RAMABAI MISSION

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 17, 20 July 1931, Page 13

RAMABAI MISSION

CHILD WIDOWS. OF INDIA

An interesting visitor to AVellington, Miss MaeGregor, who for 30 years has been a missionary in India, has much to tell about the Pandita Kainabai Mission at Mukti, which has had a number of.helpers in the Dominion for many years. This has become a great organisation. In the "homo" department there are two baby nurseries, the "women's compound," the "workers' compound," the "home for the blind," and a "rescue home." Then there is a "medical department," which consists of a hospital for the treatment of tropical disease, with Indian and European nurses and doctors. There is a small consumptive sanatorium, a maternity ward, and ah out-door dispensary. Finally there is a defectives' home, where women and girls weak in mind and body, aro treated and tenderly cared for. Former students and trainees have been drafted to other parts of India, and good accounts aro being received of their work. There is also a good and representative Board of Trustees to secure the property of the mission, and to act in other ways. In America and England there arc sympathisers and workers, and much help is forwarded. At the samo time Miss MaeGrcgor wishes to emphasise the fact that the work is so great, and the need so' urgent, that sho hopes that the Kew Zealand sympathisers will do, their best to keep their fuud going. So far as Indian affairs generally are concerned, Miss MaeGregor tliiuks that men of high ideals of service have been sont from England to do a great work,1 and, if they have, not accomplished eccrything, it is because of the immense difficulties-in-the way, of which people outside can know little or nothing. The great schemes for irrigation which have been carried out have been among the greatest blessings. Tlio big pilgrimage centres havo also been the.subject of hygienic treatment, to the great lessening of infectious diseases, and some of the sacred places havo been cared for on the same lines. A memorial of a practical kind to Ramabai is the Now' Testament printed by child widows —orphans who have been received into her homes. The work is beautifully done, and the script most interesting. There aro no "little widows" in the educated homos. The cruel custom has been given up with wider and better knowledge, but there are great numbers, a million at loast, probably, in the uneducated homes and in remote parts of the country. The Indian Congress last year raised the ago for marriages, for girls to fourteen years, and boys to sixteen, and this caused an immense number of 'marriages to be celebrated -by those who still brlievo in the custom. Thousiutds of child widows were educated by Pninabai, and aro fulfilling useful j and happy places in life. There is a fine system of "pa.y-back" scholarships, by; means of which, when, trained and !

educated, they get work to do, and ! when they are able, pay back the money in order to enable others to receive the same blessings that they have, ■profited by, and this is done cheerfully and readily. Miss MacGregor is speaking, while, in New ZciiUmd, to a number of women's associations.