THE Benarty-Indian connection started from a room in 72 Kirkland Gardens, Ballingry, and it was significant international correspondence that would take place over thousands of miles between people who did not know one another, but had a common love for the Bible and the Christian faith.

Mr Kenneth Munro would have loved to have gone over to India to meet these friends but had begun to develop Parkinson’s disease and was unable to go.

He passed away in 1993 with a sudden heart attack having never been to India.

The next step – Gordon Munro. After Craig’s grandfather died his father Gordon Munro, and former rector of Beath High School, took up the correspondence and the contact with a number of Indian people.

He, too, would have loved to have visited India and often spoke of this.

However, Craig added: “Many readers will know my father developed cancer in 1992 and died after one month of retiring from Beath High School in August 1997”.

Craig then started corresponding with these Indian translators and readers in 1997, and in 2003 became the editor of the Christian Magazine, Present Truth.

Craig was often invited to preach in India but was unable to, due to his busy schedule working as Executive Director of Education and Children’s Services in Fife Council.

Having left secular employment and feeling a distinct call to be a full-time preacher in 2016, Craig was finally able to go to India.

Craig said: “It was therefore a privilege to be able to go India now. It was very moving to meet these people after all these years and who have such strong connections with this part of Fife and my family”.

Craig met one of the older men from Kerala who would have corresponded with his grandfather and father.

Craig visited four states –Telangana state, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala, at the bottom half of India, as well as Sri Lanka at the foot of India.

Christianity is spreading in India rapidly and new Christian churches are forming all the time, despite immense persecution. Craig added: “Over 1000 people would often attend the services we were asked to preach at.”

In Sri Lanka, after the Tsunami in 2004, new Christian churches have been forming all the time and they do not always immediately have premises. Here is a very young assembly of Christians and they meet just now under the palm trees!

Craig and Jack found churches like these wherever they went in Sri Lanka. Baptismal services were taking place in India and Sri Lanka

In India and Sri Lanka many baptismal services were carried out in lochs and rivers.

Craig said: “Travelling in India and Sri Lanka was amazing, and we witnessed such a variety of scenery as we moved from Telangana state to the paddy fields of rice in Andhra Pradesh, and then to the large city of Bangalore in Karnataka and ultimately to the green coconut-clad Kerala.

“The mountains of Hatton, in Sri Lanka, are very beautiful. They grow a lot of tea here. There are a number of Scottish place names there (including Aberdeen!) from the colonial days of tea plantation.”

Craig travelled by plane, sleeper train, car and rickshaw!

Curry is the staple diet and it was available every day in homes, restaurants, and churches - several times a day! In the large churches literally cauldrons of rice and curry would be provided.

Craig was able to visit schools, which was particularly interesting given his background. Josh was also able to help in the medical field in India.

In one school over 2000 pupils listened to them speak. 1000 in the hall and another 1000 in classes by video link. In India the schools are very large. The behaviour and learning environment is excellent, even although the class teacher ratio is often 50:1!

Many will remember that in 2004 a terrible Tsunami killed thousands of people in Sri Lanka particularly on the east coast.

The Tsunami destroyed villages all of the fishing fleet was destroyed by the Tsunami, and people were unable to fish and make a livelihood. Craig said: “Some Christian friends that I know from the fishing community in Scotland had helped them to procure boats to allow them to fish. It was a pleasure to see the communities back to the fishing and working again.

“They were so appreciative for the support from Scotland they called their boats after famous Scots – e.g. Robert Murray McCheyne and David Livingston.”

Craig really enjoyed his time in both countries and was delighted to help spread the christian message to people who were so very keen to learn more.