30 am
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| Bishop Daniel Thiagarajah was able to meet most of the members of the Senior clergy yesterday morning September 11, 2011 , for the first time since suffering the unfortunate car accident last Wednesday. The clergy brought him well wishes from all the parishes. The Bishop was very moved by this experience, and said, "My faith was increased through this journey". The bishop will visit all the parishes as soon as he is able to. He praised the Lord all the time and he thanked the medical team for the help they gave him. |
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Thank you for your continuous prayer
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| The Bishop of the Jaffna Diocese of the Church of South India Rt. Rev. Dr. Daniel Thiagarajah is presently receiving treatment at the National Hospital in Colombo following injuries he sustained in a motor accident while travelling from Jaffna to Colombo during the early hours of the morning on 7/09/2011.His driver escaped without any injury. |
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Rev I Rajkumar Secretary CSI Jaffna Diocese
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| I would like to thank you so much for your prayers, phone calls, and messages from around the world that you have sent in the last few days. I want you to know that these meant a lot to me personally and to your brothers and sisters in the Jaffna Diocese here.
Mrs Thaya Thiagarajah 09 Friday- September -2011 9: 30 am
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பேராயர் அருட்கலாநிதி டானியல் தியாகராசா விபத்தில் படுகாயம்
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| மாரவிலவில் நேற்று அதிகாலை 4 மணியளவில் இடம்பெற்ற விபத்துச் சம்பவம் ஒன்றில் தென்னிந்திய திருச் சபையின் பேராயர் அருட்கலாநிதி டானியல் தியாகராசா (வயது 55) படுகாயம் அடைந்தார்.அவரது நெற்றிப் பகுதியில் உள்ள நரம்பு வெடித்த நிலையில் கொழும்பு வைத்தியசாலையில் அனுமதிக்கப்பட்ட அவரின் நிலைமை நேற்று மாலை வழமைக்குத் திரும்பியது |
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காலையில் மயங்கிய நிலையில் இருந்த அவர் நண்பகலுக்கு பின்னர் கதைத்தார் .அவர் பயணம் செய்த கார் வேறொரு வாகனத்தைக்கு வழிவிட்டபோது, பின்னால் வந்த வாகனம் மோதியதாகத் தகவல்கள் தெரிவித்தன.வாகனத்தின் சாரதி திலீபன் காயம் இன்றி தப்பிக்கொண்டார்.
08 செப்ரெம்பர் 2011, வியாழன் 5:10 பி.ப
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குடாநாட்டின் பதற்றநிலை தொடர்பிலான உயர்மட்ட மாநாடு!
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யாழ் மாவட்டத்தில் அண்மைக் காலமாக நிலவி வரும் கிறீஸ் மர்மமனிதர் விவகாரம் தொடர்பாக ஜனாதிபதியின் பணிப்புரைக்கமைய இன்றைய தினம் யாழ்ப்பாணத்திற்கு வருகை தந்த பொற்றோலிய வளத்துறை அமைச்சர் சுசில் பிரேம் ஜயந்த ஆராய்ந்தறிந்து கொண்டார்.
யாழ் மாவட்ட செயலகக் கேட்போர் கூடத்தில் பாரம்பரிய கைத்தொழில்கள் மற்றும் சிறுதொழில் முயற்சி அபிவிருத்தி அமைச்சர் டக்ளஸ் தேவானந்தா அவர்களின் தலைமையில் மாவட்டத்தின் பொலிஸ் இராணுவ உயரதிகாரிகள் கலந்துகொண்ட முக்கிய உயர்மட்ட மாநாடு இன்றைய தினம் நடைபெற்றது.
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இதன்போது யாழ் மாவட்டத்தில் அண்மைக் காலமாக நிலவிவரும் கிறீஸ் மனிதர் விவகாரம் தொடர்பாக மக்கள் மத்தியிலுள்ள கருத்துக்கள் குறித்து விரிவாக ஆராய்ந்தறியப்பட்டன. குறிப்பாக மர்ம மனிதர்களுக்கும் படைத்தரப்பினருக்கும் இடையே தொடர்புகள் இருப்பதாகவும் படைத்தரப்பினர் அவர்களுக்கு உதவி வருவதாகவும் மக்கள் தரப்பு பிரதிநிதிகள் சுட்டிக் காட்டினர்.
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கருத்துக்களை மக்கள் பிரதிநிதிகள் மட்டுமன்றி மதத் தலைவர்கள் மதகுருமார்கள் சமூக ஆர்வலர்கள் என பலதரப்பட்டோரும் எடுத்துரைத்ததுடன் மக்களின் இயல்பு வாழ்க்கைக்கும் அமைதி வாழ்க்கைக்கும் உடனடியாக வழிவகை ஏற்படுத்த வேண்மெனவும் கோரிக்கை விடுத்திருந்தனர்.
அங்கு அமைச்சர் டக்ளஸ் தேவானந்தா அவர்கள் தலைமை உரையாற்றும் போது அண்மைக்காலமாக இம்மாவட்டத்தில் மக்கள் மத்தயில் ஏற்பட்டுள்ள மர்மமனிதர் தொடர்பான பதற்ற நிலைமை காரணமாக இதற்கு முற்றுப் புள்ளி வைக்கும் முகமாக இவ்வுயர்மட்ட கலந்துரையாடல் ஒழுங்கு செய்யப்பட்டள்ளதாகவும் இதற்காக அமைச்சர் சுசில் பிரேம் ஜயந்தவை ஜனாதிபதி மகிந்த ராஜபக்ச அவர்கள் யாழ்ப்பாணத்திற்கு அனுப்பி வைத்துள்ளதாகவும் யாழ் மாவட்ட நிலைமை தொடர்பாக அடிக்கடி என்னுடன் ஜனாதிபதி அவர்கள் தொடர்பு கொண்டு விசாரித்து வருவதாகவும் அதன் பொருட்டு மக்களின் அமைதி வாழ்வுக்கு விரைவான நடவடிக்கை எடுக்குமாறு ஜனாதிபதி பணிப்புரை விடுத்துள்ளதாகவும் சுட்டிக் காட்டினார்.
Thanks EDDP NEWS ----06.09.2011 - செவ்வாய்க்கிழமை
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REV SOMASIRI KUMARADAS PERERA |
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REV SOMASIRI KUMARADAS PERERA (Past President Methodist Church) at Rest with Jesus. Dearly beloved husband of (late) Ruvinie, loving father of Rajitha (RS), Eksath (SE) & Amal (AK), father-in-law of Maheshini, Shamali & Sonia, much loved grandfather of Rashika & Andre, Amrit & Shereen, Savindri, Srinath & Jen and Erashmal, great-grandfather of Liliana, brother of Lakshman, Chandra and late Sirilal. Remains will lie at the A.F. Raymond’s Funeral Parlour, Borella on Saturday 3rd September from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. thereafter at Kollupitiya Methodist Church, on Sunday 4th September from 11 a.m. Service of Thanksgiving at 3 p.m. Burial at the General Cemetery, Moratuwa (Christian Section) at 5 p.m |
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Free Medical Clinic in Vanni
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A free medical mobile clinic was held in Vanni area by the Centre for Holistic Healing on the 14th of August , 2011. It was held in Peria Paranthan area which is one of the areas badly affected by war. There are no hospitals except for the Kilinochchi hospital which is too far for the people to reach. The workers of the Centre for Holistic Healing have already been visiting the victims of war of this area. Dr. Mohan Kumar, Dr. Thatshayini and Dr. Sasirekah along with the medical students and nurses who got through their diploma in counseling programme offered by the Centre for Holistic Healing rendered their full support and spent a day attending to the patients from three villages of this area. Around 400 families are resettled in these areas, living in temporary shelters.
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| Around 130 patients got benefited on that day. The Rotract club in Jaffna joined in this new venture helping with their volunteers. The Centre for Holistic Healing will continue with the mobile medical clinic whenever possible in the future in the rural areas of Vanni. |
| In Memory of Ben Bavinck |
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by Hielke Wolters
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After a long and eventful life,
our father Ben Bavinck peacefully passed away.
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| Ben was born in Bandung, Indonesia, and remained in love with the tropics all his life. His experiences during WW II added a second fundament to his life: the struggle against ethnic hatred and discrimination. Having completed university, he went to Sri Lanka to work as a missionary teacher at Jaffna College in Vaddukodai. In 1972 he returned to Holland with his family to take on the function of General Secretary of the World Mission (ADB). In that role he contributed, among others, to the fight against apartheid in South Africa. He retired a year early from the ADB to return to Sri Lanka with the aim of supporting the Tamil people during the civil war which raged on that island. He finally retired and returned to Holland at age 80, but soon set to work adapting his Sri Lanka diaries for publication. He remained active and kept his sense of humor until the end. |
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Ben was a warm and energetic man, with great empathy for the wider world. He lives on in our memory. His family opened a possibility of online condolences: www.condoleance.nl/13266
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| Please feel free to share this message with those of whom you know that they have worked with Ben Bavinck.We will remember his family and friends in our prayers.Hielke Wolters |
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‘A Jaffna Man’
Ben Bavinck
missionary
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passed away peacefully. He lived his life to the full.
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Bandung, 25 February 1924 --Amsterdam, 11 August 2011
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The funeral service will take place on Tuesday, August 16th, at 11.30 a.m.
in the Muiderkerk, Linnaeusstraat 37, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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A Tribute to a Great Missionary in the 21st. Century
by Noel A.Vimalendran
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Conrad Bernard Bavinck
(1924-2011)
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| Lovely lady takes her final bow |
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oldest friend of JDCSI,
has died at 94 |
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94 year old sweet old lady Grace Bonney has said her Final Amen Monday July 18 at Melbourne after a lifetime of joy and happiness, and warm friendship and good citizenship wherever she lived in Sri Lanka and Australia. She will be remembered as a good friend, mother and devoted very much in her faith. Funeral arrangements will be notified later
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Wife the late Alfred Bonney, she is the mother of Joyfred ,Godfred , Winfred, Fredrick, Fredrica Algaratnam And Rev Angela Tampiyappa .who, when she lived in Uduvil was a good Christian and friend,ideal neighbour and a gentle and humble person. She is the proud mother of the first ordained lady minister of the church in Sri Lanka.We regret to record the passing away of Mrs Grace Bonney
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Sri Lanka Partnership Project Annual Report 2010
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| This annual report is for the first full financial year of the Sri Lanka Partnership Project,January to December 2010. It contains the report of the Sri Lanka Partnership ProjectCommittee based in Melbourne, Australia, and the report of the Jaffna Diocese, Church of South India based in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. |
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The Committee (SLPPC) is grateful for the ongoing support and cooperation between theproject partners, the Jaffna Diocese of the Church of South India (JDCSI), St. George’s East St. Kilda Uniting Church, and the Creative Ministries Network (CMN). We are pleasedto present this report of the first full year of our partnership
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| Sport Meet at union Kulam |
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Sport Meet of the day care Centre at union Kulam in the Vanni was held on the 6th July 2011 with Dr Thaya Thiagarajah as the Chief Guest. This Centre was started as a result of Dr Thiagarajah's meeting a teacher, Ms. Saiskala during one of her visits to this area to identify and assist victims of war. A Centre was in existence for sometime and was almost at the verge of being closed down due to lack of infrastructure and other facilities including monetray support. A picture will reveal the state of the building as at now. The JDCSI is making every effort to restore it for the proper use. The whole community is grateful and supportive to the efforts taken by the JDCSI.
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Few pictures will show three types of victime. One child was affected in the head due to chemical efects of war. The young girl has lost sight in both eyes. The woman has lost her lower pallet. Union Kulam is a village full of widows, orphans and those affected badly due to bombing.
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A vision that will be pursued with
grit and determination
By Noel R G Hoole
Director
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