Now and Then

We are more

the just aquantances...

it is as if we are cut

from the same fabric.

Even though we appear to be

sewn in a different pattern

we have a common thread

that won' t be broken-

by people, or years or distance.
Tigi and Alan , Christian Fellowship brothers from 15-20 plus years ago

came to vist us .

They were here to celebrate

the Centenary of SHIATS

the Christian University whee they studied.

Tigi worked there too.

Tigi, Mama and Alan.

These guys used to come to our place to relax and have fun, food an d fellowship.

They recalled how Allahabad was the turning point of their lives. They found Christ here and fellowship and teaching in our home..They said what we are today is because what we gained here. They are doing doing very well at their jobs. Tigi is into agricultural training an d planning. H e has a lovely German wife .Before they left for Germany they used to drop into our home frequently, and sometimes so hungry after their strenuous field work that they ate whatever was in the kitchen. We loved that.

Today also the first thing Tigi said was, ' Make us some coffee ' That ' s how he used to ' greet ' us. We loved that.

(Tigi, Mama and me)
But today the boys bought us lunch from a very nice place and dessert too. And placed a love gift in Mama' s hand before leaving. We were so touched.

(Alan showing Mama his photos)

He has a managerial post in a top company and travels the world over. He is involved in a widows ministry in Mumbai. They feed hundreds of widows in that city.

Tigi looking at some old photos from hi s student days. He scanned and save d the one s below.

We were all kid s in this one L-R Sonia,(sis) Namrita,(sis)Dolly, Anjali (sis),Tigi (16 yrs),me Thomas and I forgot the last guy' s name.

This a group photo from a summer camp in the hills.

Student 's camp- Bible study group.

Lunch time at the camp. Now these ladies are married an d have kids of their own.

Student' s camp at a Mission hospital. We all loaded up the OM truck.

This is the Siwait Student' s Camp. In a Mission an hour 's journey from the city. Many people found Christ there. Its our place of pilgrimage. (these photos are from th e 80 and 90s)

Yesterday I wrote about s conflict situation we are facing and how these people ridicule d me because of my disabilities and Mama of he r old age.

Friend sit hurts a lot. But God has given us grace to bear this hostility.

Thank you for your prayers and kind words.

I found Joni' s devotional so appropriate for today.

A "Kidney" Christian

On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpreventable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it.-- 1 Corinthians 12:22-24

Some time ago I forced myself to watch The Operation on the Learning Channel. They show real operations, with real blood and real sutures. I made myself watch because they were showing a kidney transplant, and I wanted to see what a good friend of mine, Mike Yuen, had to go through when he gave a kidney to his brother, Geoff. Mike made this big sacrifice because people can't survive without a kidney.You can live without your eyes, your ears, or use of your hands or legs. I know thousands of people who do. But here's the irony: While most of us are convinced we could never survive without these up-front, kind of showy body parts ("Oh, Lord,I could never survive without my eyesight!"), we never consider the pancreas, kidney,or liver. Because we don't see these hidden body parts, we quickly forget how critical they are to life.

There's a parallel here to the body of Christ. As 1 Corinthians 12 says, a church can't make it -- the church can't survive as the functioning body of Christ -- without that weaker person, that needy family, that man or woman who isn't up front. The church can't be what it's supposed to be without that individual. Hurting people give the rest of the body of Christ an opportunity to serve. And sacrificial service means there's no time for division, factions, or rivalry.You need your kidney. And your church needs a kidney kind of guy who may be homeless,helpless, handicapped or hurting.

Do you have needs you should express to the church?

Or should you meet the need of another member? Maybe you need to do both!

Sometimes, Father God, I get so caught up in the part I think I should play in the church that I don't stop long enough to ask if I understand correctly. I'm listening to You now.