A phone call

The mobile buzzed. It was a number that I didn't recognize. What to do? I was with Sheba's cousin and his wife.

I answered.

The voice on the other side was hesitant. I am calling from Malegaon. Is this the Jeevan Sahara Kendra?

I replied it was.

The voice told me that he had read about us on the internet. He has a 10 year old child there with HIV. Both parents also have HIV. They are finding it impossible to care for the child. Do we know what can be done for this child.

I really don't know what to say. And so I say what is true:

"We can't discuss this on the phone - we do not run an ashram here or a hostel for children - most of our work is to look after people who have HIV in Thane in their own homes. But if you would like to bring this family here - we can understand the situation and give advice for the parents and the child."

The voice agreed and said he would come within 2 weeks.

Lets see what happens.

There are so many who need help. What are we to do?

Hot

It was 47 degrees centigrade in Nagpur this week. Can you even think of a heat that hot?

Delhi's schools have been shut down because of the heat wave. My co-brother tells me it was almost 45 degrees there.

Our staff have been out in the heat during these days. People with HIV continue to need help.

Sister Nalini - a retired nurse - went to a home today of a woman with a distended bladder due to being unable to pass urine. She cathederised her - and saw over 1.5 litres of urine removed - and a very grateful woman.

Its hot but we have to continue the work. Prayers always welcome.

Election weariness (and wierdness)

Here we are in the midst of a gargantuan election, where even some of the parties' symbols are elephantine - and actually very few people care.

"What's the point voting" says the elderly Tamil gent I meet in the lift early in the morning, him clutching a bag of milk and I holding a loaf of bread "they are all the same - they only look after themselves and get rich."

Our political class is flying around the country but the streets seem strangely listless and drab. The buzz of previous Lok Sabha elections just doesn't seem present. We have facebook groups, though none of the folks that I am in touch with have posted a single comment to do with the elections (contrast that with the steady chatter my American friends had in the pre- and post-Obama days). Advani wants to do an Obama and has been buying oodles of eyeball space on various sites (its funny to see him show up on Christian sites that have advertising), but I don't think it will cut much ice. The Americans love to do their part - and Obama's folks kept up a steady stream of amazingly engaging emails urging various ways of participation (including the small donations...). I somehow got on the list and was amazed to see how slick - and how down-to-earth many of the communications were. We have a long way to go yet to duplicate that kind of merchandising of a candidate.

The heat, the naxalites have and will play a role in the relatively low turn out and the fairly listless movement. But probably the real challenge rests on two issues.

One issue is that we seem to be surrounded by leaders who just are not able to generate any excitement at all. What does the Congress talk about? Pani, sadak, bijli. Where were you folks the last 5 years? What is the BJP's latest? Foreign bank accounts! Help! Where was all of this before last week?

The second is the more ominous one. We are unlikely to have any one party who will 'win'. That means that we are in for the worst kind of horse trading you can think of. Everyone has ditched each other and is ready to enter into any kind of liason - as long as it leads to power.

Surely this is not what an election is meant to be? It reminds me of the Weimar Republic with its many small parties going into monstorous and short-lived coalitions.

The current German constitution has an interesting clause - no party that does not tally more than 5% of the total national vote gets to sit in parliament - even if they have candidates who have won from local constituencies. The Greens have been in and out of the parliament because of this.

It would be my small suggestion to the good folks who frame our countries laws (sadly these are the very chaps who thrive on the current system, but here goes anyway): how about something like this in our wonderful land. Let those who seek to represent our local constituencies be part of a party that has at least 5% of the popular vote in our country. This will make parties more than just a platform for folks who just want to get ahead.

For me, the most bizarre example of this was the man who 5 years ago threatened to kill himself if Sonia Gandhi was not made prime minister. Pictures of him with a pistol to his head were splashed all over. At the time there was plenty of tut-tutting about how subservient the Congress rank and file were. Well, today the same man thinks nothing of fighting this election with a different party. As with many, he has found a home with the Elephant of the BSP. Asked about his actions then, he just shrugs.

And so it goes. Our amazingly adaptable political class continues to astonish. The value of having a 5% rule, however, would force those who seek to rule the country - to have a trully national presence - rather than ruling their regional fiefdoms and then showing up to tilt the balance of power (in return for disproportionate say in national governance - let alone the issue of disproporionate assets).

On to April 30th then (when our fifth of the country votes) and then the next 2 weeks before the ballots start to be counted on the 16th of May - and we all find out who our new rulers are.

Encouragement

We arranged a meeting for our partner churches who are caring for people with HIV. The idea was to encourage them. We ended up being encouraged too - and how!

After rousing worship, Bro Cecil Clements touched hearts with the message that God is there to care for the care-givers. "Do you love me" is the key question each one of us has to answer, before we do any 'work for God'. Its a personal and intimate question - but how we answer is vital to how we reach out to others. Our vertical relationship is the one from which we can give love, help and care to others. But if we do not love Him...

We then spent time looking at the blessings that different churches experienced while reaching out to people with HIV - and the challenges that fellowships face. What an amazing time to hear story after story of God using ordinary people to make a huge impact on families with HIV.

So much is happening - though most of it small in the eyes of those around - and often largely hidden because of the fear that people have of HIV. It was amazing to hear what some of the churches have been able to do - and iron sharpened iron as different groups were challenged by how other fellowships are being used by God to bless people with HIV/AIDS.

Just under 4 years ago two pastors came to us and said that they had had 4 members of their congregation die of AIDS. "We cast out the demons, but they died of TB" was what they said at that time - "what can we do for others with HIV?" they asked.

These pastors and their church members came regularly for the 4 session training course we arranged. And the pastors have continued touching people with HIV. One of them has now been involved with over 100 people with HIV over these subsequent years. The impact of one leader, of one fellowship that really takes ownership is immense.

After thanking God and praising Him for what He has done through these local fellowships, we also had a time when we heard about some of the challenges that many of the folks face: indifference from church members, fear of HIV, heart-breaks after pouring so much into a family, the loss that is felt when a person dies... These are real issues, and ones that show how hard - and even at times bitter - the road is to reaching out with the love of Christ in a broken world. Surprisingly most of the barriers were actually still within the church - a coldness of heart, a lack of time, an indifference that is so different from the caring heart of Christ. The good news is that all of these areas can be changed. And as we broke up into pairs to pray about these things, we know that God is already changing the hearts of His people.


Sheba shared about Biblical Health Care - drawing on some of the things she was recently exposed to in Delhi - and shared how different things are when we do things the way God wants us to reach out to broken people. Sheba stressed that all care has to be Christ-centered. Without Him there is no point moving forward. She also showed how human beings are 'imagers' of God - we show who God is through who we are - and are also very precious since we carry His very likeness all over us. This means that no matter how broken a person is - she or he is very special - and worthy of care and redemption and help. Health care from a Biblical perspective is all about Shalom - peace in the fullest sense of the word with right-relationships-all-around. Our job - in HIV care or health care in general is to bring this Shalom into being. This can only be done through Agape love - the love that does not ask in return. Sheba showed that all of this can only through God's love working in us.

Before we knew it, the time was up. Over a fellowship lunch all of us - JSK staff and church leaders and partners alike were unanimous in this - we had been encouraged by each other - and are so grateful to what God has done - and is doing!

Stay posted!

Blood

10 samples. 2 ml of blood each. Each one taken from a different person, with a different history. Each one about to be tested for HIV.


Saturday marked the most people we have tested so far for HIV. Ten. Its not a huge number considering all the people who have HIV (and don't know it) and all the people who may have HIV (and don't want to know). But it is a start.

Each sample is an example of a person who is willing to confront the truth. The truth about whether they have HIV or not. Whether the risks in the past means that virus is present in their bodies. Or not.

In either case, these test results are no ordinary pieces of information. They are vital parts of a person's life. The knowledge of having HIV can be devastating to a person. But it can also be liberating - and help a man or woman face up to reality.

Here to shepherd people through the testing process are Daniel and James, who are our main counsellors.


Its not easy. For the person getting tested - as for the counsellor. But we are convinced that this knowlege offers real opportunities for people to change. For those who are infected - to start the healing process. For those who are not - to make a difference in their behaviour - and to help others to change too.

Have you been tested yet? It's worth knowing.

This morning we will know the results of each of these samples - and start the process of communicating the result in meaningful ways to the dear people from which these small vials of blood were taken.

The blood tells the story. And the blood can mark the change.

Truth

Truth is a coin that is often in short supply.

Sadly the consequences of lying are deep and lasting.

We had a dear but very misguided friend visit the clinic today.

During the conversation we talked with her about how she had been living with other men before and how that had led to such damage in her and for her children. Our staff had recently been to this sister's home and found a man lying draped only with a light cloth - and touching the pre-teen daughter of the woman who sat in the cubicle.

When asked about this man she grew angry and asked whether it was a crime to have a relative stay with them. Is he still there? We asked. No, he is gone.

The session did not end on a good note. But worse was to come.

After the lady had left, Sheba came out of the doctor's cabin a short while later. She saw an unknown man coming out of the lab area and leave the centre.

"Who was he?" Sheba asked our counsellor Daniel.

"The man living with the lady who came in," said Daniel.

The blindness of deceit ends up blinding totally.

Here was this lady hotly denying any man was around - when she had come with a man to have him tested for HIV. In the course of his counselling he clearly talked about having sexual relations with the lady who is HIV positive.

Once truth is gone - it takes a long time to find it again. Lies accumulate like flies. And are just about impossible to get rid of on your own strength.

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Please join with us in prayer for this broken lady and her broken family. There is still hope... but how long? She has lost 5 kgs recently.

A rose is....

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet" (Romeo and Juliet).

Smell sweet perhaps, but look as lovely?

We are thrilled to see pictures of our own Rose - namely Anjali-Rose Eden Eicher - who was born to Stefan and Neeru on Feb 5th this year - and her proud and loving brother Ashish!


Anjali lives with her Mummy and Daddy and big bro in Delhi. Only Sheba has seen her in the flesh so far - but we are hoping to make up for it as a family at the end of May at the latest.

Though we haven't asked the happy parents - I think the Rose is a reflection of Roesli - our Mother's middle and her Mother's first name. Roesli being a German dimunitive of 'Rose'. With our Asha having our Father's mother's name Alice as one of her 4 names - we now have both of our wonderful praying "Omas" (German for Grandmother) remembered in the lives and liveliness of our kids.