India: Remembering the People
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Missions MinistrySome of the memories of this last trip to India are so vivid, not because of the place, time, or even message, but because of the people. As in John’s Gospel, the People Magazine approach to Jesus’ life, I want to share about some of the dear ones I met in Kota and the villages around Bangalore. I hope never to forget those to whom I ministered.
The first one is Reny Thomas. She came up to me in the campgrounds of Hope Givers. Reny was shy, and her English broken, but she had a need and had been praying so hard for God to answer. I had just finished my devotional reading from the Daily Walk NLT, and that day’s reading on February 26 was on God and His love for the Levites (the ministers), widows, orphans, and foreigners. “Every third year you must offer a special tithe of your crops. You must give these tithes to the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows so that they will have enough to eat in your towns. Then you must declare in the presence of the LORD your God, ‘I have taken the sacred gift from my house and have given it to the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows, just as you commanded me’ ” (Proverbs 26:12-13a NLT).
I prayed, “Lord, here there are thousands of orphans, widows, and ministers. Which ones do I help and how do I help them?” So as I left the minister’s dormitory, I met Reny and she shared her story with me. She was a minister’s wife, serving God in the villages where all of the resources are scarce. Then her husband died. In the Hindu religion, there is a practice called “sati” where the wife is burned alive on the funeral fire of her husband. This still happens in and around Calcutta. The Christian community opposes this discriminating practice and it is now very rare in India. However, the disturbing teaching of karma explains that one receives the punishment deserved, and that cruel teaching for a widow is painful to live with every day. The scorn a widow feels from others is a reality of daily life.She approached me and said, “Uncle, thank you for your message, but I have two children and no money to pay my rent, and I will be evicted soon if I do not pay the landlord’s request.” In US currency, this woman’s rent equals approximately $25 per month. Twenty-five dollars is about 1,000 rupees, and I had over 85 thousand rupees in my pocket.
It is a blessing not only to pray for those in need, but to have the resources God allowed me to have to do as James 1:27 encourages, “Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us.” (NLT) Upon coming home, I asked our Builders’ Wednesday @ 10 (our wonderful group of senior adults), to “adopt” this one family out of our overflow, so on the first Wednesday of every month, we take up a collection of about $100 a month, not much for us, yet for this widow and her family it provides housing, food, clothing and education. She has written us thanks many times and expressed how her life has improved since our help. She now has hope. Reny sees it as an answer to her prayer, and so do I.
Not long after sharing with Reny, I met Mrs. Paul. She was designing handmade cards (see right) and selling them for $2.00 a piece. I told her the cards were too pretty for me to buy at two dollars. Would she accept $20 dollars a piece for them? What a joy I received from buying her artistically beautiful handmade cards. She was also blessed, as she received 2 weeks wage for each card. I thought it was all over, but then she asked if she could go and get her husband who happened to be a pastor with leprosy.
I met Pastor Victor Paul, one of 500 leper pastors at the conference. He and others with this disease suffer persecution of truly biblical proportions. 
This disease causes lesions of the nerves that can lead to loss of sensation and to muscle weakness, atrophy, and unnoticed burns and ulcers - especially on the hands and feet (see right) –resulting in deformities. People suffering from leprosy are a field ripe for the Gospel. How many times did Jesus reach out to lepers, touching the un-touchable. I told Pastor Paul, “Jesus loves you and God cares, and I care too.” I gave this couple my card, and since returning home they have written and made a request. Because of the open wound on his foot, he would like us to buy his transportation, a motorized bike. For many in the 3rd world, motor scooters are like the family car, and he believes this will help his ministry and family tremendously.
I spoke to our high school J-Walk crowd and the kids were touched. I gave them one month to work hard then collect an offering for this couple with limited resources. We will do it together. Pray with us. Share your love in a tangible way. We are well on our way and have made a personal promise. Pastor Paul will have a motor bike before I buy one for myself. I would like one for fun, but his desire for one satisfies a huge need. Another person I cannot forget was from a village in Karnataka called Lakkavalli. I remember we tumbled out of our van into this tropical paradise.
I saw this handsome young man (see right) and went up to talk to him. He was shy, so I reached out my hand and said, “I have come here to tell you God loves and cares for you.” He was taken aback but seemed honored. I asked if he was a Christian, and he flashed a big smile. Moments later I saw him under a tree just crying. I asked his friend what was wrong. Did I say or do something that was lost in the translation, as that can happen. “No,” his friend said, “He is crying for joy and embarrassment. See, he is a Dalit. Never has anyone, other than those of the Christian faith, looked him in the eye and shaken his hand. I had given him a great honor by just extending my hand. I looked in my backpack for a gift to give him and found a tooth brush that I received from the airline. I gave it to him and prayed with him. “Jesus loves you; now give His love away.”
This is our message! It is more than money. Love and acceptance is God’s work. Let us find the hurting mothers and fathers and children across the street or around the world. Take a moment to bless a life. Help change a family, and do it in the name and power of Jesus Christ. We are His ambassadors. Yes, we represent the USA, and I represent our church, but in Christ, we all represent Him.
