International Service Fellowship

The International Service Fellowship, more commonly known as Interserve, is an interdenominational Protestant Christian mission agency which was founded in London in 1852.

History

Interserve, which was originally called the Calcutta Normal School and later the Indian Female Normal School and Instruction Society and then the Zenana Bible and Medical Mission.[1] It was founded as one of the zenana missions in the 19th century, with the aim of addressing the medical and educational needs of Indian women.

In 1821 Mary Ann Cooke (Wilson) landed in Calcutta with the intention of setting up a school to educate young Hindu women. Although she experienced significant opposition from people unwilling to countenance the thought of women receiving an education she worked closely with the Church Mission Society[2] to set up a school to teach young boys. In 1852 Mrs Mackenzie, a colleague of Miss Cooke’s, wrote to the social activist Mary Jane Kinnaird (who later founded the YWCA) to ask for her assistance in expanding the organisation’s work. Lady Kinnaird’s involvement[3] led to the rapid growth of the organisation and its expansion across India. In 1880 internal disputes within the organisation resulted in the Church of England Zenana Mission breaking away.[1]

From 1880 the organisation became known as the Zenana Bible and Medical Mission[1] as its focus expanded to include medical work. In 1881 a Zenana worker, Miss Bielby, met Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle to ask for her support in publicising the organisation’s work, a request to which the Queen agreed. At this time the organisation began to expand its sending bases as well, and workers were sent from Canada, New Zealand, Ireland and the USA as well as from Britain.

For the first century of its existence the organisation was run solely by women but in 1957 the decision was made to accept men as well. In 1987 the organisation was renamed “Interserve” to reflect its international status and its emphasis on practical service.

Today

Interserve sends out over 800 workers from countries including Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the USA, the Netherlands, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, and India.

Interserve workers use their practical skills to serve the people they live amongst, in line with the instructions of Christ to given in the Great Commission. Interserve, as an interdenominational agency, receives support from no specific Christian denomination in particular.

Mission statement

Interserve exists in order to see “lives and communities transformed through encounter with Jesus Christ”. The goal of Interserve is to improve the quality of life of people throughout Asia and the Arab World by addressing their material and spiritual needs and alleviating suffering and injustice. Interserve currently sends over 800 full-time workers from a range of sending countries to countries across Asia and the Arab World where they use their professional training to help those in need.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Interserve England and Wales, Mundus, Retrieved 31 May 20
  2. ↑ Church Mission Society
  3. ↑ Jane Garnett, ‘Kinnaird , Mary Jane, Lady Kinnaird (1816–1888)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2006 accessed 31 May 2017
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