Bonfire on the roof

Recipe for joy:

1. Take four beautiful cousins.
2. Add the excitement of new clothes.
3. Mix with a song and dance - practice this for 2 days in anticipation.
4. Put flowers for the hair (girls) and a big smile for the boy (the smile is infectious)
5. Whip up excitement with an evening bonfire - on the terrace of Ammama and Thatha's house
6. Add various spontaneous games in the mean time (like the train game on the left).
7. Sit back and enjoy!

We had a bonfire last night. It was Sarah's 37th birthday till 12 AM - when we celebrated Daisy's 40th (over skype).

A small fire under the egg-yolk moon. All of us together. A lovely evening of laughter and song - dance, drama and games.

The theme of thanksgiving kept showing up. Thankfulness that we are together. Thanks for how God is leading us as families. Thanks for all the mercies and grace we received over the year.

The kids did a lovely song and dance. Enoch singing and the three girl cousins doing a lively choreography.

In between two Swahili songs - a Rajan sibling reunion around an Oriya favorite (with plenty of laughter in between).

Later there was a play where a rag tag bunch acted out the 10 lepers who came to Jesus for healing. Where are the other 9? Asked Jesus (acted out by Enoch). The question remains with us... how many times over the

past year we have been like those 9 - quick to ask for help - and even quicker to forget once the help has been received.

And so the time in paradise continues.

As I type a good meal of rice, sambhar and fried fish is nestled inside me. The mid-afternoon nap beckons. Wonderful conversations are all around. The excited chatter of cousins colours the air.

Pax!

Mourning

The paper this morning had sobering news.

Benazir Bhutto is dead. Assassinated. Bombs, riots, chaos all over Pakistan.

At the same time we have deaths from police firing in Orissa where VHP activists are burning churches.

A sea change is taking place in Kenya as the results seem to indicate a change of government.

It seems wherever we look we see chaos - something heightened by the beautiful surroundings of family, good food and love that we are experiencing here in Vizag.

In this context the amazing picture of the future we see in the book of Revelation - with all its austere glory - takes on such an amazing hue.

A new city. Coming down from heaven like a bride. The white linen being the righteous acts of the saints. A place where the Lord and the Lamb will live with his people for ever. And ever. Where there is no need for other illumination - because the Lamb is the light!

This certainty - thus utter complete certainty - helps us move forward into tomorrow.

Come Lord Jesus. Come quickly Lord.

Paradise

The cousins and Appa on the beach in May 06 - this time Frankie (right) is replaced by Anmol

The cock is crowing outside. The palm tree has a cluster of coconuts on it. Appa says that we will have a man climb up and harvest them so that the kids can have tender coconut water. Sarah (Sheba’s sister), her husband Victor and little Joanna have just arrived. The delicious smell of chicken biryani - being cooked by Yashmeet and Peter (Sheba’s brother) is wafting out of the kitchen. Excited shouts of Asha, Enoch and their cousins Joanna and Anmol are mingling with the other sounds of paradise.

We are in a small heaven – at ‘Jeba Villa’ – Amma and Appa’s home in the little village of Tungalam – just outside Vishakapatnam. We are at rest.

It is just lovely to be quiet. To read the Bible. To sleep. To plan small outings to the sea shore.

I realize just how tired I am. Though we have the whole night to sleep through I still get up several times. I find myself dozing while reading. But at the same time the therapy of quiet, good food, loving people who we have not seen for so long is making its happy work of restoration felt.

Barring Daisy, Ramesh and Frankie in the US, the other three Rajan siblings have made the pilgrimage to Jeba Villa. Peter and Yashmeet and Anmol had come from Kenya and had spent 3 happy days with us in Thane before we took the 1.5 day train trip together here. Sarah and family were doing the rounds of Victor’s relatives here in Andhra Pradesh and have showed up here on Sarah’s birthday. We have a bon-fire planned tonight with the cousins and their parents due to present various items.

We are grateful to God as the year slips to an end for all the very very many good things that He has given us. The Rajan family is sponsoring a ‘love feast’ at the local Hebron assembly on Sunday – at which time Victor, myself and Peter will be giving messages in the fellowship. On the 31st night we will all be together for the watchnight service. It is fitting that we should end by thanking God – and looking ahead to what He has in store for us all in 2008.

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We got a call from Mum and Dad on Christmas day while we were traveling on the train. The day before the door bell had rung – and they saw with a shock that little Ashish was sitting on the doorstep – alone. Around his neck he had a sign saying ‘Happy 40th Anniversary plus 1 day”. No one else was in sight.

Well, almost – around the corner Stefan and Neeru were peeping at our shocked parents. They had made an unexpected sortie to Mussoorie and spent 3 heaven-sent days with our beloved parents.

Paradise all around!

Celebrating Emmanuel

Its the 24th of December and we are off to Vishakapatnam today for a very long awaited holiday with Sheba's parents. The train leaves Kalyan at 4 PM and we get to Vizag on the night of the 25th at 9 PM.

We have been bone-tired for the last few months. Its hard to believe that the time has actually come.

Having Sheba's brother Peter, his wife Yashmeet and little Anmol with us for these last 3 days is a long-hoped for dream come true. How precious it is to be with our loved ones - esp. ones that live so far away - in this case Nairobi, Kenya.

Yesterday was a special day.

We celebrated 'Emmanuel' - remembering that our Lord was really born - and that God's plan really is that all should be blessed.

Peter and Yashmeet were part of the worship time we had at our regular Sunday meeting at Jolly and Suma's house in Samata Nagar. We focussed on Luke Ch. 2 and were amazed at the breadth of different joyous insights this beautiful account of Jesus' birth and youth gave us. Starting with the fact that he was born at a time when a cruel Roman goverment was in charge - and yet God uses the very act of census to bring Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem at the time of Jesus' delivery - and so fulfilling the prophecy of old...

No matter who comes to power (or stays in power - like Mr. N. Modi showed today) we know that God is in control.

And we know that he loves all people - and told this to the poor and outcaste of the day. Shepherds doing the night watch in the fields.

We also had the joy of testifying how God had heard our prayers - and how one lady who was so hopeless has now found a home in a Christian Ashram - and also how Mr. Babulnath passed away - and yet God gave Sheba the insights and ability to share comfort with his wife and parents - through God's beautiful word.

A lovely lunch and then it was on to a time of baptism. We had the joy of baptising 5 of our church members. Then a quick visit to brother Babukutty - a Brethren evangelist- and home for dinner and Emmanuel.

Its a long Eicher tradition to read from the Bible and explain the joy of who Jesus is - and the real purpose for his being born.

We Eichers taking talking about the Gift seriously. The junior Eichers have their thoughts on other gifts. I remember similar times in my own boyhood days. What a thrill to see the same excitement 'from the other side.'

After sharing about the joy of Jesus and thanking him for being our greatest gift, we have the joy of giving each other gifts too.

The next part is a treasure hunt.

The kids are herded into one bed-room and the gifts are hidden around the living room. Then finally the impatient little ones come to search. A hilarious time is had - and we end up with a small pile of gifts in the centre - which are then delivered to whose name graces the wrapping.

An inspired idea by Sheba got us looking for a bongo for Enoch this year.

We found one for a lot less than I had expected and it was spirited into the house last week.

A blue wrapping job and it was ready to take its place in the treasure hunt pile.

Enoch was just thrilled to unwrap his new treasure.

Immediately his hands were on the skins - beating out a simple but steady beat.

He has a long way to go - of course - but we hope and pray that Enoch will learn to make sweet music to God - and make a joyful noise as well (which he already is pretty good at).

Asha was thrilled with her tamborine - and shoes - and did a dance hopping on one foot - while using both gifts - till she had a small fall and decided to wait a bit before starting again!

There is something very very exciting about seeing the kids with musical instruments.

A whole new era is opening up for us Eichers.

We thank God so much for being with us - living out his name of Emmanuel.

As we finished off the day with a heavy chocolate cake - we are so grateful to God for all he has done.

We leave for Vishakaptnam later today with very tired heads and hearts - but the joy and realisation that God is lovingly looking after us.

We want to thank you again for standing with us - so many of you - and especially for your prayers.

We are not sure whether we will be able to blog from Vishakapatnam - but if not - then see you next year!

Merry Christmas and a very very happy New Year.

Happy Emmanuel - and may God shake right-side up in the new calendar year we are shifting into!

Blessings!

A lifetime of Marriage

40 years ago today Raymond Elmore Eicher and Christa Roesli Fischer became Ray and Christa Eicher.

For the last 40 years Raymond Elmore Eicher and Christa Roesli Fischer have been becoming Ray and Christa Eicher.

Both of these statements are gloriously true - and we are the very grateful witnesses to this miracle of God's grace and faithfulness.

In scripture we see the number 40 representing a life span - a life time.

Stefan, Premila and I can testify that we have seen a life-time of love and faithfulness in Mum and Dad's lives. We have seen so many expressions of love and faithfulness to us as their children - and to the extended set of children that Mum and Dad have parented over the years - and still do. We have also seen the many many ways that Mum and Dad have poured themselves into others. Beyond the 'programmes and activities' that Mum and Dad have been involved with over their years of service to others - we have seen the way that God's love has been lived out to person after person, couple after couple, family after family.

Sheba and I have been watching over the last 8 years of our lives together - and we join our hands in thankfulness to God for giving us two sets of godly parents. Today we thank God especially for the example that Mum and Dad are to us - and pray that we may one day have the joy of celebrating 40 years of marriage (on Dec. 15th 2039!) with a rich legacy of love like we see in Mum and Dad's life together.

For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.

Thank you, Mum and Dad, for living out the reality of this wonderful mystery - in our midst. We love you and are very, very proud of you.

A bit of heaven

We are in another season of grace.

Sheba's brother Peter and Yashmeet are here with us, along Asha and Enoch's long awaited cousin Anmol.

Peter and Yashmeet have been living in Nairobi, Kenya for the last 3 years. The last time Asha and Enoch saw Anmol she was just over a year old. It is such a joy to see this lovely and loving little girl - so full of life and charm. It is wonderful to see the three cousins discovering each other.

Having arrived on an overnight train from Hyderabad early this morning, we did not give the Peter family much time to rest - we were off in the afternoon to Igatpuri to participate in the Christmas programme at Purnatha Bhavan.

Purnatha Bhavan is an amazing place which the OASIS India Trust runs. It is a home for women and children infected and affected by HIV. But that simple sentence does no justice to what is actually happening. There are more than 70 dear people who are being loved and transformed in so many different ways. Lives which were hopeless are being knit together. People who are so broken are discovering new hope. Disparate people are working together. We saw some of the results at this celebration of Christmas.

We have a special reason to be so touched because Sheba has been involved with the medical care for many of the women and children who have HIV at Purnatha Bhavan. To see so many, who we have seen in various stages of sickness and dejection - to see them up on stage - radiant in happiness - doing dramas and dances - was just magical. We are so amazed to see the transformations that have taken place and know that the Lord is in this place. It is the person of Jesus alone who has brought about such changes - and we give thanks for his loving hands and feet who have been serving these women and children.

Mrs. Quilon and her 4 children went to Purnatha Bhavan 2 years ago. The children are almost unreckonizable now. So big. So talented. So full of life. The eldest dancing vigourously. The younger girl reading beautifully as a narrator. The youngest boy lovingly holding our hands and not letting go. The second youngest darting around full of joy. Their smiling mother - TB ravaged lungs and all - wreathed in a smile of thanks. Just one of the many, many lives that Jesus is touching at Purnatha Bhavan.

We are in a season of grace.

Nunc dimittis

There are tears tonight.

Tears of sorrow. The wail and grief of a father who has lost his son, a mother who lost her boy, a wife who is now a widow.

Mr. Babulnath died at 11 AM this morning.

We got a call from the AIDS hospice where we had finally sent him on Saturday.

He had been there for 5 days.

His body was cremated this afternoon.

Daniel and Sanjeev - our staff were there with Babulnath's father, wife and brother. A small knot of people in a big city that continued to grind its way through another day.

Mr. Babulnath was a small, slight - and mostly sad man.

Our experiences with him were mainly on the sad side. We met him two years ago when he came for ART medications. His HIV was kicking in and his immunity was low, so we wanted to start him on medications. In the meantime he also got tuberculosis. And lost his job. And lost his place of staying - the workshop he had been working at.

Glimpses of Babulnath come to mind - his miserable life in a shanty shack after being sacked, his loving mother and father who poured themselves into their son, his going back to the village to tell his wife about his true status. Glimpses of hope are mingled with the sorrow - his coming back from the village with his wife having testing negative - and going straight to the goverment ART centre to get his medicines. His fiercely hopeful wife who cared for him - and their sons. His getting a room on rent - thanks to a church family - and his returning to work. But then the sickness and depression kicking in - and the gradual decline over the last few months.

The last few weeks were horrible.

His landlord kept calling up and telling him to leave - loudly abusing him for being sick and saying that she did not want them there and that the family should get lost. We talked with the woman so many times but whenever a son came to visit it was the same story - shouting and chaos. Finally it was too much - Babulnath had been under a constant fever for a month and was not responding to any of the medications - and the home situation was too horrible - so we referred him to a hospice run by an order of Catholic sisters.

But through all this suffering there were also glimpses of hope. Though he was usually very sad - and often depressed - Mr. Babulnath believed in Jesus - and was confident of where he was going. His son started at our child care centre and has just blossomed. His wife has shown her self to be a remarkable woman - full of life and determination. And we did have many opportunities to talk, pray, listen, sing and just be with Babulnath.

When Simeon saw the eight-day old Jesus he said: "Now, Lord, you let your servant go in peace: your word has been fulfilled. My own eyes have seen the salvation which you prepared in the sight of every people; A light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel."

We do not know what Mr. Babulnath's last words were when he died in the presence of his wife. But we do know one thing. This life of suffering is over. He is delighting in the presence of his loving Lord.

I look forward to seeing him in glory.