Our original plan was for 5 others to take this step with her as well, but as the 19th of April drew closer the other candidates dropped out (we hope they will take the step soon though).
So on a sun-drenched Saturday evening we gathered at the small baptismal chapel at Holy Trinity School in Thane to witness this step of joyful obedience to our Lord.
After a time of praising God in song (with Enoch on the keyboard and his dad accompanying with the guitar and loud singing) we were blessed with a wonderful word by bro Jolly.
Jolly talked about how he and his wife had been convicted by God's word that they needed to take baptism - and how that had been later in life - but how faithful the Lord Jesus has been to them since they took that step of loving obedience.
Jolly challenged us all to keep following the Lord - something that we have seen him and his wife Suma do faithfully over the past 11 years...
Then Asha stood up to testify about what God has done in her life and why she was being baptised. It was a happy dream for us as parents to see our daughter stepping out like this.
And it got better!
Immediately after Asha's testimony, went into the water (surprisingly cold - a whole tanker load which had filled up the previously empty tank just minutes before we started the service).
Here I asked Asha whether Jesus Christ was her saviour and Lord.
She replied 'yes'!
It was over so quickly, a quick splash down in the water and up she came!
After she came out I said:
"Buried in the likeness of His death and raised in the likeness of His resurrection."
And we all broke into an acapella version of "I have decided, to follow Jesus."
13 years have gone by in a flash.
The Asha of the past - the little girl that I carry in my heart - has morphed into the next part of her life. We now have a confident young woman in our house now - who is making her steps of faith and understanding... forward!
It was such a privilege to be part of this public statement of hers that she has died to this world - and is alive in her Lord Jesus.
Sheba and I are very grateful for this joy-filled day.
We think back on our own choices that we made in our youth - my baptism was when I was about 8 - and Sheba's when she was 14. And now this generation is stepping forward.
In 2 weeks Asha and her best friend Nikita will have an adventure with Dr. Mary and Dr. Catherine who serve with Love the One in Behrampur Odisha.
Nikita has been praying regularly to be a missionary peadiatrician - and so we thought what better place for them than to actually see first hand what two amazing friends of ours are doing - along with the whole Love the One team!
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| The Thane Eichers after the baptism - father and daughter wearing a change of dry clothes! |
The 19th of April also marks another small but important step in Asha's life.
She is starting to wear specs!
Last week we found out that she has virtually no far-sight in her left eye. Her right eye - which sees perfectly was doing double duty whenever she looked far.
That was quite a surprise for us - but Asha took it gamely and now we have a very smart looking young lady in our midst!
After the baptism was over we repaired back to the Eicher flat for a big supper - with the household bursting with the John Gabriel family, Emmanuel and Mokshaa and Wo-way as well as Agnes and Annie - and us 4 Eichers.
Emmanuel prayed for the feast - and then it was open season for food and conversation. A perfect end to a wonderful day!
Asha and Enoch have been on a small origami craze recently - sourcing new designs from the internet. The flowers they made are part of a small but growing collection of origami art that is being manufactured during their just-begun summer hols!
But of course the real flowers in this picture are our 3 girls - and little Wo-way!
How happy we are to read of this new chapter in Asha's life. May the Lord draw near to her and she to Him and may her life shine out His glory in all she does and is. We rejoice with you.
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