09/07/2015
Since 1899, the Boys and Girls Christian Home Ministry has been responding to the needs of India’s children. Today, the Home’s strength lies in its unique dual legacy: Its origins are rooted both in an orphanage founded by Indians and a similar organization started by missionary groups.The original Boys and Girls Christian home began as an orphanage in Dhond, a small town near Pune, which was founded by American and British missionaries during a terrible famine at the turn of the last century. In 1899, Methodist missionary Albert Norton and his wife, Mary, witnessing the growing number of starving people, and especially orphans, started the Home with $60 and a lot of faith.In the decades that followed, the Home continued to grow and hundreds of boys passed through the halls. The Nortons eventually returned to the United States, but their granddaughter, Miss M.Ruth Norton, returned to Dhond and was chief administrator there for many years.1960’s – 1970’sMorning Cheer, a Philadelphia-based Christian radio program run by the Rev. George A. Palmer, began supporting the Home in the 1940’s and subsequently brought the Boys Home under its wing. Then, in 1970, his son, the Rev. Robert Palmer, became the Ministry’s president. In1959, the home had 150 boys and about 800 attending school. The Home’s director at the time wrote, “I don’t know what we will do about our School if it continues to grow as at present.”Sure enough, by the 1960’s, the Home was quickly outgrowing its original location in Dhond, which was also near a freight yard and perhaps not the best location for growing boys. At about the same time, the Home’s American attorney, James P. MacLean, became acquainted with an orphanage in the town of Chandur Bazar inMaharashtra State, which had been founded several years before by a local Brahmin, Devidas Borkar, with the support of his church there. It was a perfect fit and, in 1965, the Boys Christian Home moved tonew quarters in Chandur Bazar, where it has since blossomed and expanded its physical plant and its services to the community.1980’s – 1990’sA wonderful development occurred in 1992, when the Home began accepting girls and built a new dormitory for them, becoming the Boys and Girls Christian Home. In the space of a few short years, the girls’ home had grown to its full capacity of 175. The boys’ facilities was also at capacity with 225 boys in residence. In 1999, the year of the Home’scentennial, the Home of Peace was openedas a place of refuge for widows.If the history of the Home were to be summed in one word, it would be this: continuity. Although it has seen many changes and developments in its more than one hundred years of existence, continuity has been maintained because the Home and those who have been involved with it have remained focused on its mission: contribution to the advancement of India by ministering to both the physical and sprirtual needs of its children and widows.Present DayCurrently BGCH is as strong and vibrant as it has ever been. With more than 100 yearsbehind us, we are looking forward with great anticipation to what our Father has for us in the future. With over 200 children finding hope and love at the home, we feelHe has given us a great job to do. Our staff is guided faithfully by our director, Mr. Pranay Nitnawarey, who has followed in the footsteps of his father, Mr P.S. Nitnaware who has just recently retired after providing the foundation of great leadership for many years.We thank God for the countless number of BGCH alumni who are now scattered all over India making a difference for God in their areas of influence. In addition to the children living at the home on a daily basis,we are blessed to have many of the older children training away from BGCH in Bible School, Nursing School and Trade School. These young people will be a key part of the future of India and the influence of the Father throughout the country.
