Life Changing Words Ministry

Missionary Journal

December 21, 2005

I called Sunil, Agnes School Principal, as I had promised and he was excited that we would be in the area on the 21st so I could be the honored guest for the children’s Christmas program. I was excited.

During the day, Bill and I went together to Priya Complex to check the emails and make some phone calls home. It is Rs 30 distance. When we finished and headed back, it was difficult to find an auto rickshaw to take us to Vasant Kunj. The drivers saw the color of our faces and wanted Rs 100 to take us back. We kept going from one to another, until we found a driver who knew Gene and recognized us as having been with him. Clearly a case for privilege of who you know!

A nap regained our strength and we headed off to V-20 Bible study with Gene. It was good to see the people we had come to recognize even though we did not know them personally. Pastor Sujay does a fine job of teaching clearly and simply. I remember when we first met him. He was a stick of a boy. Now he is married with two children, healthy in build and happily married. Almost like watching your own kids grow up.

I spent some time rearranging the suitcases so that I could leave one at Sunil’s house when we went for the children’s program. We don’t need to carry everything all over the country.

On Friday before Modabi (Rachel) and I went shopping together. Mostly, I went to keep her company. She needed to shop for her nieces’ gifts she was taking to Assam the next week. She shared with me while we ate at McDonald’s, about her coming marriage to an American named David. She wanted to know if we would be here in March to attend and help. I said it was likely so. After shopping we had tea and pastry in a little downstairs shop. We grabbed a taxi and dropped her things off at her apartment and she came with me to the phone where she called to tell Gene and Bill that I would be on my way home.

It was uncomfortable somewhat to be traveling in the taxi alone after dark, but at the same time I felt peace. I remembered what the boys used to say to me when they were little and I had to drive home alone… “Mom, you are not alone. Jesus is with you.” Yes, He is always with me.

That evening I was sick from food poisoning. The fish sandwich I ate was spoiled. I knew it when one of the last bites I had tasted like unwashed fish skin. I could only wait to see if it was true.

I fasted for most of the next day knowing that we were guests with Gene and Pastor Sam’s family to Arvin’s home because his parents, John and Gladys, were visiting on this side of the city. They live in Noida on the NE side of Delhi. We are on the SE. We walked the twenty minutes to his new apartment in section B-10. This family is from Ottowa, Canada. John and Gladys are running a Christian hostel in Noida and Arvin is a new teacher at Grace Center and the night school at V-20. We had a very enjoyable evening together.

Punjab by Nature is a great restaurant in the Priya Complex for lunch after church. They specialize in leg of lamb, my favorite. Bill, Gene, and I spent the afternoon there discussing his heart to pursue restoration of relationship with a particular family. My spirit was discerning “something is wrong”. But some things one must walk through to see what lesson the Lord is trying to communicate for both sides of the relationship. It is also an issue of cultural thinking that only the truth of the Word can bring resolve for both parties. We are praying for them.

I get to make breakfast and another meal today. I think Gene needs a break from cooking and a woman’s touch would be refreshing to everyone here. Besides, it is very therapeutic for me. I need to be creative sometimes.

Bill had an appointment with the dermatologist to check the spots on the top of his head. One seems to be growing and he wanted it taken care of right away. I went on to the internet café where he would meet me when finished. The rest of the day went like melted wax ministering to Gene.

One the day we were going to Gurgoan, the private car came for us. The taxi from Delhi is not allowed to go to Haryana, so the reason for the car. We started on time, but on the way, we discover that the driver is new to this area. He is a good driver, but we got lost and have no cellphone to call for directions. We can recognize some parts because we have been here, but again with new construction and road construction, there are a great many changes and inconveniences. We had to drive about five miles just to turn around and go back to the turn that we missed. [So close, yet so far.] We arrived to the house of the Principal Sunil, twenty five minutes late. Not a good testimony…

The Principal and the Bible class teacher had to walk from the house to the school. The car we came in was small and the principal’s elderly father rode with us. The Agnes School children’s Christmas program was decorated to be festive and fun. The children remembered me and stood with their greetings, even in their costumes. So, we sat in our designated places and waited for the two men to arrive.

The two teachers had done an outstanding job with the children. Their English pronunciations were clear and enunciated well. I was so proud of them and knew that if Marisa were here, she would be also.

As part of the program, they surprised me and gave me an invitation to come forward to say a few words. I thanked the teachers, Sema and Juliet, for their hard work, the students for doing so well, and to the parents for sending their children to receive a good education for their future.

At the end, the weekly teacher, the principal, and I each received a gift from the school children. A bedsheet with two pillow covers was our blessing. The other two men received a tie and a shirt, respectively.

Everyone in attendance received snacks and tea as refreshments, served by the older children. The older ones had helped the little ones in learning and saying their parts, they taught them and helped them get into position for their dances, and two of the older boys ran the cassette player with the appropriate songs. I felt so happy and so proud of what they had worked so hard to do and accomplished it with grace.

Juliet reminded me that the invitation to their home was still open. Her family would be expecting us to visit them. Sema, a Hindu teacher, came to me as we were leaving asking for prayer for her son’s operation to be done in January. He is to have the overgrown jawbone cut in order to straighten his face. I prayed for the Lord, not only to guide the surgeon’s hands, but also for the Lord to provide the expense of the surgery not to be a burden for them so that they would give all the glory to Him. I love these ladies and I want to hear the praise to God from their lips. I have been given favor in their eyes by the Lord.