Velemegna Good News Society Hospital

Donate for Hamara Bandhan e.V., www.hamara-bandhan.org

Profiles in Faith

Dr. Anselm Christopher Salins - (June 10, 1936 - July 20, 2002)

Anselm Christopher ("Christy") Salins was born into a fellowship of Christian believers. His grandparents, parents and maternal uncle all loved and served the Lord as powerful witnesses in their generations.

Dr. & Mrs. Salins (founders of velemegna)

Christy’s father, a lighthouse keeper, was determined that at least one of his children should be a dedicated Christian doctor and named his fifth child Christopher, "bearer of Christ’s cross." Christy was a happy-go-lucky child in Mangalore, enjoying the company of five siblings, (three brothers and two sisters), oblivious – as youngsters often are – of his loving mother’s earnest prayers for her children’s salvation. Christy excelled in sports and music and never made enemies.

Raised with good Christian nurture, Christy showed signs of unusual compassion and love for people from an early age but was too busy enjoying life to worry about his spiritual well being. He went to church to sing in the choir and his overriding passion was for the game of Cricket, where he was on the verge of reaching ‘Ranji Trophy’ level and began dreaming of glory as a professional athlete. But a hunting accident at age seventeen lodged a bullet in his right thigh, which had to be removed, effectively ending his dream of Cricketing fame. In the hospital he thanked God for sparing his life and there he met Brother Peter Iqbal (a Muslim convert) with Laymen’s Evangelical Fellowship (LEF) who helped turn his life from "Cricket to Christ".

His life was about to be transformed in unimaginable ways.

While studying for his B.Sc. at Madras Christian College (in modern-day Chennai), his developing, close friendship with Peter Iqbal and the fellowship of other committed Christians led him to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Christy was set on fire for the Lord. LEF provided a good foundation and training for his ongoing life of discipleship, and very soon Christy felt called to preach the gospel and win other souls to Christ.

The tender-hearted boy who could not bear to watch a chicken being killed, now sought admission into the Christian Medical College at Vellore in 1957, and from the very beginning was fully involved in evangelical work as part of the Evangelical Union (EU). As captain of his college cricket team, Christy had to be dragged from prayer meetings to play in games, and each Sunday after church, he would go to the men’s prison for ministry and there witnessed the miraculous change of heart of notorious criminals through his testimony.

In his third year of medical studies, Christy was persuaded not to quit medicine to become a full time minister by the wise advice of a well-known neurosurgeon. "There are many more people who go to hospitals than those who go to churches," he advised. "You can do more ministry as a medical missionary."

Dr. Ida Scudder, founder of the Christian Medical College in Vellore, was 84 years old when Christy was a student there. Going around the college in her wheel chair, she would hold students’ hands and tell them, "I love India. Go serve rural India." This, perhaps more than anything, began Christy thinking about preparing to go to the most needy parts of rural India after completing his studies.

Although Christy had been introduced to a lovely, young medical student named Sushila Ruhani Pauliah during his first year of studies, he only really noticed her in his final year when they attended spiritual conferences together.

In December 1963, a local evangelical fellowship in CMC, Vellore held a meeting to bid farewell to the outgoing students. One male student and one female student were selected to share their testimonies. The man was Christy; Sushila ("Suzy") was the girl. While listening to how Sushila had accepted the Lord Jesus as her personal savior, Christy made up his mind that she would be his life partner.

In 1991, Christy developed obstructive jaundice and underwent major abdominal surgery (Wipples procedure) for early pancreatic cancer. He survived the surgery and told everyone God had given him second innings in life and he wanted to live for the Lord.

In 2001, he developed a new cancer in the remaining part of his pancreas, which was inoperable.

Christy was called "Home" on July 20, 2002, departing this life in the arms of his beloved, life-long companion, Sushila.

Dr. Mrs. Sushila (Pauliah) Salins (June 1, 1939 – September 10, 2003)

Born into a Christian family in Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu, southern India, Sushila was the first of six children. Conceived after much prayer, Sushila was dedicated by her parents to the Lord, and grew up as a self-described "nominal Christian." She accepted Jesus as her personal savior at a Layman Evangelical Fellowship Revival meeting in Nagercoil in 1959 and returned home singing with the joy of being born again.

Her father, P. V. Pauliah, worked as a tea estate manager in Ceylon (Sri Lanka). For many years the family lived in luxury. Then, in 1950, ethnic problems forced them to leave Ceylon and return to Nagercoil where Mr. Pauliah worked at many small jobs to eek out a living to support his family. Sushila was a favorite of her father, whom she adored, and he was determined to make her a doctor.

Sushila’s mother, Daisy, was very strict woman, in constant conflict with her alcoholic husband. Her frugal, good planning enabled all six children to be raised as good Christians and good citizens of world.

Sushila was beautiful with long, dark hair and a charming smile. Good in studies, she received a Bachelor in Medicine and Bachelor in Surgery (M.B.B.S.) from Christian Medical School in Vellore in 1963 (where she met her future husband, A. C. Salins). In later years (1983-84), she received a Diploma in Public Health and an M.Sc. in Community Health in London.

She was the most highly educated of her siblings, and the only one to become doctor. But during her early years of study, wherever Sushila went, her father went along. After her marriage, she brought him to Bidar, where initially he helped with hospital accounts. But disagreements between new husband and father, coupled with the latter’s continuing alcoholism, compelled P. V. to leave. For as long as possible, Sushila supported her family financially.

From childhood, Sushila delighted her siblings with wonderful stories. But it was her simplicity and prayerful lifestyle which most appealed to Christy Salins.

Inspired by missionary teachers, Sushila and Christy Salins gained experience treating India’s most needy and neglected leprosy patients in Karigiri in Tamil Nadu state. Hoping to be sent to Nepal or Bhutan, they were entreated to undertake the demanding work no one else was willing to take up in the remote district of Bidar in northern Karnataka.

A tender-hearted, God-fearing woman, Sushila instilled in their four children – Sybil, Serina, Swarthick and Sundeep – strong Christian values and the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom. She ensured that each one received a good education and was settled in life, and lifted every care and need to the Lord. When answers came, she shared them with others that they might be encouraged and uplifted also. Her life was a blend of many roles: parent, missionary, friend, mentor and Christian.

Sushila underwent surgery for ovarian cancer at CMC in January 2002. She developed severe neuropathy due to chemotherapy and diabetes, and was treated for this with some success. Sushila Salins went Home to be with the Lord on September 10, 2003.

In their marriage and ongoing work for the Lord, Sushila’s calm gave stability to Christy’s exuberance. While Christy was often described as the visionary, Sushila’s positive thinking and sound, practical, common sense fulfilled those dreams and transformed them into reality.

Dr. Mrs. Sybil Meshramkar Dr. Mrs. Sybil (Salins) Meshramkar

My father wanted to have lots of children, so each child would be a sign and a wonder (Isaiah 8:18). When my mother, Sushila ("Suzy"), did not conceive for two years, they began to worry. Then, just as Suzy was an answer to her parents’ prayers – their first child born after five years of marriage – I, like her, was dedicated to the Lord in thanks for the fulfillment of His promise in Psalms 113:9: "You shall not be a barren woman but happy mother of children.

Mother’s labor and my delivery were difficult, but when father first held me, he jumped for joy, saying "I’m a father, I’m a father!" I grew up as the apple of their eye and their very precious child. Soon, I had a baby sister, Serina. My parents longed for a son, and when baby brothers Swarthick and Sundeep came into our lives, their joy was complete. They gave each child a special name reflecting their hopes for us. I was called Sybil Evangeline – Evangeline being someone who brings the gospel to the world.

It was vital to mother that we all received the best possible education, and so when I reached grade 7, I was shifted from the small school in Bidar to Good Shepherd Public School, Ooty, in the Niligiris. It was a public school run by Catholics. There I really blossomed. Encouraged by my teachers, I was at the top in all my studies.

Of all my pre-university courses, I did best in the sciences. I knew my parents wanted me to become a doctor, but I did not. I was hoping, instead, to enter civil service and become an Indian Administrative Service Officer, but, with reluctance, agreed to consider medicine...if, after I finished university, I got into Christian Medical College (CMC) in Vellore. When I did not get in, I took up the Arts (psychology, sociology, economics) but quickly realized I was a total misfit. As a very timid girl, with no self-confidence, I found it painful and nearly impossible to write beautiful essays in English and impress people with my speaking ability. And so, instead of getting 100% marks as I had done in the sciences, I was failing. I needed to know with certainty that God wanted me to go to medical school, and my poor showing in the arts was His answer.

While preparing for my medical school entrance exams, I met an Australian couple, both of whom were almost blind, who had come to India to hear about the work being done at Christian Blind Mission, which they supported. After hearing my father say how difficult it was getting like-minded doctors to work for him, the lady turned to me and said, "I will bless you, and the next time I come to India, I come to see your work as an eye doctor." That changed my whole life. By God’s grace, I got into medical school, sponsored by Eye Mission, and did very well. While girls around me were fainting, I did fine. I was timid on the outside, but strong inside. And I was where God wanted me to be.

After medical school, I returned to Bidar and took up the challenging work of starting a small hospital in the nearby village of Baridabad. Except for the spiders, snakes, scorpions, and village people, I was all by myself. I returned to the base hospital in Bidar every other weekend and my parents came to Baridabad the other weekends. It was great fun. But it was also my haven and retreat – a place where I found peace amidst a very busy schedule.

At one point, a lady came to me vomiting and totally dehydrated. Doctors in Bidar had seen her and said there was nothing they could do to help. She was sent home to die. But when one of the doctors suggested she come to Baridabad, I did a venous cut down to put intravenous tubing directly into her vein and gave her plenty of I.V. fluids. This revived her. After that, people had faith in us and the hospital began doing really well.

Needing to pursue post-graduate work, I went back to Ludhiana, in the Punjab to study ophthalmology. In 1994, I got married.

Like many Indian marriages, my parents arranged mine. My mother wanted it very much, and I agreed to it, but for all the wrong reasons. I was getting older and was concerned that if I rejected this man, I might never find another one to marry.

Life took a different turn after my marriage. My strong vision of becoming an eye doctor grew dimmer in light of the huge struggles facing me in marriage. I began to realize that I could not pursue any of my dreams, whether studies or serving God. For, despite my parents’ best efforts, my husband and I were totally incompatible. I tried to make things work, and asked God for a sign: if He wanted me to remain married, He would give me a child. God blessed us with beautiful boy, Vineet ("Chinku"), and we were very happy as a family for two years in Saudi Arabia until my husband lost his job and we had to return to India.

Having taken a career break of two years to care for Chinku, I realized that if I wanted to get back into my profession, I would need to go back to school as soon as possible. The longer I delayed, the more likely it would be that I would never return. A difficult decision had to be made. What should be done next? That’s when the real rift occurred between my husband and me.

My in-laws wanted me to start a nursing home. Deepak wanted to return to Saudi Arabia. I wanted to do a course to get back into my profession. After much prayer and difficulty, I returned to CMC in Vellore with my son. Totally broken as person, I was very afraid that my husband would come and snatch Chinku away. But once again, I felt God was with me. Within a month, my teachers started appreciating my work and I began to learn all the surgical skills needed to be the best eye doctor.

I left that great institution a changed person, filled with self-confidence and happy. I tried to patch things up with my husband, but the gulf between us was too wide.

When an offer came to take a course in Community Eye Health at the Institute of Ophthalmology in London, I made arrangements to take Chinku with me to England to work towards a Masters in Science. My husband went to court to stop me, but we arrived safe and sound.

This was the most difficult year of my life. Daily, I traveled through a large, unfamiliar city to take my son to a day care center while I attended courses, picked him up later, and while he slept, I studied. Initially, I did not do well. But God was again faithful. My two brothers came over to look after Chinku during my exams and while I joined other students in study groups. In the end, I got an A+ for my studies. It was one of the happiest moments of my life.

A year later, I returned to India. I felt God telling me to try again at my marriage, so I returned to let my husband look after me and our son. But again, my dreams were shattered. The job I took to make ends meet was not enough, and soon I was working ten days in Bidar and twenty in Hubli, where my husband was living. Attacks of asthma were signs that I could not do both.

Then my parents fell ill – within six months of each other – both suffering from terminal cancer. As I cared for them, I felt more burdened to continue their work in Bidar. Velemegna had almost shut down, and in January 2002 my siblings and I had to reach an important decision: what to do with the hospital. My parents, who had always been supportive of me, they did not want my marriage to end for the sake of Velemegna. But I felt in my heart that carrying on their work was what I should do and told my husband that I would not leave their side until they died.

In July, 2002, my father passed away. As my mother’s health was not good enough to take on the responsibilities of the hospital, I was made director of Velemegna.

Initially, I was carrying on their dream. But as time went by, Velemegna became my dream. I had new visions and plans for the work, and today that is how I am carrying on. Despite huge battles that must be fought on an almost daily basis, God has always helped me to see the silver lining around every dark cloud.

Contact:
info@velemegna.org