Editor,
I am not a fan of football, but I was urged by a friend to watch the I-League, played between Shillong Lajong FC and Sporting Club ‘De Goa. I went enthusiastically hoping to see a good match. Eventually, after watching the match, the Indian League turned out to be an Injury League for me. Its not a surprise that India has not ranked well in the FIFA official rankings (above 100). And how will they? The AIFF contingent themselves lack professionalism. Wake up Indian Football and make us your fans!
Yours etc.,
Dr Daniel Nongbri,
Via email
Let truth prevail!
Editor,
Allegations of sexual abuse and child labour against Reverend Miller have spread like wildfire. Some have called him a Christian-cult leader – a highly judgemental statement. I was both a student and hosteller at New Life Home, and a member of New Life City Church, which was supervised by Reverend Miller. He has been like my father and mentor and I am proud to have known such a godly man who has a heart to reach out to the lost generation of youth.
During my stay at New Life Home I witnessed many young people’s lives being restored from drugs, sexual abuse and broken family ties. George, the boy who ran away from home and has created the present mess was like an orphan. I watched him grow in the Home. He should admit that he has become the person he is today because of Miller and his family. How could he turn against them now? My own life too was restored in this very Home. In those days, especially in my years of study in Shillong, it is difficult to find a home away from home. Reverend Miller became a father to us, to hundreds of us.
New Life City Church has had a huge impact on the youth. Most churches in Shillong have not been strong and effective until the revival of 2006. But New Life Church has been making every effort to reach out to the youth. When I was in a school hostel Rev Miler and his team would come to our school for such programs. Now, do not call this a conversion issue! They just shared the love of Jesus and that is how, I found my way to New Life Home.
Some people have had issues with loud music and evangelism projects taken up by Reverend Miller and the Church. Shillong is a music-city and being a church leader, you also cannot deny that music plays an important role in reaching out to the youth. To be in ministry with the youth, you must be a youth, and Reverend Miller has taken the right step. Some students who could not adjust with the spiritual atmosphere in the Home, left it.
Every student at New Life Home is also involved in social work. When we enter the hostel we are told to treat it like our home, to work and study. The work I did in New Life Home has taught me what servant-hood is all about. I read in the papers that children were made to work. I did not see excessive work given to any kid. In Shillong, water is always a problem and we had to fetch water from the well for our own use and for our friends in the Home. We would clean even the water tanks to maintain cleanliness without the advice of Miller. Since, New Life Home is standing by biblical truths to work with the spirit of servant- hood, Miller’s desire was to teach those young people, from Assam-Meghalaya border this idea of servant-hood. Having been to those areas and seen the stark poverty there Miller brought those kids to the Home. Where are the Child Rights and Human Rights people in those poverty hit areas? What are all the NGOs doing? And now they have the audacity to attack Miller, the good Samaritan?
Reverend Miller deserves fair justice. Any New Life student who has lived there would not agree with all these cooked-up stories. Those allegations against him must be fairly investigated. The courts should not be pressured by organizations and NGOs, or be influenced by any other political agenda. It is a challenging time for the family and the church must get to their knees for this family. They need our helping hands. So far we have only heard one side of the story. A man cannot be considered guilty until proven so. May truth prevail!
Yours etc.,
Ajay Kumar Reang
Theologian,
Bangalore
Why this harassment?
Editor,
I must admit I was disgusted to see the photo of immigrants being punished on the cover page of your Oct 27, 2012 newspaper. Where are the protests against this type of harassment? Any protest that descends to a breach of human rights, ceases to be a protest. It becomes an act of bullying and hooliganism. All violence extended to the “outsider” comes back to haunt the “insider.”
Yours etc.,
Deepa Majumdar