India Win the Cricket Twenty20 World Cup!!

India beat their arch rivals Pakistan in the World Twenty20 final by five runs to clinch their first major trophy since 1983 last night! I watched the end of the game with one of my Indian friends, and he told me that it was kind of "like a war" that these two teams were in the final! I guess it must be something like Scotland England! Speaking of which, I have managed to purge myself pretty well of my in-bred anti-English biggotry by now; I have now been "married to the enemy" for seven years, and I'm moving south of the border of course when we return to the UK next year. I passed a sports shop last week, and I even contemplated BUYING AN ENGLAND CRICKET STRIP as a sort of immersion therapy!!

I have never been a big cricket fan. In fact I would say I find Cricket pretty boring, but then I would, wouldn't I, coming from a country where it rains pretty much constantly! This Twenty20 world cup has been great. The concept is that each side only gets 20 "overs" so they only bowl 120 balls. this means that a game can be over in 3 hours. I expect that this could even catch on in the US!, where they watch boring sports like American Football, and rounders (oops, sorry, I mean baseball!)

Umar Gul pegged India back in an impressive spell

India were up against it when their innings was restricted to 157-5, and it looked likely that Pakistan could win. then India took a few quick wickets in the middle of the Pakistani batting order, and victory looked likely to come India's way. However there was then another nail-biting twist as Pakistan took 4 sixes in 6 balls heading into their final over. They needed 6 runs from 5 balls to win, and it looked like they might have hit another 6 for a second, but the ball went straight up in the air and was easily cought, giving India victory with just 4 balls remaining.

RP Singh took three wickets as India fought back

I HAVE NEVER BEEN EXCITED BY CRICKET BEFORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But I think that Twenty20 cricket could make it a much more popular sport world wide.

A bad month? Or is this a just "normal"?

SOCIAL TURMOIL RAGING THROUGHOUT INDIA

The following are recent events of 2007 in India;

On August 26, a tribal man and three women were brutally beheaded by a group of villagers who suspected that they were practising sorcery in Balasore district of Orissa.

Ramesh Patel

On August 27, a 24-year-old man named Ramesh Patel was chained to a tractor, dragged and murdered in Palanpur district of Gujarat. Ramesh Patel was hacked to death in front of hundreds of villagers in a small hamlet in Banaskantha district, still police officials say they are searching for eyewitnesses.

On August 28, after a speeding truck in Agra, the home town of Taj Mahal in Uttar Pradesh crushed four teenagers, a mob gathered and burnt over 54 vehicles and many shops nearby in which one person was killed and many were hospitalised. On the same day, retaliatory killings were prevented in Gohana village in Haryana due to the prompt intervention of the Dalit elders and police after one of their youths was found murdered.

Salim Aurangzeb

On August 29, an unemployed youth named Salim Aurangzeb was tied to the motorcycle of a police officer and was dragged along the road in Bhagalpur in Bihar in full view of the cheering crowds for alleged chain snatching. On the same day Raibhan Tembhurne, a school teacher of 55-years-old allegedly killed his 19-year-old college going daughter Ratna as a human sacrifice along with his two wives Reema and Sharda by the instruction of a black magic petitioner. Mathews Pulimoottil Cor-episcopa, an 81-year-old village bishop of Malankara (Indian) Orthodox Church was severely beaten and hospitalised in Cochin in Kerala also on the same day.

On August 30, a Dalit woman was allegedly raped by two persons in Shajapur in Madhya Pradesh.

On August 31, four alleged fuel thieves were tortured for hours and made to crawl by villagers and truckers near Bhubaneswar in Orissa. Mariyam, an elderly woman of 83-years-old was brutally murdered in Trissur district of Kerala. A 45-year-old Dalit man, Brahmadas, was allegedly burnt to death by his employers in Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh on the same day. In the past 2 years 2 people in the extended families of patients of mine have been burned to death.

On Sept 1, two elderly women were allegedly murdered by their sons in Keonjhar district in Orissa for practicing sorcery. The arrested youths told police they killed their mothers, in their 60s, because a witch doctor told them that their mothers were trying to kill them in order to achieve success in witchcraft after killing their fathers, who had died some time ago.

On Sept 2, a girl and a boy were beheaded at Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh after they were found in a compromising position.

Itwari

On Sept 3, Itwari, a ten-year-old boy was tied to a horse by a rope and dragged on the road by a Gujar crowd in Jalandhar District of Punjab for trying to stop their horses from grazing his fields. On the same day, T Solomon was tied to a tree near Kollam in Kerala mercilessly beaten for allegedly stealing a cow. Police later found him mentally unsound. An elderly Dalit woman named Hirawati, 60, was also beaten to death by four upper caste women over a petty dispute in the city of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, also on the same day.

On Sept 5, Krishna Khoya, suspected of murdering an elderly couple with witchcraft was executed by a tribal council in Jharkhand State.

On Sept 9, three boys aged between 17-18, who had robbed a motor cycle at gun point near Shriddala in Bihar, escaped lynching when police reached there in time. But the right eye of one of them was gouged.

On Sept 10, two minor boys were beaten and paraded on the streets by villagers for allegedly stealing detergent powder from a shop in Nawada district in Bihar.

On Sept 12, ten people were lynched in Vaishali district in Bihar. A high-level probe has found the 10 men were not thieves as suspected earlier. Nitish Kumar, the Chief Minister of Bihar imposed a fine against the residents of the village.

On Sept 16, Hindu extremists burned down a prayer hall and beat Pastor Virendra Singh and his wife Bhavna in Barauli village in Uttar Pradesh. A mob of 30 extremists, threatened the couple and then set the church thatch on fire. The whole structure was reduced to rubble in a matter of a few minutes. the Church had more than 500 people inside. “The 500-600, who were present in the church, ran out panicking, crying with fear. They somehow managed to help the sick believers escape from the church,”

On Sept 18, A 60-year-old dalit man by the name of Bhagwat Ravidoss was beaten to death and another seriously injured by landowners of Bhadrar village in Banka District of Bihar, India. Police said poverty-stricken and landless Dalits have been living on land owned by the government for decades. "Landowners and their henchmen attacked the Dalits and destroyed their thatched huts Tuesday night in a bid to capture the land. Bhagwat and Ravi were beaten up when they tried to put up a protest," a police spokesman said. A case has been lodged against 49 people connected with the incident, but no one has been arrested yet.

On Sept 21, Two more suspected thieves were lynched at Saketpuri, a lower middle class neighbourhood in Patna in Bihar state. The alleged thieves were attacked by an angry crowd. “One of the victims jumped into a pond to escape, but the mob encircled, stoned, pulled him out and he was beaten to death,” Anwar Hussain, City Police Superintendent said to reporters.

On Sept 22, Dara Singh alias Ravinder Kumar Pal and three others were sentenced to life imprisonment by the District Judge Sachidananda Sahu of Mayurbhanj District and Sessions court in Northern Baripada town in Orissa for the murder of a 35-year-old Catholic priest Arul Doss.
Dara Singh is already undergoing a life sentence in Baripada Circle Jail for burning to death of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two minor sons Philip and Timothy, while they were sleeping inside their vehicle outside a church at Manoharpur village in Keonjhar district on January 22, 1999. Graham's wife amazed the Indian public when she appeared on television and publicly forgave the people who had killed her 3 loved ones.

Graham Staines and his family

All of the above events have really happened in the past month. the sad thing is that it is "normal" for things of this nature to happen here in India.

...and today?...tomorrow?

To Infinity… And beyond!

What follows is the article I wrote for my school magazine which somehow ended up on the desk of an Edinburgh Evening News reporter and resulted in them also writing an article about the work we are doing here in India. It is very humbling that what little we are doing creates such a stir!

Hi all,
It seems having a father on the staff is good for pushing buttons and raising your profile!! I’ve always wanted my five minutes of fame, and here they are!

My Name is Adam Black, I am a 32 year old General Practitioner, but I’m currently taking three years out of my career to work in an HIV/AIDS clinic in India.

I moved to George Watson’s College from the islands of Orkney off the north coast of Scotland in 1988 at the age of fourteen. It was a bit of a culture shock, coming from a small island school to such a large city school. Watson’s offered so many more opportunities, and I think I made the most of the extra curricular activities.

I was pretty insensitive and arrogant as a teenager, and I fear many of my peers found me pretty insufferable! (sorry to any of you reading this now!). My immaturity continued when I went to Glasgow university to study medicine. Instead of settling down and hitting the books, I spent too much time partying and failing exams. At one time I had a meeting to discuss whether I was going to be kept on as a student, or whether they would expel me. I took a long hard look at myself, and pretty much changed the way I was living my life overnight.

I passed medicine, did various hospital posts (Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Geriatrics, Accident and Emergency, Paediatrics and Psychiatry). I then completed GP Registrar training, and passed my GP post-graduate exams in 2004.

As part of my training at medical school, I spent one month in Chennai, India working in an HIV/AIDS awareness program. At that time I realized how fortunate I had been in life- to have been given such an easy ride. I was born into a loving family, in a rich country, went to a GREEEEAAAT school! But the patients I was treating had nothing. They were often sold into prostitution by their fathers who did not want the burden of paying a wedding dowry for them. Many others were not able to feed their children, as they could not find alternative work. They had been born into slavery to poverty, and impossible life choices, by their surroundings.

I realized that but by the grace of God, I too could have been born into exactly the same situation, but instead I had never wanted for anything. It was therefore not a difficult choice for me to make to decide to take three years out of my affluent life to help redress the balance a little. I know that when I return to the West I will still be very comfortable, and my life will not really have suffered. On the contrary, I have had an amazing opportunity to grow as an individual, and learn to count my blessings, and be really contented with what I have.

In the West, it is all too easy to focus on things like the latest mobile phone, or your alloy wheels, or getting the next promotion. There is nothing wrong with these things, but there is also so much more to life, like being grateful that we have a roof over our heads, food to eat, or that we do not have HIV.

It all depends where your focus is.

If all people who could afford it gave 10% of their salary each month to social causes, they wouldn’t actually miss the money- they would quickly become accustomed to that money not being there (people spend what they have). However, what a difference it would make to all those who have nothing.

Poverty crushes the human spirit. Three billion people (half the world’s population) live on less than $2 per day, unable to meet their basic human needs. Malnutrition, lack of health care, substandard housing, and illiteracy breed desperation, disease and daily suffering. Poverty traps future generations in a vicious cycle without hope or opportunity.

Here in India I am by no means the answer to the problem, but I do what I can, and as other people benefit from my being here, so do I. I know that my life will never be the same again, and my outlook and perspective will be forever richer.

Thanks for listening.
Adam Black

Gods row minister offers to quit

I thought it was quite amusing that the Indian "culture minister" could have lodged a legal document arguing that Hindu Gods never existed! What a gaff of quite ridiculous proportions!


India's culture minister has offered to resign in a row over whether Hindu gods are mythological figures.
Officials had presented the argument in court to support construction plans for an area devotees believe has remnants of a bridge built by the Hindu god Ram.
Minister Ambika Soni said she would quit if asked to by the prime minister.
She also confirmed that two directors of the Archaeological Survey of India, which prepared the court affidavit, had been suspended.

Hindu devotees believe the area between India and Sri Lanka - now known as Adam's Bridge - (Good name by the way...) was built millions of years ago by Lord Ram, supported by an army of monkeys.

Ms Soni said an investigation was under way, but scientists and archaeologists say Adam's Bridge, or Ram Setu, is a natural formation of sand and stones.
On Wednesday the Archaeological Survey of India told the Supreme Court that the religious texts were not evidence that Lord Ram ever existed.
Hardline Hindu opponents of the government accused the administration of blasphemy and protesters carried out demonstrations in the area and in Delhi, Bhopal, and on a number of key highways.
The next day the report was withdrawn.
Ms Soni told reporters on Saturday: "If the prime minister of India... would feel that I am culpable and wants me to resign, it won't take me a minute to do so."
Ms Soni said the directors had been suspended because they had ignored a revision she had made to the affidavit.
She said an inter-departmental investigation was now under way to find out who was responsible.
The government wants to build a canal to link the Palk Strait with the Gulf of Mannar by dredging a canal through the shallow sea.
The $560m Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project is expected to provide a continuous navigable sea route around the Indian peninsula.

Edinburgh Evening News Article

Sat 15 Sep 2007
Mission to end HIV's stigma
JOANNA VALLELY

WHEEZING and undernourished, the delicate-looking boy was brought by a neighbour to the hot Indian HIV clinic. His mum and dad had HIV and there were strong suspicions that the 12-year-old was also suffering from it. Edinburgh doctor Adam Black ran tests on the weakened youngster and confirmed that he had indeed contracted the deadly virus - probably at birth.
Huge stigma surrounds HIV in India, where those who are open about being infected are often shunned and risk losing their jobs and homes. As a result many don't seek medical help for the devastating effects of the illness till it is too late.
Such was the case for Ashish, who lived with his aunt and alcoholic uncle. Through fear and ignorance they made him use separate cups, plates and towels and forced him to sit on the dirt floor like an animal. But with his chirpy manner and lovely smile, the 12-year-old quickly endeared himself to staff during his regular visits to the clinic in Thane, a city near Mumbai.
He responded to HIV medications and was attending school, where he was doing well. Even the uncle who had treated him abysmally became more understanding after receiving counselling and education about HIV at the clinic. But cruelly, just as it seemed the youngster was making progress, he was diagnosed with an aggressive bone tumour, completely unrelated to his HIV, and died six months later.
Adam, 33, from North Meggetland, reflects on the injustice of Ashish's short life. "He got HIV from his mother when he was born and it was unusual that he had it for 12 years. His father had died and his mother abandoned him and he lived with his uncle, who was often drunk and used to beat him. He was such a lovely boy and I thought how easily our roles could have been reversed. I'm so privileged to have been born in the west."
Working with people with HIV in an area of grinding poverty, Adam witnesses extreme suffering on a daily basis. He says: "They are often thrown out of their home and job, and their friends and family cut them off. The stigma is very great. The dominant religion is Hinduism, with its concept of Karma. People feel that if something bad happens to you, it is your own fault and you deserve it."
The Edinburgh GP has been in Thane since September 2005 with his wife Jo, 32, and children Alistair, three, and one-year-old Freya, who was born there. He is completing a three-year stint as a volunteer, providing out-patient care at the Jeevan Sahara Kendra HIV/Aids project at Lok Hospital.
Adam sees around ten patients a day, mainly in the 13-30 age group, with the help of a Hindi translator. Many of those affected have contracted the virus as a result of sexual contact with an infected person. "Most of the people I see are family members - maybe the husband sleeps with prostitutes and brings HIV back to the family. It's very sad."
Education on the prevention of sexual diseases is not as ingrained as in Britain. A pack of three condoms can cost a day's wages so many people decide to do without and, in a patriarchal society, women are often afraid to insist.
Adam lives with his family in a five bedroom flat, luxurious by local standards, with fans, running water and unreliable electricity.
It's a far cry from how most of his patients live, in homes eight feet square, with mud floors, only one toilet between many homes, and without running water. "Half the population of Thane live like that. It's challenging working here."
Patients are given medicines to suppress the virus and help their immune systems recover and preventative antibiotics. However for people with HIV in India, life expectancy is less than in the UK.
The former George Watson's pupil became aware of the HIV problem in India when he spent a month in Chennai as part of his medical training.
For Adam, a major difficulty is that because of the stigma attached patients don't come to the clinic until they are already very ill. "Often they will be really dehydrated and half-paralysed before they come to see us."
The most rewarding part of Adam's work is the satisfaction he derives from knowing he has saved lives. "It is nice to look around and say 'that patient should really have died'."
The Blacks are due to return to Scotland in July when Adam will resume his work as a GP.

Hyde Park Elephants

These photos are of two of the 13 new life-size elephants made from willow at London's Hyde Park. The works were commissioned by a charity to help support elephant habitat projects.

However many of you may know that we live in "Hyde Park" housing society, and here is a photo of Alistair (in the red T-shirt) getting an elephant ride on a REAL ELEPHANT!! One of the local kids was having a birthday party, and their dad had hired this elephant to give the children that live in Hyde park an Elephant ride! It really puts things in perspective!

this is rather a nice other photo of an elephant that I came across- the two lads are Andrew and Robert, friends of my sisters who visited us here in India.

Back in Scotland with family. . .

We enjoyed some really nice days with Adam's sister Penni and her kids in Edinburgh. Alistair still talks of his cousins, almost daily. It is nice to think that he now has firm memories of all (11!) of them. Here he is with (from left) Daniel, Magnus and Laura. At this point they were looking for a lost ball!

Freya and Penni's youngest Roselle who had her first birthday while we were back. We hadn't met her prior to this trip.

Boys will be boys! Daniel, Alistair and Magnus at Granny and Granpa's dinner table.

and friends . . .

Freya, Alistair and Amy, the daughter of friends of ours Ross and Aileen. Amy is only 3 days older than Freya and now has a wee sister Chloe aswell. Sadly we didn't make it to see her before we came back to India.

Freya and Daniel enjoying time together at Queens Park in Glasgow. Daniel is my good friend Janet's wee boy.

Kids day out! Waiting for the train . . . I love this photo!
Looks like my friends and I are doing our bit to populate the world! It was great to meet up with some of the Mums from our home church when we were back in Glasgow. Most of these kids were born within weeks of eachother, in 2 seperate batches!

The morning after

Ruth's family kindly invited those of our family still around in Guildford on the Sunday after Chris and Ruth's wedding to join them for lunch.

A lady who lunches!! A sign of things to come?! Freya continues to love all things dressing up and throughout the day appears in numerous combinations of shoes, clothes, bags. Definitely nature not nuture and interesting to observe her girly tendencies coming through already.

Another thing Freya loves is playing with labels... hmmm... handbags, labels, shoes... it'll be credit cards next!

Feeding the ducks

After lunch we spent a lovely afternoon at this stately home and grounds near Guildford. It is the kind of afternoon we dream about when we're in India, deciding how to spend a free day. The beautiful countryside, perfect weather and picnic was a great ending to a lovely weekend.

One of my fondest childhood memories is feeding the ducks with my own gran. I wonder if this will also form a happy memory in Alistair's head?

Enjoying space to run and explore....

Chris and Ruth's Wedding

Now, finally, I sit down to continue the record of our time in the UK.
The reason we went back when we did was for my brother's wedding on 9th June. Chris (my youngest brother) and Ruth were married in Guildford and are now living in Sheffield.
It was a fantastic, really fun day and, for us, a great chance to see lots of family for the first time in a while. The kids loved seeing their other cousins, and were very excited by the bouncy castle at their disposal all day! What a great idea! (Enjoyed as much by some adults as by the kids I hasten to add)

This photo is a rare one of all the Simkins plus partners and children together (minus Rory, my brother Paul's eldest, who was playing in the tree at the time - a more appealing option for a 3 year old boy than a photo shoot?!). Many of you will recognise who's who.

The bus that was hired to take anyone that wanted to the reception venue. Again, a big hit with the kids.

You could be forgiven for not recognising Alistair at the front of this photo - flat on his face and loving it!

Great Venue

The reception was held in this amazing medieval barn. The weather was great and everyone enjoyed mingling outside over a drink or two before the meal was served. there are only meant to be 4 weddings per year in the barn, and Chris and Ruth's wedding was the 5th. They had to have their application especially approved. It was definately a no-smoking venue, as this is something like the oldest existing barn in England.

Alco-pop?

I love this photo! Some male bonding on the dance floor! Adam and Alistair took the opportunity to wear their kilts and looked great (not that I'm biased!). Don't worry though, Alistair's tipple was entirely non-alcoholic!!!

The music was fantastic and had all ages up having a boogie and a good laugh.

Ali and Freya kept going all day and finally enjoyed a snooze at about 11pm. Ahhh!