History

History

Incarnated Humanization of a Missionary: Ms. M. V.Hutchins in Wanni, Srilanka

Introduction:

During the missionary era many missionaries both men and women, lay and clergy traveled to new locations feeling that they are called by God to engage in evangelization. Many of them came to these lands once colonized by super powers in the world with a colonial mentality. However, they were some who thought differently. They felt that while being faithful to God who has called them, they should take a new approach. They took the international model. Once such person who adopted the incaranational model visited Srilanka and spent a great deal of her life in Wanni. In this paper we examine her model that is relevant and challenges us in the 21st cent. Her model as we find is the role of facilitation of the people towards upliftment of the underprivileged in society. She engaged in this creative, meaningful and powerful mission with trust in God and the powerless humanity. This missionary is late Ms. Muriel Violet Hutchins who spent years of dedicated service in kilinochchi, in wanni, Srilanka. Her life and ministry is still adored by many who have a memory of her dedicated service. Interviews are used to write this paper. It shows the livid memory people have of Ms. Hutchins. That is the witness she had left for the people to cherish even to date.

Humanization through education:

Ms. M.V. Hutchins arrived as a missionary in Srilanka (then known as Ceylon) and she was sent by the C M S and engaged in teaching in the following educational institutions in Srilanka: 01. Ladies College, Colombo 02.Chundikully Girls College, Jaffna 03.Kopay Vernacular Boarding School & Orphanage(Bilingual Girls’ boarding School & Tamil Mixed School ) 04.Kopay Christian College 05. Uduvil Women’s training College 06. Nallur united Christian Tamil Training College

Her life and work reveals that she was much more than a teacher who didn’t confine her ministry to teaching syllaibi. Through her interaction in and outside the class room, she facilitated the children to experience humanness with values such as equality, fellowship and simplicity. It is worth to note that when she thught Tamil in kaithady Mission School on Sunday evenings she had shared sweets amang children and teachers soon after classes and enabled them to have a time of fellowship that led to establishing relationships crossing/transcending all barriers which existed in the community. Her life style attracted many students in Kopay Christian College who came from Uduthurai, Aaliyavalai Thalayady, Palai, Chavakachcheri, Kaithady and Navatuli. She disapproved the caste discrimination and treatedall the same. She had staged a drama to raise awareness among the people of the ill-effects of caste system. After serving almost seven years in schools she retired in 1954.

Humanization through living: Ms.Hutchins felt that the women in general and particularly mentally retired and abused along with poor( women’s, men and children) were looked down in society and they have lost humanness. She facilitated programmers’ to create space for them and for them to have a life with humanness. She opted to serve this underprivileged segment in society; impoverished, homeless, orphans, neglected,blind,mentally retarded, young girls and mothers that were abused and exploited.

She set up a place of service and care to these poorest of the poor called ‘Karuna Nilayam’ (Mercy Seat) in 1955 at kilinochchi. It began with 15 young girls and helper Bavani Acca.The capital for this home came from her pension. A caring simple home gave hope to the inmates at this home. They had a very simple life with hurricane lanterns to light up the place in the nights.

Rt. Revd.Archibald Graham Campbell, the Bishop Of Colombo and ven.John Navaratnam, the Archdeacon of Jaffna encouraged and supported Ms. Hutchins. She had received the support for the Jaffna Christian Missionary Society.

The community life of Karuna nilayam inspired all to struggle and come up in life. The young girls attended school; the young women were facilitated to engage in needle work, knitting, weaving, and growing vegetables and in animal’s husbandry. Further they were guided to keep basic accounts. The produce of Karuna Nilayam community namely broom sticks, pillow cases etc. Were taken to Kilinochchi, Jaffna and other places for sale /marketing.Karunanilayam gradually developed.

Karuna Nilayam has a Chapel with indigenous architecture. The Chapel is at the very entrance. Further a work shop, a weaving center, a hostel, a play ground, farm, pipe bourn water and electricity is available now .That is the growth and development of the place. Every inmate is motivated to use the resources with responcibility really helped the community to come up in life beyond any doubt.

There is no doubt that she struggled to encounter the financial crisis and hardship in the maintenance of Karuna Nilayam. Financial crisis was one of such. Once Ms. Christine, the Director of Kindernothilfe ( KNH), Germany was happy to assist but requested to keep students and sent elders out . Ms .Hutchins’ commitment for each and all in the community was such that she did not agree to loose any members of the karuna Nilayam community in order to get funds. However, the KNH sponsored the counstruction of a hall and that was opened / dedicated on June 29, 1980.

Like all over Wanni, Karuna Nilayam also had to face the war and displacement constantly .Day to day life in karuna Nilayam was always an ongoing struggle as well as a refreshing experience to Ms.Hatchines and everyone in the community who were in and out.

The Following Stories testify & reveal a glimpse of the story:

01. Life In the biginning of Karunanilayam Community:

One night in 1955, as usual Ms.Hutchins and Children with Ms. Bavani acca were sleeping. There was a thundering noise which awoke them in midnight. They listened to and observed elephants in their yard. They hurriedly lit a fire and made big sound to scare and scatter the elephants. Elephants went away. Then they went to sleep.

02. Service of Installation of Ms .Hutchins

On October 29, 1955 there was a service of installation held in Karuna Nilayam. On that occasion Archdeacon Ven. J A R Navaratnam CMS representative Revd. R C Luck raft officiated and installed Ms. Hutchins as a missionary to kilinochchi. Since many Christians from Jaffna presented they congratulated, greeted and whised her and the community with the assurance of their prayers. Ms. hutchins,Mrs. Harriet ponniah, a companion and gardener officially went in to residence.

03. Motherhood:

One day there was a misunderstanding and a quarrel between the matron and a girl. That girl ran out from the premises to the main road (A-9) and refused to return. Ms .Hutchins tried her best to persuade her to get back. But girl did not get back and continued standing outside Karuna Nilayam. in night around 10.30 p.m, that girl came to the St.Paul’s Church which is at the very entrance of karuna Nilayam and slept there. Ms.hutchins spent whole night with this young girl as a mother.

04. Acceptance of Unwanted:

One day a pregnant lady came to the premises of karuna Nilayam. She was very thin and looked sick with frustration. She seemed to be worried about her future. Ms.Hutchins noticed her and came very closer and said’Acca, you returned to deliver baby’ with a smile. That mother who came with lot of worries was grateful to Ms. Hutchins

05. Decisiveness:

One day a man came to Ms. Hutchins and said that he was on his way to Jaffna from Hill Country to get a job and he lost his purse, suitcase and everything. He pleaded that he will be happy if she could support him in that situation of crisis to return home. She felt very sorry for that unfortunate situation and offered money, food, clothes and prayer for his betterment with compassion. Later she learnt that he was a fraud who deceived her. Ms.Hutchins loudly said ‘he has not deceived me but deceived God’.

06. Retirement:

Ms.Hutchins handed over the administration and retired due to her old age, but continued to reside in Karuna Nilayam. She got sick due to cancer and was in a wheel chair. She found very happy through listening to the little once.She use to insist and spend little time from 4 p.m .every day to listen and watch the children play and their laughter. She also spent much time in prayer.

07. Purpose of karuna Nilayam:

One day there was a pregnant girl went to the new warden and pleaded for the support to be there and deliver her baby. New warden said’ No ‘to her and reminded that once before also she came for the same and this was the second time. Refusal really hurt her and she went to Ms. Hutchins and cried much. Ms.Hutchins understood her vulnerable situation and assured her support and sent her and was in prayer. The Priest who served at Karuna Nilayam came to know about the sadness of Ms. Hutchines when she asked him to arrange a place for her to reside. She said, ‘If there is no place in the karuna Nilayam founded by God for such unwanted mothers, I too have no place here’. The priest listened to her and promised to do the needful and tried his best to facilitate her to be in peace. He went and spoke to the warden and found that pregnant girl and admitted her to Karuna Nilayam. He was able to do whatever she needed for the safe delivery of the baby according to Ms. Hutchins’ wishes and informed that good news.

Incarnation of Ms. M.V.Hutchins in Her Humanization Life & History

Ms. Muriel Violet Hutchins was born in Hay, Breconshire, and Wales on March 07, 1899. In 1926 she obtained her Master of Arts Degree from the University of Oxford and taught in Stove Bridge for 3 years. Though she belonged to the Methodist Church under the nurture of wealthy well –off parents she joined Anglican Church and became as a missionary of the CMS. She came to srilanka on November10, 1927 and engaged in teaching English and Latin to the senior classes at Ladies ‘College, Colombo for few months.

She learnt Tamil Language and Carnatic Music in South India and became a teacher at Chundikully Girls’ College at Jaffna. Later She Moved to Kopay in 1931. In 1942 she was made the Principal of Nallur Training College for women. She retired in 1954 from teaching and went to her mother land and felt that she was ‘Out of Place ‘Because her heart and soul were in Wanni. She returned to Srilanka and opted to serve poorest of the poor particularly ‘women’ as a CMS missionary in Kilinochchi in 1955.

She Passed away peacefully after making a lasting impression by becoming and living as a Srilankan, a Tamil, a preacher, a teacher an ecumenist and women liberator and as a person who lived the

Good News of the Reign of God. Ms.Hutchins was one of the incarnated persons beyond any doubt. Factually she became as one of the community wherever she worked and lived. Responded to God’s call within the call through her incarnation model was the peak. It was very clear that she had an inner search and call within the call which could be seen in one of her poem titled,’ The Lament of a disappointed School Mistress ( Missionary)’ and her action. That poem reads:

I once was a teacher away in the west
Teaching English and Latin and doing my best
For girls of all ages from ten to eighteen
To Make their wits Sharp and their intellects Keen
And fit for the Senior Locals.

I said I am weary of teaching Macbeth
And Julius Caesar bores me to death
No Language is duller than Latin I am sure
I shall really go mad, if the teach any more
Force these horrible senior locals.

So I thought I won’t stay here in England to teach
But I’ll go to Ceylon and do nothing but preach
I’ll in a hut in a jungle place
Where no one has ever seen a white face
Where loin look in at the window at night
And Snakes come to visit and probably bite.
And there are no Senior Locals.

But I came and found a prosperous town
Where motors go up and buses go down
Where never a snake or a lion came by
And the people I met were as clever as I
And had all passed the senior Locals.

So still I am teacher and working away
At English and Latin the Whole weary day
With girls of all ages from ten eighteen
To make their wits sharp and their intellects keen
And fit for the Senior locals.

I retired after teaching for years and
A transfer at last to a jangly spot I got
Where an Elephant came to the garden at night
And pigs ate manioc roots with delights
Where the monkeys came stealing the fruit from a tree
And a little green snake paid a visit to me
And there were no senior Locals.

This poem was written by her in 1930 except last verse which was added in December 1977. ( Here ‘ Senior Locals’ refers to school leaving examination).According to her own reflection and from her incarnation at Kilinochchi it was very clear that she was able to get inner satisfaction through responding to her special call of God at karuna Nilayam Community life.

She was very much touched by Tamil. She loved Tamil Language, Carnatic music, traditional oriental architecture and Tamil Customs like hospitality except the evil system called caste which brought divisions in the community, hate and resistance. The structure of Chunnakam Christu Sava Ashram attracted her and she took that as the model the Chapel at Karuna Nilayam (St, Paul’s Church Kilinochchi) which was design by engineer Mr. Canagarajah.She sang Tamil Songs with lily flute and violin, which drew her closer and closer to the people and experience inner peace. it is remarkable to note that she had travelled to the extent of translating Tamil songs to English. In addition to this to engaged in staging many dramas. Though she had an English accent. She spoke good grammatical Tamil in ordinary conversations as well as in preaching and teaching. She wanted all to speak good standard Tamil. Once at the kopay Christian College when a student asked her for a stamp and envelope she instructed him to ask that in pure Tamil. She enjoyed eating with her fingers instead of folk and spoon. Rise and curry was her simple food with the Karuna Nilayam Community. Her basic mode of transport was cycling. When she cycled she use to sing Tamil songs in Jaffna, Kopay and kilinochchi. Generally she use to take broom sticks, pillow cases and other items which Karuna Nilayam produced with her when she cycled and sold them. She had carried cement bags in her by cycle even when she was 70 years. She got srilankan citizenship in 1951 when she singala only Act was passed. She identified as one in the community of Karunanilayam after 1955. She encouraged and facilitated everyone with whom she came in to contact to come up in life.

Identification with needy and poor was very much consistence throughout the life of Ms. Hutchins. When she was in kopay she treated the down trodden with human dignity. Her leadership was in the spirit of servant hood. In the karuna Nilayam community she became a servant at times when there was a need. Once she took one from the karuna Nilayam Community to the hospital at Jaffna. On that occasion, she carried her bag and had provided necessary care to the patient with Mother-Servant hood model.Its also worth to note that when she was t the Maharagama Cancer Hospital for treatment,the doctors provided a bed with necessary medicines in a ward where many patients were lying on mats. When the doctors came to the ward the next day, they found that Ms. Hutchins had given the bed to a more vulnerable person and was using a mat and sleeping with other patients.

For Ms. Hutchins ‘Response to God was Response to the need’. She was keen to provide timely response to the emerging need. She said ‘None of it was my planning. We just had to deal with needs as they arose. We just carried on, until new demands were made which required new decisions’. In The 1958 riots many got displaced. Tharumapuramwas the first settlement for a few victims at Kilinochchi.with the initiation of Archdeacon Navaratnam an Anglican community emerged.Ms. Hutchins understood the needs of the victims and responded very positively. She invited Christian children to Karuna Nilayam to arranged schooling. She facilitated young women to come to Karuna Nilayam and undergo training in sewing. She often visited St. Luke’s Church, Tharunapuram and shared the good news. Its worthy to note that she helped few victims who came to Karuna Nilayam due to 1977 riots. She understood responding to the need as responding to GOD.

Ms. Hutchins had a wider ecumenical heart, which was evident throughout her life. When she was engaged in teaching she had good links with Revd.Bicknell of Jaffna College, Revd.Peto of St.John’s College, Jaffna, Ms. Book Walker of Uduvil and Ms.Northway of Chundikully. They used to get-together with Ms.Hutchins and discuss various matters related to the proclamation of the Good news. After coming to Kilinochchi she had ecumenical relationship with Navajeevanam where Revd.Thambirajah of Church of south India and Ms. Elizabeth baker of Wesleyan Mission. They engaged in wiping out of tears of the poor with genuine commitments to God. She understood the religiosity of Hindus and respected that. Once in a casual conversation she said that those who believed in rebirth might be reborn till they reached perfection. She tried her best to have a temple in indigenous forms of people than western culture.

Upliftment of women who were not accepted and natured with human dignity got preferential care of Ms. Hutchins. Once a mother came to Karuna Nilayam with two children and cried for a safe place to stay and support. She shared with tears that her husband was beating her and she was not able to tolerate him anymore. That woman felt that the only thing she had was to commit suicide. After listening to her story Ms. Hutchins accepted her along with the two children to the Karuna Nilayam community. Her drunked husband used to shout and scold Ms. Hutchins often from the road. Generally Ms. Hutchins ignored and once she commented to that poor lady, ‘young husband is scolding me’ with a smile. It is worth to state a story of a mentally retarded girl of Karuna Nilayam who often scold Ms. Hutchins. There was a girl who was admitted to karuna Nilayam who generally scolded and used to shout at fellow inmates, matron and all other children. Some time she scolded Ms. Hutchins as well. Ms. Hutchins always tolerated and ignore because she had a motherly heart. There was another woman who was also mentally retarded and used to fight and go to the police station and make complaints. When this woman goes out Ms. Hutchins always went after her and got her back to Karuna Nilayam. If she was at the police station Ms.Hutchins went there and encouraged her to return by showing love and concern. Ms.Hutchins always encouraged women to study well and get trained to come up in the midst of challenges and patriarchal structures.

Conclusion

An old trader of Kilinochchi said, the people of vanni were able to see God in Ms. Hutchins. Her life reflects incarnation in the spirit of God.