Murdoch and Anne MacKenzie
  • In Memoriam Murdoch MacKenzie
  • Funeral, Thanksgiving, Family Reflections & Obituaries
    • The Funeral Service
    • The Thanksgiving Service
    • Family Reflections
    • Scotsman Obituary
    • Guardian Obituary
    • Peter Millar Obituary
    • Related Obituary Websites
  • Murdoch's Ancestral Grave
  • Introduction to the Website
  • St Andrew's Bicentenary
  • Bossey (Switzerland)
    • Bossey Students' Projects
    • Images of Student Life
    • Leaving Bossey
  • Christmas & Advent Letters
    • Advent Letter 2014
    • Christmas Letter 2012
    • Christmas Letter 2011
    • Christmas Letter 2010
    • Christmas Letter 2009
    • Christmas Letter 2007
    • Christmas Letter 2006
    • Christmas Letter 2005
  • India
    • Kirkspire Articles Chennai >
      • Village Project in India
      • How it All Began
      • What Happened Next
      • Our Social Worker
      • Independence Day
      • Rural Development
      • Some Setbacks 1976
      • Up-Beat Assessment
      • Rural Project Visit
      • Integrated Development
      • Caledonian Chair
      • Symbols as Signs
      • Stargazers
      • Symbols and the Kirk
      • The Eagle Lectern
      • The Pulpit
      • The Baptismal Font
      • Newbigin Centenary
      • Love Nature as Yourself
    • The Riber Memorial Centre >
      • The Origins
      • The Official Opening
      • The Rev Harold N Riber
    • Rev Roy Manson: An Appreciation
    • Rev Roy Newell: A Tribute
    • A Gift of a Chalice
    • Acorns into Oaks
    • The God of Small Things
    • A Week in the Life of a Missionary Family
    • Bishop Lesslie Newbigin
    • Video of Bishop Newbigin
    • Christmas Letter 2010
    • New Year in Chennai
    • Pilgrimage to India
    • Images of St Andrew's Kirk
  • Lectures
    • People not Paper
    • Methodist Synod Lecture
    • Christianity Must Change
    • Maitland Memorial 2004
  • Macdonald Collection
    • Video of the Collection
    • Murdoch's Inventory
  • Meditations
    • Roots and Fruits
    • St Colm's Reunion 2006
  • Moderator's Letters
    • 1998 >
      • Home Thoughts from Abroad
    • 2001 >
      • Creation & Environment
      • Evangelism
      • Unjust Structures
      • Christian Aid
      • A Roundtable
      • Unjust Debt
      • Christian Normality
      • Partnership for Mission
      • Remembrance
      • Christmas
    • 2002 >
      • Vocation
      • Prayer
      • Organic Unity
      • Christian Aid
      • Venerable David Goldie
      • Personal Covenant
      • Christian Declaration
      • Book that Reads Me
      • Terrorism
      • Palestine
    • 2003 >
      • Yuppies
  • Oban FM Broadcasts
    • Thought for the Day >
      • 2010 May 2
      • 2010 August 1
      • 2010 December 19
      • 2011 March 13
      • 2012 May 1
      • 2012 June 9
      • 2012 September 9
    • Sunday Broadcasts >
      • 2011 July 17
      • 2011 August 28
      • 2011 November 27
      • 2012 November 11
      • 2013 January 27
      • 2013 March 3
      • 2013 June 9
  • Occasional Papers
    • Coracle Summer 2014
    • On Being an Elephant
    • Meaning of 'Naturally'
    • Expedition to Wales
    • Four in a Boat
    • Trotternish Thesis
  • Photo Galleries
    • Golden Wedding 2014
    • The Ascent of Ben Nevis
    • The MacKenzie Family
    • The Road to the Isles
    • Images of St Andrew's Kirk
    • Family Tree
  • Poetry
    • Under Hallwood
    • Tennyson Travels
    • Father's Day Hymn
  • Reflections
    • Appin and Lismore 2007
    • Hugh Drummond
    • United Nationas Day 2012
    • Fair's Fair
    • Advent 2012
    • St Colm's College 1965
    • Trick Or Treat
    • Leipzig Group 2012
    • Bishop Lesslie Newbigin
    • The Iraq War
    • Good Friday Meditation
    • Christingles
  • Reports
    • Justice and Diversity
  • Reviews
    • From Crisis to Creation
    • Every Blessed Thing
    • Seeing the Good
    • Christian Faith Today
    • Finding Hope Again
    • Mission in the 21st Century
    • Pentecostalism South India
    • Axis of Peace
    • Living Spirituality
    • Mission Partnership
  • Sermons
    • Oban Cathedral >
      • Oban: Good Friday 2003
      • Oban: Good Friday 2005
      • Oban: Good Friday 2009
      • Oban: Good Friday 2010
      • Oban: Good Friday 2012
      • Oban: Good Friday 2013
    • Milton Keynes Farewell
    • St Oran's May 2013
    • St Oran's Maundy Thursday
    • Orchy & Bridge of Orchy
    • Muckairn Church 2013
    • St Cuthbert's Edinburgh
    • About Prayer
    • Trinity Sunday 2005
    • Trinity Sunday 2012
    • Taynuilt October 2012
    • Racial Justice 2002
    • Racial Justice 2004
    • Iona Abbey 2006
    • New Year in Chennai
  • Travels
    • Madras to Edinburgh
    • Children's Journey to the UK
  • Useful Links
  • Copyright
This Collection of his Writings and Photographs is a Memorial to the Life and Work of Murdoch MacKenzie              
KIRKSPIRE AUGUST 2006

THE RIBER MEMORIAL DAY CARE CENTRE 3

THE REV HAROLD N RIBER


Murdoch MacKenzie


On 31st May 1973 an Indian Airlines Boeing flight from Madras crashed just outside  Delhi in which 48 people lost their lives. They included the distinguished politician Kumaramangalam and Rev Harold N. Riber. ‘Ribe’ as he was affectionately known, was a Lutheran minister, working with the newly formed Inter Church Service Agency (ICSA) but who previously had worked in India for over 25 years, particularly among the Santal people in the north. He and I were working together in various projects across the city of Madras and with Mary, his wife, he had become a member of the Kirk and a member of the Kirk Session.

When he became a member of the Kirk Session, I remember  saying to him  that although he was on very many committees of one kind or another, he should not think of the Kirk Session as simply another committeee but as something different. Quick as a flash he replied: ‘No. This is the centre of things.’ For him there was no doubt where the centre lay. Whilst his compassion and his friendliness and his shrewd assessment reached out into many areas in Church and State, with Lutherans and the C.S.I. , in Tamil Nadu and in Bangla Desh, in Leprosy Rehabilitation and Population Education, to young students and to senior citizens, in the slums or in the Madras Club – wherever he was or wherever he went he had no doubt at all about the centre of things! Those who met him had no doubt either that here was a man, who without piety or pretentiousness, had a living and dynamic faith which was centred in the love of Jesus Christ.

At the Memorial Service on Sunday night 10th June 1973 the Kirk was packed to capacity as men and women from all walks of life in Madras, and from far beyond, came to pay their tributes. They included Stephen E. Palmer United States Consul General, Viji Srinivasan the Executive Officer of the New Residents Welfare Trust and Rev Munshi Tudu, President of the Santal Church.  Rev Riber was described as a great American, as a man who had implicit trust in indigenous Indian leadership and as a person who was loved by everyone in the villages of Santalia from the youngest children to the most senior elders.

The Bible was read by Rev Dr W.P. Peery of the Lutheran Church in America and the sermon was preached by Rt Rev J.E.L. Newbigin, Bishop in Madras. The Bishop addressed the question as to why such terrible accidents happen and said they have to be understood as part of the error and imperfection of a world which is still being set free from its bondage and decay and in which we have to work for liberation, including that of the deprived and rejected for whom ‘Ribe’ gave his life. We do all this in the knowledge that Jesus continues to intercede for us and in the knowledge that we can be sure that nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Mrs Mary Riber and her children came, all dressed in white, and a Thankoffering was taken for the work of Day Care Centres in the City of Madras. Exactly a year later on 31st May 1974 the Riber Memorial Trust was launched to provide scholarships for students of Social Work specialising in leprosy work.

On 12th June 1973 the following article appeared in The Madras Mail, written as a tribute by Thiru Rama Arangannal M.L.A., Chairman of the Tamilnadu Slum Clearance Board.

Rev H.N. Riber

‘The terrible disaster which occurred in the plane crash in Delhi has taken away many valuable lives. Among the notable personalities who died was Rev H.N. Riber who was a noble man. In the estates now built up by the Slum Clearance Board, all amenities including libraries, adult education services, medical facilities and children’s Day Care Centres are provided through the New Residents Welfare Trust. Once the Rev Riber had occasion to visit one of our estates. On seeing our efforts to change the mental outlook of slum-dwellers rehabilitated in the modern tenements, without the slightest hesitation, he gave a cheque for Rs.5,000 for the welfare activities. On another occasion when Day Care Centres were opened to look after the children of working women with Government aid in the Slum Board estates, he came forward to provide utensils and equipment to the Day Care Centres and gave more than Rs.7,000 for this purpose.

His interest in social welfare activities was boundless. He took keen interest in child welfare, family planning and leprosy work, and rendered valuable help to the Trust for the conduct of  an exhibition at the Children’s Hospital in January 1973. A man of singular liberality and real kindness of heart, he will always be remembered as one who did much for the poor slum-dwellers in Madras City.’

Soon after this, whilst the children’s playground was still named after Major Chandrakant Jadhav, the Day Care Centre itself was named The Riber Memorial Day Care Centre. A copy of the photograph of ‘Ribe’ which had been in the Order for the Memorial Service was framed and it still hangs on the wall of the new Day Care Centre and Community Development Project building to this day.

Next month we will look back to the beginnings of the Village Project.

Murdoch MacKenzie

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.