Posted: 11/02/2011
The first Asha Scotland Celebration was held at on Saturday 5th February at Holyrood Abbey Church, Edinburgh. In attendance were long-time Asha supporters along with a good number of new people. 10 churches were also represented. Friends of Asha (Scotland) was delighted to have Dr Kiran Martin, Founder and Director of Asha present at the conference. In the words of one Asha supporter ‘the whole event was great, really inspiring.”
The day began with Devotions led by Peter Chirnside on the attitudes of the people featured in the Scripture passage ‘the feeding of the 5000,’ and relating to the work of Asha.
Above: Asha supporters listen to a session and get to know each other over lunch
The participants were then transported to India and the slums of Delhi as Tom and Linda Speir and Simon Colville shared some of their experiences as volunteers at Asha and the ways in which they have become more deeply committed to the work. Linda closed by encouraging more attendees to go out and see the situation for themselves. Marc Jones took the group on a different kind of tour – around the Asha website – and demonstrated how easy it is to navigate the site and what a valuable resource the website is. There was also a session on supporting Asha in prayer. Breaking over a delicious lunch, the attendees were able to meet old and new friends.
Above: Dr Kiran is welcomed to the Celebration
The afternoon session was taken by Guest of Honour, Dr Kiran Martin, who movingly shared the work of Asha to date, the vision she has for the future. One attendee said, ‘I was moved to tears.’ The participants said they felt challenged and inspired to go on – and on! Everyone agreed it was a really worthwhile day.
Asha is so grateful to Eleanor and Mickey Robertson, Tom and Linda Speir and all the other organisers and volunteers, to Ali and Hannah Rankin and their band of helpers who did the catering, and of course to all the supporters, old and new, who attended.
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I was pregnant and dangerously anaemic. I couldn't afford to visit a hospital but a women's group member took me to see an Asha doctor who persuaded my husband to donate some blood. One of the Asha staff donated blood as well! My baby was delivered safely, but if it wasn't for Asha we both could have died.
Nafisa, Ekta Vihar
