I don’t think I experienced much jet lag until Sunday afternoon — and maybe right now when I’m supposed to be writing. A nap on this rainy, monsoon of a day seems appropriate — but first I need to tell you about some lessons I learned:
Sometimes you do get to see “all grown-up answered prayers.”
The second time I visited India was in 2009 for a women’s conference. We had the distinct blessing of staying in the guest rooms in the Children’s Home, which were on the second floor next to the boys classrooms. In the morning as we got ready, we could hear the young boys talking in Hindi and playing before it was time to go into their classrooms.
One such morning, Greenwood resident Joyce Long and I left our rooms early to greet and talk with the boys who wore their school uniforms of red and white-checkered dress shirt with matching red tie and dress pants. We talked and played with many of the young men before they headed into class and we headed to our women’s conference. Joyce asked one astute 9-year-old boy what he wanted to be when he grew up.
Akish answered: “I like math and science; I want to be a scientist.”
I distinctly remember Joyce and I talking about how observant he was — and we promised to pray for him. I can’t remember if we prayed for him on the spot — or if the bell rang and he ran off to class, but I recorded it in my prayer journal to make sure I prayed for him. Last week — nine years later — I saw Akish.
No longer a boy, he graduated high school with the highest grades and honors.
No longer a little boy, he continues to be a leader by serving in worship, leading worship and playing guitar.
No longer a young boy, he turned 18 and felt called to go into ministry — and is enrolled in Bible College.
And I was blessed to witness God using his gifts and talents last week.
Bride blessings are greater than bridal showers.
Last week, Leah Johnson and I were invited to attend part of an India wedding, which are usually three days. On the day before the wedding, a Haldi ceremony prepares the bride (and groom in a separate ceremony) by giving her blessings and applying Ubtan, a paste of turmeric, gram flour, curd and rose water to her face, arms and feet. There is not enough room to explain how much I loved the Christian elements and scripture that were given to the bride: water, milk, etc.
Dr. Indu Lall gave a short devotion which included the eye-opening imagery: “We all start out as lovebirds, but soon after marriage become angry birds, who start pecking on each other …” I can’t tell you how many “women of age” were giggling at her comments.
But I think what like-minded Leah and I enjoyed most was the focused blessing of the bride with no annoying bridal shower games.
Simple words of affirmation are a great gift.
One of the reasons we go to India is to affirm and encourage the great work they are doing. But I was quickly reminded by an older gentleman, a translator who speaks five languages, what a gift kind words truly are.
After a long day of adjusting countless patients, Steve and I were walking into the Leadership Development Center where our rooms were. Anil, the interpreter, who Steve had worked on a few hours earlier, was waiting for Steve, shook his hand and simply said “God sent you to me — thank you for coming.” I’m pretty sure Steve’s eyes watered a bit and we received a great gift from Anil — words of encouragement.
Janet Hommel Mangas grew up on the east side of Greenwood. The Center Grove area resident and her husband are the parents of three daughters. Send comments to [email protected].
