THIS IS A LONG JOURNAL, BUT…PLEASE READ.
As I told you all before, we have been showing staff and pastors Andy’s sermon series “In the Meantime.” Because more holidays are coming we decided to show all the remaining parts of the series at one time. At the end of the first one on Monday, Dr. Suresh said he needed to leave. Loren asked what he would be doing. He said, “I have a group of 36 women who I am teaching Self-Reliant in goats and cows.” Loren said, “I get concerned that we do so much social stuff, but how do you present Christ in this Government program?”
The last part of the series was on Comfort and how those who have been in pain and comforted are UNIQUELY QUALIFIED to be comfort-givers.
- There is a natural bond between those who have suffered DEEPLY and SIMILARLY
- Those who have SUFFERED are uniquely qualified to comfort those who are SUFFERING
- Comfort from those who have been comforted is LIFE GIVING to those who need COMFORT.
- ComfortING is life giving to the comfortER as well
- Our CAPASCITY to comfort is determined by the DEGREE to which we have suffered.
It was very powerful and many of us were in tears.
Later that day Dr. Suresh called and asked if he could come over and talk. He said, “Nani, I found out today that two ladies sons drown and they do not want to live anymore. Do you think you could come and talk to them? I think it would bring COMFORT.” Remember, he had NOT been in the class that day and had NOT heard Andy’s sermon. I broke into tears. Of course, I will go.
A few days later we drove the 40 minutes and arrived to find the ladies were dressed in their finest.
There was the welcoming ceremony with flowers they had picked and arranged…about ten in all. Never could they afford store-bought flowers.
As I talked about Connor I was glad for Nupi translating. It gave me time to compose myself. I saw most of the ladies tears rolling down their cheeks. Using the sari end to dry them. Because of the laws of India I had to be VERY careful not to say Jesus or really give a Christian slant to my talk, but when I finished the two grieving ladies wanted to come up and shake my hand, instead I just pulled them into a group hug and they sobbed on my shoulder.
Not wanting to be left out, the entire class then came forward one-by-one to shake Loren’s hand and receive a hug from me.
As we were taking the group picture I learned that there was another lady who had also lost her son.
We left feeling that some good had come from our time with these dear ladies. I said, “I would love to have been a fly on the wall.” LITTLE DID I KNOW…
Dr. Suresh was our fly on the wall:
“After Nani left all the women were very silent and seeing their faces for a moment I was thinking what should I talk to these ladies because they were so quite. To start something I just start to ask some questions and asked them whether I should continue my class?
So the captain of the class stood up and requested me that it is okay not to have class and we would like to know something about sir and madam.
So I asked them exactly what they want to know, so another lady stood up and said tell something more about sir and madam, why they are in India, why they show so much love to people like us, where they live, so I shared about Nani and Papi, their mission in India. It really gave me opportunity to share about Jesus and His love behind all their mission, because THEY had asked.
One of the ladies asked me whether I am a Christian and how I became a Christian? So I got a chance to share my testimony before 36 women. They were amazed to know how the bad boy has turned into a good man.
They asked me more questions about RGI and it was a good time spending with them but I really praise God for Nani and Papi’s time spent with them, because the two ladies for whom I had brought them to comfort were happily taking part in all this conversations. At last I asked one of the ladies whose son died in the lake how you are feeling now? And she smilingly told me ‘Listening to Madam’s pain and all that she has gone through, really helped me to think good and go forward.’
I thanked God on my way back home that I got this chance with Nani and Papi to comfort these ladies in their pain.”
This is why we do the social work. God provides these opportunities in ways we would never even imagine.
