Chapter Twelve, Section II
Back on the field, I met with Anglican friends and discussed the proposed Service of Unification of the Ministry, through which the various forms of denominational leadership were to be "reconciled" at the time of inauguration of the Union. The Home Board had assured me that there was no element of "Apostolic Succession" in the N.I.U.C. concept of the "Historic Episcopate" but I was determined to find out for myself.
Even my Anglican friends had misgivings about the ethics of the whole matter but, being diplomatic, they could not make a verbal comment on theological issues, which obviously pricked their own conscience. One Anglican missionary friend was most embarrassed by the Episcopal emphasis being imposed from abroad upon the Indian church, which could not voice its disapproval because it was heavily depended on its financial support from Britain. One thing my British missionary friend could and did do, was to leave within my reach, some of his church's confidential literature!
On perusal, it was quite clear that the continuity of
the Holy Spirit's ministry in the N.I.U.C. could only be achieved if, among
those laying on hands at the service of Unification of the Ministry, at least
one officiating bishop were in the so-called "Historic Episcopal line".
How to achieve this was to call in a bishop from the South Indian United
The Home Board was quite sure that I would not only
boycott the N.I.U.C. ministry, but also the whole movement to unify the
churches in North India. They may even have had apprehensions that I would set
up an "anti-N.I.U.C", group, but that never was my desire. Word had
spread among the Canadian and US Independent
Little did the Home Board know that I could have taken advantage of an unlimited amount of US & Canadian dollars that were offered to me to purchase land, construct a nice personal bungalow, engage a group of karmcharis and launch a campaign to frustrate all their plans. However, the last thing I wanted was to set up another foreign-controlled denomination, especially one with narrow, legalistic theological concepts. If I really had been guilty of enticing Kalemari to fix his sights on those "more lucrative possibilities nearer home", I now had the potential to set up a strong opposition force, with a super budget!
The main fear the Home Board had of me was that I would do this very thing, but at heart, I was now an "Indian" and wanted my church free of Western paternalism that, for so many years, had frustrated the work of the Holy Spirit. In terms of evangelism and church growth, I had come to see foreign money as more of a curse than a blessing. The whole affair made me feel sick at heart.
We could understand some people having such peevish attitudes, but not those in high places of church and mission authority. This churlishness and deceptive behaviour so shocked me that my faith was adversely affected and this began to worry me terribly. I found that I prayed less frequently. I even wondered if the Christian cause and religion as a whole had really been one big hoax. The spiritual joy and zeal that had once made my ministry so exciting, began to flag somewhat and I started on a downward slide, which only a Miracle finally checked.
My evolving attitudes were actually far more damaging than all the rancorous ecclesiasticism that was confusing the minds of our Indian brethren and sisters. But one thing was clear; the Mission would not always be in the Palamghat-Surgapam field. The day was not too far distant when our Indian friends would have to stand, economically, on their own feet. During the years since the inception of the Mission, in 1909, hundreds of thousands of rupees had flowed into the churches in the Daulatapur, Bhavnagar and Surgapam areas, bringing untold blessing, but that source was about to dry up. No time could be lost in setting up a project to assure enough indigenous, financial support to carry our Christian community into the future.
However, at that point of time, I had little hope that our churches could maintain economic viability. To help make them financially self-supporting, now became my burning passion. The Home Board had asked me to make no further theological contribution to the churches' development for fear that they might be adversely influenced in making their final decision to enter the N.I.U.C.. This allowed me time to give my full and undivided attention to the leprosy work and the realization of what I thought was an Impossible Dream that began as a name:- "Krishi Samudayak Vikas Yojana" or -THE AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT (ACDP)
Being under strong Home Board injunction to refrain from exercising what they called a "spiritual" ministry, we found that the interests of our British colleagues (Burtons & Saunders) and ourselves, began to move in different, though not necessarily opposite directions. Actually, in terms of our churches' future welfare and survival, our divergent "sacred" and "secular" emphases were complementary. The Home Board, in realizing this, was kind enough to encourage me in bringing my fantasy - the ACDP - to fruition.
For years, with little success, we had tried to challenge our Indian churches to take a greater share in the budget. However, successive droughts and an occasional famine, bogged down our sixteen- year program of "devolution". Prior to India's going metric, there were sixteen annas to one rupee, hence the sixteen-year scheme to progressively indigenise the budget by our churches accepting an extra one sixteenth share each year.
Through the years, our "stewardship campaigns" had not yielded the results for which we had hoped. It was not that our people had no desire to give; they just did not have the potential to support a full-time ministry with the various ancillary activities covering schools, hostels, medical services, social welfare and the like.
If only they could be given the potential, the church could survive into the future and the Home Board could be extricated from a burgeoning financial liability so great that some of its British members had staked their own personal funds as surety to preserve the Mission's bank overdraft.
And so it was that Ruth and I became engrossed in what some would call a "secular" ministry, although I maintain that, within the Christian experience, every activity is sacred.
Our Palamghat, Bihar-Surgapam, M.P. churches,
immediately prior to inauguration of the Union, never did get their own bishop.
What actually happened to get our churches into the N.I.U.C., was rather unique
and is still not known by many of our British friends who supported the work.
With neither Shantibe Dube nor Zackius Minz acceptable to the outside
theological authorities, the problem of leadership was solved by a visit from
Bishop Dr. Dinesh Kerketta. In a meeting attended by all the karmcharis, this
kindly Anglican cleric, with arms raised, gave his blessing and declared us all
one. It was as simple as that!. In fact, we were all made Anglicans through a
sort of Confirmation Service. After that, it was a very simple matter to enter
N.I.U.C. - as Anglicans!. This accounts for the reason why there is no
historical evidence of the British Gospel Mission
Ruth and I could see that this was nothing less than ecclesiastical "take-over" but we had lost the urge to protest and besides, we had promised the Board to be "amiable and conciliatory"! As for our Indian brethren and sisters, few, if any, had any real theological convictions in relation to this form of "Union" which some even thought to be ludicrous. They knew that real oneness in Christ is an experience that goes far beyond all this sort of petty religious manoeuvring. In their case, the old adage could be applied, - "He who pays the piper calls the tune"!
They knew, and wisely so, that to violate Mission policy meant running the risk of having to forfeit the monthly grant from Britain which was the rupee equivalent of approximately two hundred dollars. Visions of that financial support drying up spurred me on in my determination never again to see our people suffer from drought and famine. Because our emergency relief efforts had been such a great success, having been closely monitored by both the Indian and Australian governments, CFRA invited me to implement a large development scheme that would take advantage of the many FFW facilities - wells, dams, roads, canals and irrigable fields - that were now changing the face of Eastern Surgapam.
A number of the donor agencies that had poured vast amounts of food into India, during the famine period, had expressed the desire to continue their aid, but with emphasis now on development rather than relief. In keeping with this shift of policy, the All India Christian Federation (AICF) decided to change the name of its "Christian Food & Relief Agency" (CFRA), to "Christian Board for Social Development"(CBSD).
As the Home Board, apparently, had given its tacit approval to such development work, Ruth and I conferred with our Indian brethren and sisters to ascertain their views on the matter. Would they be able to handle such a massive program, involving the expenditure of hundred of thousands of rupees? Would they be able to utilize honestly and maintain carefully, the sophisticated machinery, vehicles and farm implements needed to pursue such a program? The minds of our tribal Christians boggled at the thought of having to administer funds far in excess of all that the Mission had contributed since its inception at the beginning of the century.
During lengthy discussions with our leading karmcharis, it became clear that many had fears and apprehensions of such an exclusively Christian project, run by tribals, being plundered by powerful, envious Hindus and Muslims. Their fears could well be substantiated. After all, what would you think if, in your own land, you saw foreign-sponsored minority groups, investing huge sums of money, ostensibly to promote their own cause?
Out of these discussions, I prepared a fresh proposal for submission to CBSD. This envisaged a secular project designed to lift the whole community - Hindus, Muslims, Animists and Christians, managed by a committee represented by all sections of the local society, irrespective of caste, creed, race and sex/gender. Many would call this an impossible dream but the Miracle of Miracles is that the CBSD tentatively approved of my proposal, suggesting that I go ahead and form the Committee of Management, with one proviso. They insisted that I, as their "Contact Person" in the area, should be the Director of the ACDP, with powers to appoint the Project Administrator. Such a clause should be included in the constitution.
Our British colleagues also, were invited to submit their proposal which was designed specifically to benefit the Christian community, a scheme which I could not endorse because it would have created a Christian ghetto to be the envy of the non-Christian community and, as such, vulnerable to jealous and violent attack.
Did the CBSD officials really believe that my "secular" wishful thinking could ever come to fruition? After all, such a developmental outreach into the non-Christian community never before had been attempted by Christian donor agencies in India. But experience had taught me that, if ever the Christian community is to rise from its impoverished state as a minority group, it will have to rise as part of society as a whole.
Through gentle persuasion, I had to guide the interested public to elect to the committee, those persons who had rendered exemplary service to humanity during the critical days of food shortage. If we were fortunate enough to have our proposal finally approved by CBSD, the latter, through its parent body, the AICF, would then submit it to various overseas Christian donor agencies for their consideration and possible funding. Over fifteen such agencies in Britain, Europe, Australia and the US were appraised of our proposal and requested to consider funding.
They were prepared to invest heavily, but only where such proposals could stand up to expert technical scrutiny, with searching feasibility and viability studies.
For this purpose, CBSD had enlisted a team of highly experienced Field Officers, with masters degrees in science, agriculture, engineering and sociology and they were ready, if necessary, to tear my proposal to shreds.
At that time, I had not completely lost my faith, only its sheen and I can remember, as I laboured long into the night on the proposal and the ACDP constitution, that I often sought the Lord's help in prayer. To pass CBSD's stringent tests now became a burning passion, which occupied all my time, day and night. I even left my "first love", the leprosy work, completely to Suresh Khamal and his brother, Sarson, their sister Meena and second nurse, Nilima, until I could finalize the draft and post it off to CBSD. In retrospect, I know without a doubt, that were it not for a Strength and a Power greater than my own, never could I have succeeded in this crazy venture and that's all part of the Miracle. Who will dare to claim that God is a myth and that Positive Attitudes and "Possibility Thinking" don't work?
Constantly, I was being invited to occupy pulpits and lead in prayer meetings but was glad to have this excuse of overwork in order to decline their requests. It was a blow to my pride to have to tell the churches that the Home Board had forbidden me further to get involved theologically.
My dream to make the church economically viable changed in favour of a plan for total community development in which the church would benefit, only if it did not remain aloof from non-Christian groups. These modifications were clearly spelled out in the Proposal to CBSD and I wondered, at the time, if such a revolutionary concept would throw a spanner in the works in expecting Christian donor agencies to support such a completely secular project. After all, I was expecting the impossible.
As is often the case with minority groups, many of our tribal Christians had rather insular attitudes. This had resulted from a sense of inferiority and their association with and dependency upon foreign missionaries who were still stigmatised by the now defunct and hated British "Raj". It would take nothing less than a Miracle for my secular dream to be realized with real Tribal and Christian participation.
For some reason or another, I decided to have eleven members on the Executive Committee, subordinate to the Annual General Meeting. Allowing a full month to call together all those in the community with a desire for development, I circulated my proposal in Hindi, throughout the whole area, which had benefited through the famine relief program. Had a sufficient number of people not turned up, my plans would have failed.
We chose a time of the year, which is normally blessed with good weather and a season when the farmers have some freedom from work in the fields. By a stroke of good fortune, the General Meeting was well attended, representative of~ sections of the public and very receptive of what I had proposed.
I called for the group to appoint a Chairperson and unanimously, Zackius Minz, our leading pastor, was elected. It was absolutely remarkable, that a Christian tribal and a "padre", at that, should be chosen by a predominantly Animist and Hindu gathering. All this was possible only because of Zackius' dedication to service during the famine and his love for all people, especially those in need.
Without exception, everything that was thought, said and done in that meeting, went according to plan. Again, to quote Dr. Rutherglen, the famine had been a "blessing in disguise" in so many ways, not the least being the improvement in relationships between the various ethnic and religious groups, all of whom I wanted to be represented on the ACDP Committee of Management.
For the public to feel that the whole idea was their own, THEY had to elect their representatives by secret ballot, but I wanted them to choose the right persons. How I prayed that day, "Lord make them select those leaders from their groups who will make a real positive contribution." When it came time for me to make my little speech, I reminded them that they needed to nominate those who have shown a spirit of dedication and sacrifice during the famine - those who had put others before self. I could not have impressed upon them more strongly, the need to keep off the Committee of Management, those who might be tempted to serve for pecuniary reasons
The temptations, especially for such a low-income community, would be very great. But this was to be THEIR project; the funds would be THEIR funds and the viability or otherwise of the proposed ACDP, would be THEIR responsibility. The whole occasion turned out to be a great success. For one of its representatives, the Hindu community chose Bhednadi Singh Sahib, cousin of the former Maharajah of Surgapam. Although a close relative of the now dethroned royal family, Bhednadi Sahib was not a snob, and often could be seen working behind a plough or planting out seedlings in the muddy fields. In spite of being a devout Hindu, he was a freethinker and earlier, had bought from me a Bible that he might know the way other people view the deeper things of life.
The Hindus also chose Khushi Ram, a bazaar trader of Nawapara, who had given much of his time during the famine, overseeing FFW schemes. Because of his moral integrity, they selected him as Assistant Treasurer. As, according to the Constitution, the secretary needed some knowledge of English, the language medium used by CBSD, Suresh was chosen, also as Treasurer. Although he was known as the "hard man", the one who made those starving Karchand workers dismantle and rebuild the dam without extra payment, it was Suresh's sincerity that won him unanimous approval.
For similar reasons, Mohommed Miya was chosen by the Muslim community to be their representative. Could we have wished for more? Much grace was displayed that day. Christians voted in those of other faiths and vice-versa; this was nothing less than a miracle. While in other parts of the country, Hindus and Muslims were gouging each other's eyes out, here in our newly formed ACDP Managing Committee, there was peace and harmony. And it was all because of Jesus. He had helped us to think positively. He had helped us to see goodness where some would only see the opposite because that is what they expected to see.
If only people, in their relationships with others, would think positively, have constructive attitudes and be "Possibility Thinkers", all the world's ills would vanish. If both sides to every dispute would only think in this way, even those major problems for which there seems to be no human answer - Apartheid, the Northern Ireland issue, the Palestinian question and the like - would be settled amicably. Few of us have the dynamism always to act positively in all of life's situations, but most of us have the strength at least to get started. ~d that's the secret - to launch out, to begin.
Once we do that, with our eyes fixed on Jesus, we find that, however weak may be the strength we invest in that first positive contact with another human being, the bond in personal relationships is compounded. Christian love is infectious!.
Unfortunately, we missionaries have not always been possibility thinkers, as I learned on one occasion when asked to address a gathering of missionary language students, in Mussoorie. It was after the Bhavnagar blacksmith, Lohar Mistri, had bought a Bible that had illumined his concepts of the "OM". It is believed by Hindus that when Brahm brought all things into being, his mighty creative power was audibly expressed in a long drawn-out "Ooommm "
"OM" is represented by the sacred Sanskrit letter that looks like a "3", with a tail at the right, protruding out and down from the centre. This, the holiest letter in the alphabet, can be seen all over India and throughout the world, wherever there are Hindus. It can be seen wrought in the iron of gates and balustrades, painted over doorways, tattooed on the body, mounted in gold on temple spires and worn as a lucky charm. In thousands of other ways too, it portrays the quest of Hindus to find "Ultimate Reality" - the Secret to Life itself.
It was in John's Gospel that I pointed out to the Lohar Mistri that, right down through the ages, people have been searching for the "raison detre". When the early Hindu pundits were meditating over "OM", Greeks in the days of Plato and Aristotle were philosophising over "Logos", translated in John Chapter One, as "Word". Lohar Mistri got the message and came to see that, whether you call it the "OM" or the "Logos", Jesus is the embodiment of all that life is meant to be. In that Mussoorie meeting, I related the Smithy's experience in gaining new insight. I never did say that the concepts of "OM and "LOGOS" were identical in every way; rather that Jesus came not to destroy but to fulfil and that His statement may well be applied not only to Judaic Law, but to religions in general. Maybe Christ is the "Crown of Hinduism" as someone has said.
Before I was able to finish my address, I was strongly rebuked from the floor by an ultra- conservative missionary who shouted, "That is all syncretistic hodgepodge; all other religions are of the Devil!" Fearing that pandemonium might break out among the Fundamentalists, I decided to shut up and sit down. Such narrow -mindedness, which could best be described as Pharisaic, is largely responsible for the many doors around the world being closed to foreign missionaries who are making unethical conversions.
The positive theology of the renowned scholar, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, carried on today by his protégé, Dr. Robert Schuller, was having a profound impact on my approach to Scripture and my relationship with those of other faiths. "Possibility Thinking" was largely responsible for the Miracle we were experiencing as Hindus, Muslims, Animists and Christians were becoming united in one Committee of Management, jointly to lift the area out of crippling poverty. The Christians knew, full well, that if they were to try to build up their own economy, in isolation from other sections of the community, they could never succeed. Only through co-operation, right across the board, was it possible to rise out of the hand-to-mouth existence that had robbed life of its joy and happiness.
Asoka, the wise Hindu king of ancient times, had to get this message across to the contentious rich and poor of his day. Both groups needed each other, but they did not know it. He called the leaders of the warring factions to a banquet and seated them on the floor in opposite rows, facing each other and separated by about three feet. Before each of them was spread a most sumptuous meal, which they could hardly wait to enjoy.
"There is one condition," said the wise king. "The meal may only be eaten with a spoon - a special royal spoon - which each of you will use in the way I say."
When the assembled diners received their spoons, they were surprised to note that they were about three feet long. "Eat until you are full," said the king, "but remember the rule to hold the spoon by the end of the handle."
"But, Rajah Sahib, there is no way by which we may share in the banquet and keep the rule; our spoons are too long."
Once more, the great King Asoka insisted that the rule be obeyed.
Finally, when both sides were nearly frantic, having been tempted almost beyond their endurance by the delicious, piquant aromas, the king said, "Let each, with his spoon, feed the man opposite." When the rule was obeyed in this way, not only were all the guests fully satisfied but also both factions were reconciled in the realization that each needed the other.
This famous ancient parable had its application in our own situation. Appreciating the worth of various non-Christian faiths and taking full advantage of the values they had to contribute to the making of a viable, peaceful and homogenous society, does not mean that we were denying the uniqueness of Jesus Christ. I believe, with all my heart, that - "there is no other name under heaven, given among men by which we might be saved" (Acts 4:12 RSV), but where we missionaries so often fall short, is in failing to manifest in our character and behaviour, the incarnate CONTENT of the Name - the virtues and attributes of Jesus.
These are not expressed only in mere words, although "preaching" and verbal testimony can play an important role in the proclamation of the Gospel. Principal E. Lyall Williams never ceased to remind us students that we must --- "Earn the right to be frank."
By that he meant that, before we try to convince others of the supremacy of Christ, something of the nature of our Lord should be seen in us - incarnately. All too often, without the moral quality of life to support our verbal claims, we "blow our big mouths", making a mockery of all that Christ died for.
While acknowledging that there are times when we "cannot but speak the things we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20), there is an incarnate testimony of the Holy Spirit, that does not depend upon word of mouth. Sometimes a smile, a handshake, a cuddle or a gesture, given in the "CONTENT" of the Name, can speak volumes. I can well remember a time when I was in anything but a preaching mood.
Ruth and I had completed our summer vacation with the children in the Himalayas and were returning home from Mussoorie, via Dehra Dun rail terminal. We always had to be away from the "hills" by June 13th. in order to reach Daulatapur before the break of the monsoon around the fifteenth. To delay, could mean being stranded on the wrong side of the Komela River, which was unbridged at the time. Each year, ten days prior to leaving Mussoorie, we used to reserve our berths on the "10 Down" Calcutta Express. As was generally the case, on this occasion also, we were fortunate to get a booking, which was notified by a label affixed to the window of our coach.
This year, we would be sharing the compartment with a very nice, cultured, elderly Bengali couple - Mr. & Mrs. Mukhajee. While Ruth settled into the compartment with our hand luggage and tried to cool off under the ceiling fan, I went to the freight department to book in our six steel trunks. The evening newspapers being sold on the platform told of the steady advance of the monsoon up the Bay of Bengal, causing severe flooding in Orissa and areas around Calcutta. Having had too many frightening experiences during travel in tie "rains", I became quite anxious. In such a state of tension, I was in no mood for provocation.
Pointing out our pile of freight, I said to the clerk in-charge, "Would you kindly book those six trunks in the baggage car of the '10 Down', via Dharmapuri Junction?" I was stunned to get the reply, "I'm sorry to inform you that the baggage car is full of perishable food; we shall send them on tomorrow's train." "But they have to go on to day's train," I stormed. "Because we have to reach Daulatapur before the monsoon and we can't afford to wait around another day."
"We cannot take any more freight in the rear car of '10 Down'; you will have to put your trunks under the seat," said the clerk.
"How do you think I can put them UNDER the seat", I protested, " can't you see how high they are?"
"Then put them between the seats", came the babu's reply. By this time I really was getting hot under the collar and yelled so loudly that others in the queue cocked their ears to hear what the argument was all about.
"You know that railway by-laws require you to keep sufficient space reserved in the guard's van for first-class passengers' baggage", I yelled, "It is just crazy of you to suggest that I put six large trunks BETWEEN the seats. How would you like to be that elderly Bengali couple having to travel eight hundred miles with their feet up on other people's baggage? Put yourself in their place," I screamed."
I must confess that I was very angry and became even more so when the clerk replied, "Oh, you are a Christian?" My first reaction was to think that he took me for one of the former British Raj expatriates, some of whom displayed the most arrogant attitudes in relating to Indians, as though they owned the railway system and, for that matter, even the whole country, which in fact, they imagined they did, before Independence.
"What do you mean by saying, 'Oh, so you are a Christian'. Who do you think you are?," I blasted.
"Oh, we people (Hindus), don't talk like that," was his reply that so rubbed me up the wrong way that I completely misunderstood him. I was so sure that he thought me to be a "Christian," as most Westerners in India are so categorized, that I asked him one more stupid question, "What do you mean by saying, WE people don't talk like that?'; you kid yourself." I was convinced that the clerk prided himself in never being rude or derogatory, but his final reply came as a revelation. "Oh, we people (Hindus) would not say, "How inconvenient it would be for Mr. & Mrs. Mukhajee, but how inconvenient it would be for ME...!"
Now here is an example of the way the Holy Spirit can witness when we may be conscious in no way at all of giving a verbal testimony. In this case, the Holy Spirit was testifying, in spite of my harsh words. If I were to have said, "As a Christian, I must appeal on behalf of our elderly travelling companions, because it says in the Bible that we must think of others first", the clerk may have taken me for a religious crank.
He may even have quoted from Hindu Scriptures, the Bhagavagita, where they, too, state that others must come before self. By all means, we should have Christian convictions, but let us not get in the way of the Holy Spirit and His ministry. The Hindu railway clerk identified me as a Christian, not because I said I was, but because he saw the uniqueness of Christ in a real CONCERN FOR OTHERS.
Of course, I am trying to tell this story humbly. such concern is only possible because of the Grace of God.
And it was Grace that was expressed reciprocally on the day of the ACDP's inception. Some of our Christians also nominated Khushi Ram, a Hindu, to be the Project's Assistant Treasurer because they found him to be an honest trader in their bazaar business dealing.
It took me two full hours to spell out to that excited group, all the dreams and visions I could now see gradually taking on some tangible form. I had envisaged the ACDP operating under five departments to cover the five basic socio-economic needs of the area, namely - Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Rural Education, Public Health and Transport.
Miracle of Miracles, my secular dream was accepted by CBSD but paradoxically, the proposal presented by our British colleagues was rejected and my heart ached for them
With our Memorandum of Association and Rules & Regulations now fully endorsed also by the parent body, the AI CF, we qualified for considerable financial assistance.
Under the Agricultural Department, we were to get two 35 H.P. tractors and a three-ton trailer, a variety of ploughs, scrapers, harrows, a leveller, scarifier and tools. An assortment of irrigation pumps from five to ten H.P. capacity, along with all the necessary suction and delivery piping, were also sanctioned. To encourage local farmers to take up winter wheat cultivation, I had requested a thresher, winnower and a 10 H.P. diesel-driven flourmill. All this was granted; it was breathtaking.
Under the Department of Animal Husbandry, we qualified for piggery, fishery and poultry projects and later, we were helped also to set up a dairy.
As part of these approved projects, four hundred thousand bricks were to be made by hand as a FFW scheme, payment for labour being made with relief wheat. The bricks were to be for the construction of an administrative block, school to train fanners under the Dept. of Rural Education, garages, store sheds, workshop, recreation complex and the lining of irrigation wells.
Coal to bake all these bricks was to be purchased from Dhanbad, three hundred miles away and paid for, along with cartage costs, under the sanctioned grant. To help with our training and educational program, also we were to receive a 16 mm movie-sound projector. All our current medical work, including the Nav Jiwan Leprosy Clinic, was to come under the Department of Public Health.
Although the Aramdey Bus Service was still operating on the road we had constructed to Champapur, under the public transport regulations, local farmers were not allowed to use this facility to haul in corrosive fertilizer and flammable diesel fuel that some of our more progressive fanners were now demanding for their pumps. For this reason and also to move our own farm inputs and produce, we needed our own 10-ton truck. What a thrill it was for a brand-new "TATA" (Indian-made Mercedes) truck to be sanctioned. In addition, under the Department of Transport, we were granted a one ton Kaiser Jeep FC-150 truck.
All this was so overwhelming, a dream come true, amounting to more than one hundred and fifty thousand rupees budget for the first phase alone and there were four more phases to follow. Most of this was actually a loan but twenty one thousand rupees was a straight out gift. We had no fears of not being able to repay the loan, because local farmers were now demanding to rent irrigation pumps and we had enough applications coming in to keep more than one tractor constantly on hire, levelling fields and ploughing.
The public became so excited that, in response to a challenge I threw out for land, fourteen Sahaganj farmers sold us adjacent plots at ridiculously low prices. That gave us a total of about five acres, enough land on which to construct our office, grain storage "godams" and stores to contain all the valuable equipment. Also, there would be enough space for piggery and poultry buildings, bricks for which we could start making as soon as I had moved in the wheat from Daulatapur. We were in business and the future looked good.