Mary

We have been blessed to have Mary helping us in the home the last 6 months.

Mary has a broken family relationship and was looking for a place to spend her day time and earn a bit too. The local creche sent her to us. We thought and prayed for a long time before saying yes. She has been a great blessing and having her at home - doing many of the basic chores - picking up the kids from the bus - making chappatis for the evening - has given Sheba and I the flexibility to be able to be at JSK and that too for Sheba often beyond her 'working hours.'

Mary has a home and a son and daughter-in-law, but they are not on speaking terms - and she does not want them to know she is working in a home - as she feels that they will use it to torment her. We respect her wishes - but are so saddened and pray that she will have the courage to trust in Jesus enough to forgive her son and his wife - and be trully reconciled. Her 60+ years and poor health would indicate that the time is now rather than later. Out of respect for her - we are not showing her full photo on this site. People without HIV also have a range of confidentiality issues that we try and respect.

2 weeks ago Mary said that she would not be coming anymore. She was feeling too old and had lots of pains. The long walk from the bus-stop was hurting her legs. We prayed for a replacement. None has come so far.

On the last day of February we suggested requested her to help out another 2 months - till the kids finish this term, while we look for someone else. We suggested we could also help a bit towards an autofare to help with the walking. She agreed. We are looking.

Mob's rules

We have not seen the film Jodhaa Akbar. And are unlikely to see this confection that Ashutosh Gowarkar had dished up. But the film - a romance between the Mughal Emporer Akbar and Jodhaa - a Rajput princess - has already caused plenty of hearburn.

Groups of Rajputs - or should we say groups of people claiming to represent the Rajput caste (they use the word community but this is what they are) - are claiming that this film is unhistorical and puts their community in a bad light - hence it must be banned. And that is what the state governments of Rajesthan (of course), Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have done. The Supreme Court has stepped in and (at least temporarily) lifted the ban.

The point here is this. We are now at a point when any group can claim that any film / book / magazine is objectionable and will lead to law and order problems if it is allowed to be seen. The law and order problems? Rioting and looting by the very people who say that the offending item be banned to prevent rioting.

Something is fundamentally wrong with our beloved land when the rioters are given honour - when the ones who provoke and destroy are 'protected'. We have seen this time and time again in our dear country - artists like M.F. Hussain are in exile because they are being dragged through the courts, films like Water could not be made in Varanasi because it was objected too, writers like Tasleema Nasreen are roughed up in public by the so-called guardians of the Islamic Community. The DaVinci Code film had various Christian dignitaries imploring the government to ban the thing (never mind that the book is read by all and sundry and not many Christian notables have the time to mount a decent critique of the fallacious page-turner Mr. Brown has churned out).

We stand at a crux in our country - unless the courts and other partners in civil society allow a wide variety of voices to be heard - we will never be able to be the open and learning community we hope for.

Perhaps most disturbing (as pointed out by Pratap Bhanu Mehta - here) is the recent Supreme Court ruling asking the author James Laine to delete certain paragraphs of his book on Shivaji that the "interest of justice would be best served.” Whose justice are we talking about? The justice that says if you write a scholarly opinion - backed up by the facts you have marshalled - and someone takes offence and trashes a place of higher learning - that the Supreme Court will suggest that you delete certain paragraphs so that the people who smash are appeased? Justice? Ha!

Pray for our dear Land! We have been blessed in so many ways by a judiciary that speaks its mind - and clearly steps into places where many would be shy of treading. But every now and again we hear something that is clearly wrong. But which meets with deafening silence. Or the continued demands to ban.

So, no Jodhaa Akbar for us. Not because of the Rajput angle, but because we just don't have the time for that fluff - but do I ever want others to have the right to see the flick if they want. We don't want the mob making rules for us. Keep it up Justices! Just don't give in like you did for the Laine verdict.

Moving

We are shifting our office - at least part of it - today. JSK has wanted to run a counselling and testing centre for some time now. Today we are making room for a small lab and counselling room to be made.

There is not much space at the current centre, so we are moving out the home-based care, Youth Against AIDS and Church mobilisation work - as well as the basic administration work. To our a small office - 10 min walk away!

Over the next few days we will have to sort and resort everything - and get used to operating out of two different locations. Things like telephones and internet connections will also take time (hopefully not too long though!).

We are grateful for the team for pitching in and working hard to get the shift done as smoothly as possible.


Every little step is a challenge. Thanks for joining us on the journey!

back pain is a pain

My back pain is back again.

Literally.

I have a venerable history having picked up a disc prolapse between my 5th and 6th vertebra when I was working in Jharkhand (driving the 120 km jungle journey by motor-bike from Nav Jivan hospital to Ranchi with a heavy computer laden back-back did it).


Sheba has lived through the memorable occasion of our attending the first watch-night service at the Hebron fellowship in Borivali, with me lying down - almost in state - while the service went on.

Most days I just have a dull ache. Some days I forget it all together.

Then there are days that it is killing. This Saturday for example.

2 days of rest have done wonders. I am doing my physio-exercises too. Religiously.

Prayers are happily accepted.

Back pains are a pain.

7 Decades

Appa at Enoch's birth - 19.2.2003

Today we celebrate God's goodness in the life of Savari S. Rajan - our beloved father - as he completes 70 years since he was born on the 2nd of March 1938.

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Born in Trichi, Tamil Nadu, Appa grew up without a father - his Dad having gone to Malaysia soon after the Appa and his sister was born. The remittances came from Malaysia, but his father never returned.

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As a young man Appa had various adventures, working in a factory in Mysore and in the jungle camps of the Nilgiris. Then, he up and left the south - hearing about a huge new steel factory that was being built in the forests of Orissa and the job opportunities there.

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Arriving as a teenager in Rourkela, Appa was hired. He worked over 40 years for SAIL - the Steel Authority of India Ltd - in their Rourkela steel plant. He worked in captive mines and in the plant itself. In the heat of the blast furnaces and the grime of the mines that fed the insatiable steel smelting plant. He didn't tell his mother where he was going - preferring to go first and inform later.

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In many ways a self-made man - he taught himself English by reading the newspaper and listening to the radio - Appa has always had a thirst for adventure. Be it the early political activism of the rationalist movement and Dravidian politics at a local level (he met Karunanidhi once in those heady days) to the jungle experiences which have provided many hours of stories for wide-eyed grand-children (see picture on right of Appa telling the famous 'Donkey Tiger' story) - Appa lived life to the fullest.

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It was in Rourkela that he met some Tamil-speakers who were going to a certain meeting. Little did Appa know that this would be the turning point of his life. He was confronted with his own true nature - a lost, broken man - searching for hope. And he found it in the person of Jesus Christ! The group was a local assembly of the Hebron Fellowship - which Appa joined then and there and has been faithfully worshipping with over these 50 years since!

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It was in the fellowship that Appa was introduced to a young Telegu lady who had just got a job as a clerk in the steel plant. Anna Victoria Krupa Star became Mrs. Savari Rajan soon afterwards at the Bethany Assembly. Four children following in the space of 5 years. The days were tough, but Appa and Amma worked hard, prayed hard, saved and invested in their 3 daughters and 1 son. Clothes were made at home. Every way of stretching the salary rupee worked out - but at the same time God and church took primary place.

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In the years before retirement, Appa and Amma bought a small plot of land near Vishakapatnam, Andra Pradesh. Over the years they gradually built a small bungalow on this plot. A few years ago it was broken into - while Amma and Appa were with us in Thane - the thieves did not leave with anything as all they found were some life insurance policies - an old fridge and an old TV. No gold. No cash. Appa's investments were in the family - and the homes a testimony to frugality and hard work rather than what the thieves probably expected - lots of cash.

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Appa's mother eventually came to live with them and help out in rearing the kids. Appi as she was fondly known - poured herself into Daisy, Bethsheba, Sarah and Peter with great devotion. She had come to faith during this time as well. The family moved from quarter to quarter as time went on - but their spiritual home remained in the Bethany Assembly.

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Appa's health has not been good. He had a massive heart attack 8 years ago - one which the Drs. gave a 5 year life-span after. He is still alive - and conscienciously takes his heart meds and his diabetes meds every day. When he was with us last year he tripped and fell badly - but did not suffer any grevious damage by God's grace. We pray for Appa's health every night!

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Appa has seen all his 4 children grow up. Be educated well beyond the opportunities open to him (1 Phd, 1 MD, 1 MBA and 1 Hotel Industry trained). Marry godly spouses. Grow in faith.
Spread around the world (US, Kenya, Delhi and Thane). Have children of their own and instruct these in the faith (4 girls and a boy).

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On the last Sunday of 2007 we had the unique privilege of being with Appa and Amma at their Hebron congregation at Gajuwaka, AP (the Bethel Prayer house) - a time when two of his son-in-laws and his son gave messages in the fellowship and the family sponsored a meal for the whole fellowship. God has been very good to our dear Appa.

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We salute Appa on this day - amazed at God's goodness over these 7 decades. We are awed by the distance he has travelled in his life - his life of faith and devotion to God. His love and care for all of us in the family. His unfailing desire to see the good news of Jesus spread.

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We are proud of you Appa - Thatha to the grand-kids - and thank God for you!

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Post Script:

On the evening of the 2nd a prayer meeting was held at Victor and Sarah's flat in Delhi to thank God for his mercies in giving 7 decades to Appa. Sarah sent her regards from Australia via Skype as she is away for 2 months on a course there. Joanna was thrilled that Ashish Eicher also came over for the festivities. Bro. Prakash George shared from the word and all had a wonderful meal cooked by Amma.

We Thane Eichers wished we could have been there in the flesh, but know that this is the challenge of distance that all of us face. By God's grace he has taken us all this far. We look forward to the day when all of us can look back like Appa and thank God for his grace over so many decades!
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At least we can virtually join in as Amma feeds her beloved husband his birthday cake!

Green

There is a tremendous blessing locked into the colour green.

As we look out our balcony, from the 7th floor vantage of our flat, we see a huge bank of houses on the other side.

But infront of us - oh, so blessedly - a park with large trees - and lots of eye-soothing green.

Our small balcony garden, mirrors this in a rather forlorn way. The current set of plants are rather pitiful examples of plants that survive with very little care.

Case in point is a mimosa vine, lovingly brought from Vishakapatnam 2 years ago. It died a forlorn death a few months ago and was languishing as a sad little duo of dried twigs. But yesterday - lo and behold - a new bud emerged! Hope springs eternal.


Let us thank God for green things!

Smash-up

Mr. Langru came 'home' earlier this week and smashed up everything. The miserable little hut he and his wife and children shelter on the pavement. He was drunk and angry. He beat up his wife and burned much of what they had. He tore up her papers and burned them and threw her Anti-retroviral medicines away.

She was able to fish a few of them out from the rubble of their 'home'. Enough to last her till Monday. The kids have been taken to her sisters house. What next?