Marriage Season

Its wedding season. And what a blessed time it is.

As a family we attended 2 receptions in the last week. Both times of great joy.

The first one was for Dr. Vimalin and Dr. Rohini Samuel. Dr. Vimalin's parents Bor. Vedanayagam and Sis. Johnsy run the Living Water Mission - a programme that reaches out to women in prostitution and helps them start a new life. The Living Water Mission is right next to Jeevan Sahara Kendra - and we have seen many of their ladies in our clinic as many of them are starting a new life with HIV in them.

We were able to walk over to the time - and saw many a local pastor and friend of ours studding the well-wishers.

a choir of ladies being rehabilitated at Living Water Mission singing at the reception

With Vimalin and Rohini having already been married in Chennai the reception here was mainly for the friends, neighbours and supporters of his parents. The new couple are both from the Christian Medical College Vellore - and are currently living there while Vimalin is doing his higher medical studies. Vimalin's sister Dr. Vinotha and her husband Dr. Sudarshan (who were also at the reception) are also at Vellore where she works in Obstetrics and he is doing a Fellowship in Intensive Care.

What struck us was the simplicity of the do. A real time of prayer. A time of sharing joy of the parents. A time when the ministry that the parents have poured themselves into merged seamlessly with their lives. This was the simplest and best reception that I have attended in Mumbai town (where the marriage business puts many people in debt for years - all because of the social pressure to 'excel' at this time).

What a tribute to a set of parents who have put God first in their lives - and clearly see the blessings on their children.

The second reception saw us going considerably further afield.

Rolly and Doris Jayakar graciously took us over to Pune on a Sunday afternoon (and back on a Sunday night / Mon morning) to attend the reception of our dear friend Ethel and her husband Durai.

On the first Sunday of the month both our house-fellowships meet at Rolly and Doris's house for worship and for lunch. Since this was the first Sunday we did so and then left for Pune at 3.30 in the afternoon.

The drive up was pleasant and filled with conversation. It is amazing how much we all still have to learn from and about each other.

We slipped into Pune at just the right time for the 6.30 PM reception and were whisked up to the roof-top of a hotel in the middle of down-town. The place was It was called '7th Heaven' and it certainly was a stunning location. There under the night sky in a garden we rejoiced in God's goodness to Ethel.

It was humbling to see an amazing group of family and friends turn out - parts of Ethel's life that we were only dimly aware of - a legacy of God's faithfulness to her - and her impact on others in the years prior to her 5 years with us in Thane.


The testimonies about Ethel and Durai were touching in their celebration of this couple. We just sensed a wave of joy that God had been so gracious in keeping these two for each other. Durai is a stranger to us - but what we heard and saw of him confirmed our joy as a man after God's own heart. Ethel joins a formidable family with Durai's father a bishop with the ECI and his mother a leader in the women's wing of the church. But more than the backgrounds of the new union we see that they both want to move forward and serve God as a family. Rolly's blessing to them was shared by us all when he told them "we want to see you as a church-planting family."

Rolly, Doris, Juanita, Durai, Ethel, Sheba, Andi - with Enoch and Asha in front!

With the greetings over (and the dear couple to brave another 500 or so folks with their brilliant smiles) we then settled down to a quick feast before it was back on the road. Enoch took on Shane who along with Accamma had come up from Mumbai in a spirited game of table football - using a large confetti ball and a goal made of confetti and toothpicks!

And then it was back in the car and back to Thane.

We decided to take our table guests Shawn and Accamma along with us since their train was only at 11.30 at night.

As the car pulled out at 9.30 PM we were looking forward to being in bed at 12.30 AM.

Didn't quite happen.

For one the as-usual-un-marked roads of greater Pune led us to explore a bit more of the urban sprawl that Pune is becoming than we had wanted.

We breathed easy once we were on the straight-as-an-arrow Pune-Mumbai expressway.

Once we passed Lonavala and started down the ghats of Khandala we were dodging heavily-laden trucks trundling down with their loads testing many a brake-pad. With three of these behemoths around us we could hear that some-one's tire was punctured. The flap-flap-flap was unmistakable. "I wonder whose it is?" ventured Shawn. Well - it was our own back left tire that decided to give up the ghost.

Where to stop? We finally decided to do the necessary in the tunnel since it was well lit.

And so with trucks grinding by - and with cars zipping by at quite a speed - we had the three of us men enjoy the grunt work of half an hour of getting the offending tire off and a spare one on.

The others who had been alternatively sleeping and chatting - were now all up. The conversations continued be the in an air-conditioned SUV or in a grimy tunnel.
While one member of the party was blissfully unaware of all that went on. Afterwards Enoch claims that he knew what was happening - but continued on in sweet slumber.

It was a tired but happy party of Eichers who took the lift up to our 7th floor flat at 2 AM on Monday morning.

Missing boy

This just in from our dear friends Bennet and Bernie David who run an amazing group called "Tender Hands":

We really need your prayers for one of our boys, Akash.

Two of our boys were on time-outs most of yesterday, which is nothing new for these two guys who are constantly mischievous. Apparently one of them has been planning to run away for about 2 weeks and finally he found a companion, Raju to go with him. So at about 3-4 am, Raju and Akash went to the roof, scaled half the wall until they landed on the building under construction next to us and went to the train station.

Both of them are from VT train station (Victoria Terminus) and they took the first train back there. Apparently they separated on the platform, Raju left the train station but Akash must have been having to much fun riding the trains and jumped on another train. We just have no idea which train and to where. Raju left the station and was starting to roam around his familiar territory when one of the other mom's (Sara's mom) recognized him and assessed the situation pretty quick and grabbed him by the collar and tried to call Bennet. He did get away briefly but she was able to catch up and from then on, scooped him under her arm until his father was able to get there. So, Raju is back at home but has no idea where Akash went.

Akash's father also lives on the street at VT, we got a hold of him and he went to the police but because he is poor, illiterate and living on the street, the cops would not help him. They didn't want to file a report because then they may have to work a case. Bennet's brother, Melwyn works near by and was able to rush over there and file the police report and get it in the system. Apparently if he is found at a train station, we will know it as he is in the system. His father and his friends, as well as several other people are walking the trains and stations looking for him. It is a pretty tight knit community of the people living on the street and they are all looking for him. Joy is also searching for him.

At this point, in a city of 18 million people, looking for a 8 yr old boy is pretty much a miracle ! Please pray that the Lord will send his angels to protect him where ever he is tonight and that tomorrow someone will help him to get back to us in safely and unharmed. Pray that he does not end up on one of the outbound long distance trains that would take him anywhere in India.

Please pray for a big miracle, we serve a God that can move mountains and He knows right where Akash is tonight. Please Lord wrap your arms around him and bring him back to us !!


Blessings,

Bernie David

A small but valuable space

A quick look inside our Jeevan Sahara Kendra centre. For the uninitiated - the stars on the ceiling each have a name written on them. They represent our friends with HIV who we know have died. We won't be meeting them again this side of eternity.

The area where the chairs are stacked is used as our morning meeting place. Its about 6 m by 4 m in a thick L shape.

Each morning the whole team meets in this space at 9AM for praise and prayer. We take turns sharing from the Bible. To encourage each other. To keep us going. Then a prayer for the day's work and the Home-Based Care teams head out for the morning visits to people with HIV in their homes.

This room then sees various changes over the day. A quick sweep and swab by Rekha - our current helper at JSK (her two small daughters come with her each day - and then attend school in the afternoon).

When an HIV positive friend comes, or someone who wants to be tested for HIV, they are seated in this area. After counselling and preparation in the counselling room, the person is brought into first door on the right. This is the small lab we have and their blood sample is taken and processed there. The next day they will again be met by our counsellor who will tell them their HIV result.

For those who need to be seen by the doctor, the nurse will take their details in this waiting area. At lunch time - some of the staff eat their food here (if there are no patients waiting of course). Most of the staff end up eating on a set of stairs...

Post lunch the home-based care teams share brief reports of the day's visits so far and plan for the next steps. Then it is out for the afternoon visits.

In the afternoon Madhu - another helper - will again clean the place. Just before 6 whoever is still at the centre will gather for prayer at the close of the day.

On days when we have patients admitted - this place becomes a play room for their children - a counselling place for spouses - a visiting space for people who would like to meet the patients.

A place of many uses. These walls have seen many a tear. And some laughter too.

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Photo by Anand Sinha - courtesy of letting us use it assumed - as we always do with our near-and-dear-ones

Interviewing the future

They came into the gleaming office. Each one special. Short glimpses into multiple lives.

We were conducting the interviews for the first batch of trainees for a nurse-aide course that the new Bethany Hospital is running (as soon as they can get shifted into the gleaming building in which the gleaming office was).

The girls each had their own story. Some we knew - from our contacts through JSK. Others were new.

But what struck home over and over again was the transforming power of God. These are girls who have largely grown up in the large shanty-towns that blanket the great city of Mumbai. Many of them have lost a father - some lost their mother as well. A few of them have been rescued out of prostitution. All of them came with hope. To start something new. To carry on a work of change - which has been taking shape in their lives - and in the lives of their families.

It was striking how many of these girls had seen healings take place. Some in their own lives - but almost everyone had experienced answered prayers for healing in their families.

The other striking aspect that came out of the 15 interviews that we held was how evident it is that others have invested in these girls. Most of them were confident, idealistic, eager to learn and grow. As they talked about their situations they often referred to pastors or other church members who had helped them at various stages in life.

15 folks is a small slice out of the thousands upon thousands of young people what make up the bulk of our urban sprawls. What potential we have. How much can be done by giving opportunities - and by building these young people up - one by one. It is remarkable what some of the churches that operate in and out of these slum-situations have been able to do. But there is so much more that stares us in the face each day.

We do not know all the back-stories for these young women - but we know enough to realise that most grew up in pretty disfunctional situations. Which makes their poise and eagerness to move forward all the more poignant. And all the more vital that they succeed.

May this first batch of trainee nurse aides (when the course finally gets underway) make a huge difference for their families - and as gratitude for all those who have invested in them so far!

Appa's 73rd

Time flies. Especially when you are 73 years young!

We had the joy of celebrating a special birthday this week. Sheba's father (called Thata by the kids) turned 73!
The night before a cake was baked. A basic banana cake - but with a twist - 1/2 cup of grated carrot (found loitering in the fridge for some unspecified amount of time) - and a whole tangerine (narangi as we call it here). The tangerine - was ground up - peel, pips and all and dumped into the dough. It gave the whole cake a lovely kick. Vive la différence!

But enough about cakes.

The real joy was to be with Appa on this day.

The tragedy of our lives is how far away we live from our parents. How much we yearn for their presence. For the comfort and joy of them being around us.

Its been almost a year since we last met Amma and Appa. In the interim they have been in the US for 4 months with their newest grandchild - Shofar. It is a joy to hear Appa unravel his impressions of the United States - a combination of awe at the standard of living there - as well as concern about the general apathy he found in many people with whom he talked about God.

On the 2nd of March - we focussed mainly on God's goodness in Appa's life. To think of how Appa grew up virtually without a father (who went to Malaysia and never came back) - and how he had slogged over the years to bring up the amazing foursome of Daisy, Sheba (Bethsheba as she still is to her family), Sarah and Peter!

And now to be with us on this special day.

We were able to source a Tamil reference Bible just in time for the birthday (thanks Isaac and Anil for going out of your way!). And Appa was thrilled to open the heavy tome!


In the evening when Agnes came over after work, Asha and Enoch put on a special mini-concert for us - complete with an entry card which showed the concert programme and which instruments would be used in each piece. Needless to say - parents and grandparents alike were thrilled with Asha and Enoch!

As we put a shawl around Appa's neck (and Amma's too) we just have to thank God for the wonderful gift of godly parents. Appa and Amma's love for Sheba was complete. She never doubted their love. She never feared that they did not care for her. This gave such a solid ground for her to develop into the person Sheba has become.

We want to do the same for Asha and Enoch. Looking back on the life of Appa - all 73 full years he has experienced - gives us a challenge to look forward. With both of us coming close to our 42nd B-day celebrations - we have a good set of examples in Amma and Appa for our next 31 spins around the sun (D.v. of course).

Secret

A shadowy organisation holds a weekly meeting at the Eicher residence each Monday evening.

Small people come in the front door and congregate behind closed doors in the middle room.

A brave mother (bearing colourful potable liquids - and knocking the password knock) managed to get into the aforesaid room. Her courage knowing no end - she actually managed to take a photo of the hidden goings-on.

Here - in a world exclusive - we present a glimpse into another world:


The HVVVSC in session (the full form is too secret for us to reveal!).

Glimpses

A small room. A few women. Some of their kids. Add a small assortment of Eichers.

Tuesday night study of the life of Jesus Christ. We are unpacking the Lukan account.

We were in Shanti's home. We have started this study on Tuesday evenings. An hour. 7 to 8 pm.

Last week - after our first meet - one of Shanti's neighbours asked her why she had not been invited. The neighbour lady came today - along with her sister. After the study she asked for prayer. She has been married for 20 years without a child. She is almost 40 years old now. She works by going to homes and looking after small children and giving massages to new mothers. We prayed with her.

In sharing the snippet about Jesus' life this evening I was struck by the insights of two old people - Simeon and Anna.

Simeon - who had been told that he would not die before he saw the Messiah - was moved by the spirit to come to the temple on the day a Gallelian carpenter and his wife brought their son to the temple. They must have presented a pitiful sight - though of royal blood - now reduced to offering pigeons instead of a lamb.

But Simeon saw far past the surface and took the child in his arms and shouted out that he could now rest in peace. He had seen the saviour.

What did Simeon see? A month-old baby, held by a young girl and her rustic husband?

Simeon's spiritual eyes were open. They saw something far deeper. They recognised that the maker of the universe was confined to the helplessness of this babe. Simeon registered that the child he now held in his arms - would one day be his redeemer.

Do we have spiritual eyes that are open? Or are we keeping them tightly shut? Tightly status-quo-don't-disturb-me-I-am-fine-thank-you?

And then we have the person of Anna - this 84 year old widow - who spent all her widowhood it seems in the temple in Jerusalem. Instead of the pall of mourning - or the wiff of self-pity - you get the sense of Anna's eagerness and yearning for the Messiah. You can almost feel how connected she is with others who are seeking - because when she sees Jesus she tells everyone about him.

Are we seeking? Are we looking? One of the promises Jesus gives is that He will be found by those who genuinely seek Him.

All this in a tiny room, with 3 ladies, 2 teen girls and a gaggle of kids - learning about Jesus.
The beauty of the word is that it illuminates the living Word. Our contexts are simple. Our lives can be complex. But He reveals Himself through His life that we read together.

Next Tuesday. 7-8 PM. In a small window-less room in Manpada. The next slice of Jesus' life. Glimpses.