Saturday 23 July 2016

Such a long journey....

In a few hours we are about to make the trip of a life-time.

At 7.30 PM some dear friends will carry up Mum and Dad’s luggage from their beloved Shanti Kunj up to where Bhagat and Evie’s vehicle at Sister’s Bazaar.   We will then gather for prayer, and then they will carry Dad up in a stretcher to the car.


Our common destination – Dad, Mum, Vikram and me – is to be united with Sheba and Enoch at our current home: Bethel Villa on the HBM Hospital campus in Lalitpur.

To put it briefly - Dad has come to a stage where we all need to be together.  And so over the past 2 days we have tried to weigh out which place is better for his palliation... and after discussing and praying we have come down on the side of taking Dad and Mum with us to our home and hospital in Lalitpur.

Deep breath time.  This is a  h  u  g  e  journey.

Almost 800 kms of God's beloved country of India needs to be traversed before we end up at 'Bethel Villa.'

At this point is seems almost silly, with Dad in pain and needing help to even walk short distances.

But then life is almost never about the easy issues.  

We need to be in a place where we can help when Dad is very sick.  That time is now.  And the cold isolation of Shanti Kunj - so lovely for those who want to drink deep of silence - with its non-functional phones and steep terrain is just not the place for Mum to be alone in her care for Dad.  No easy push-button solutions here.


And so we are about to take a stretcher up to Sisters Bazar, a drive down to Dehra Dun, the Nanda Devi Express to New Delhi station overnight... we should arrive at New Delhi at 5 AM and hope to catch the Hirakud Express at 8 AM to Lalitpur, arriving there (D.v.) at 4 PM Sunday afternoon...  about 24 hours from now.  Hopefully within 30 mins of arrival we will have Dad resting in our home.

Please pray for Dad - that he will withstand the rigours of the journey.   Ask Jesus to help each one of us as we support Dad and see these next few days be as full of light and rest as possible.

27 comments:

  1. Praying. May you all bless many on this journey even as your light shines through this difficult situation.

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  2. We are praying for the journey and for you as a family.

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  3. praying for all of you , particularly the train ride....

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  4. Lazarus Cornelius23 July 2016 at 17:52

    Will be praying. Will mention it at church tomorrow morning for all to pray.

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  5. May the presence of the Lord be with you all throughout this journey and especially with Uncle Ray. Love to Uncle Ray. He often used to send a letter or an email while he was able and continue to encourage in the ministry.

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  6. Praying for your journey! Peace

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  7. May God's Grace and Love be manifest in the journey and through your family.

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  8. Praying for you dad in Spain. Please, pass on our love to them. Trevor & Manoli Allan

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  9. Praying for Uncle and all of you.

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  10. Your JSK family is backing u up in Prayer right now...

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  11. Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. ~ Isaiah 41:10

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  12. Drink in the time that you have left with your father deeply. Encourage your mother, laugh often, weep together and hug each other. Blessings on the final journey of your father into the arms of the FATHER. Love from the Tom and Dawn Steffes family

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  13. Praying brother Andy. We had to do a similar thing for dad 3 years ago while taking him to vellore. We were unsure of the future. God is in control. Take heart. Out prayers are with you

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  14. Praying fervently for this trip and for continued comfort for Ray. I wish so much Premila could be with you all. Love, Fred and Karen Kay

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  15. Dear Andi We will be praying

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  16. May Emmanuel be with you in your journey ..... our hearts are with you!

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  17. Praying..May God grant you strength to take care of him and minister to his needs

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  18. Thanks for sharing. God's presence will go with them. He will protect and take care. Always in prayers

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  19. Sam and Sarah David24 July 2016 at 22:43

    Praying for you Andi, sheba, for your dad, mom and the extended family - Sam and Sarah David

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  20. Glad to read this and other one and praising God for His protection and care during your journey to Lalitpur .
    every blessings

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  21. Thank you - all of you for your amazing prayers - we really felt them during the trip. Soli Deo gloria! http://andi-sheba.blogspot.in/2016/07/coming-home-to-lalitpur.html

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  22. Hi Andi and Sheba, Greg and I are following and praying. Blessed that mom and dad could spend a few days with them. Please send them our love.

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  23. Praying for all of you during this season of your journey on this side of life everlasting!

    ~fellow sister in Christ from an IN supporting church

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