One Handful of Rice

   About six months ago there was a rumor spread in India among our friends that Roger had suddenly died. Our dear friend Nehemiah called our home to confirm the facts or maybe to console me. He was surprised to hear Roger answer the phone and respond that the rumors were wildly exaggerated. We still don’t know the source of that false information, but the depth of Nehemiah’s love for Roger did impress me. Nehemiah said he had fallen to the ground in agony at the news, and his wife had to pray for him. Nehemiah’s own earthly father passed away several years ago and there had been a rift in their relationship. While Nehemiah had forgiven his father for many things, he turned his need of a father figure to Roger instead and still relies on his advice and encouragement. Roger’s love for Nehemiah is all-encompassing–nothing held back. Even the cultural and language barriers don’t lessen the bond.

I think we sometimes underestimate our need for fathers and mothers in our faith. Who will model righteous behavior for us, who will teach us what we need to know, and who will pick us up when we’ve failed? In India there is a strong teacher/pupil model throughout the country–it’s common to look up to a mentor with something akin to devotion. In the Christian world we need to be sure that a mentoring relationship is not one of higher and lower, but one of more experience, as we are all equal at the foot of the cross. But the father-son relationship for Roger and Nehemiah is a sweet one and it means a lot to both of them.

Women, we need to have mothers in the Lord in a similar manner. Who are the women you look to for counsel, love and encouragement? I can list several, even though I don’t often meet with them. The father and mother roles are crucial when times are hard–in times of crisis. Those roles are a little different than our friendships, though those are very important too.

Take a few moments and think of the mothers or fathers in your life and be sure to maintain your relationship with those persons. Be thankful for them and let them know that you are.

    Today is my daughter and son-in-law’s fifteenth wedding anniversary. That seems impossible. It’s also my daughter, Sara’s, thirty-eighth birthday. Time flies by and it seems that their gorgeous beach wedding was just yesterday. Now the two have become five and are part of the greatest joys in life—my family. Thinking back fifteen years to Jon and Sara’s wedding day makes me realize how much my own life has changed in that time period.

Fifteen years ago I’d never been to India–hadn’t seen anything but pictures of that place, and never dreamed I’d spend time there. Now India is foremost in my mind day after day. Now I know how the cities and villages look. I’ve seen the startling beauty of the countryside paired with the desolation of abject poverty and need. I’ve learned lesson after lesson about the challenges of understanding a culture not lived in, but only visited. Each visit helps make the experiences more real and true. Still, wisdom tells me there is a lifetime of learning to do.

Now I know that appearances are deceiving and that a family living in one dark and shabby room can be living a middle class life in India. I know that what looks like poverty to me, isn’t always so. I know that many of the comforts I take for granted really aren’t very important. I know that when people live in slums they aren’t always bothered by it and actually take pride in their little homes. I know that I don’t need to “fix” as many things as I first thought. I’ve learned to appreciate a hot cup of tea with friends in a setting I once would have thought primitive. And there’s a lot more…..

Fifteen years ago I hadn’t dreamed I’d be a writer. I’d never submitted a piece for publication, hadn’t written a devotional or an article and had never received one of those lovely form rejection letters. I didn’t spend time writing down my thoughts and questions or researching information for stories. I hadn’t interviewed people for profiles and didn’t know what a clip was. And OMGoodness, I’d never had my own business cards printed! Yes, my life has taken some unexpected turns and given me some big and wonderful surprises.

What about you? Have you dreamed of adventures that have so far not come to pass? Do you think there could be surprises in store for you? Is there a place in this big world you’d like to see or a work nearby that is just waiting for your hands and heart? One Handful of Rice is all about living a life of generosity. It’s made my life rich and full to serve the people of India, but I might have served just as well in downtown Vancouver. I love my mini writing career and am just as surprised as anyone that I have it. What do you want to experience? What will you give? What can you share with others? There just may be some surprises in store for you.

   They say there is nothing new under the sun. In India that may be more true for villagers than we’ve previously understood. When the missionaries from Europe and North America began working in Indian villages in the 1800′s they were up against huge language and cultural barriers. They had to start from scratch to learn the language and teach English to interested Indian people. They had to use very basic teaching tools such as songs and pictures with a simple story line. The people were used to hearing stories and they liked them. Often the stories were repeated over and over just as the stories of Hindu gods were recited and repeated. This was familiar territory and it was fruitful in introducing God through the stories of Old and New Testament. When I interviewed Bible women in India they often told about the stories that had impacted them most:  The good Shepherd who would search for a lost sheep, and take his sheep to safe places was a favorite. They could relate to the stories and they wanted to know more about a God who cared for people as a shepherd cares for his sheep, one who truly loved people.

So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that there is a new trend in ministry in India and other developing countries called “storying.” In this picture you’ll see a woman telling a simple Bible story with the help of a translator. When the people ask questions or ask for more stories they are invited to host a meeting in their home and from that tiny beginning a house church is formed. Sometimes simple and straightforward is much more fruitful than complicated strategies. Just tell the story.

    This had been a season of loss for many of my friends. We just received a three month report from our friends in India, Uma and Sampath. They noted that they had attended three funerals of Christian friends in that time. Right now David and Diana Phillips are ministering to David’s mother as her days on earth are coming to a close and another long-time friend just said goodbye to her mother. A much-respected man who was once my principal when I taught at a Christian school passed away a few weeks ago. All of these losses have made me think once again about how brief our life here on earth is. When we’re young it seems that our life path stretches out so far ahead we can’t even see the end. But as we get older we recognize more often that the end of life will surely come, even to us. It makes me want to appreciate everything more, love more, give more and live each day fully and intentionally.

We often think of death as tragic. But my friend Emese once said, “Maybe it’s not dying that is tragic, but dying without knowing God.” She’s right of course. Those of us who walk with God are already tasting just a bit of kingdom life, but it’s all mixed up with the mess that people make of things. Still there is so much beauty and so much to be thankful for. It’s really hard to let go of our loved ones. It takes time to adjust to the changes and gaps the loss leaves in our hearts. I wish I were better at putting salve on the wounds of those who suffer–it’s always difficult to say or do helpful things when a friend is hurting. They have to do the letting go and I can only stand quietly alongside them and love them.

  Our wonderful partners, Nehemiah and Sarah Naik were busy this weekend. They told us they would spend the entire weekend traveling from one house church to another to conduct baptisms because it was Pentecost Sunday. Think about their situation:  it is probably between 105 and 115 degrees now in Andhra Pradesh. They will either walk or travel by motorcycle. They will be greeted by each small congregation with great joy, but will only be able to stay long enough to conduct the services and then move on to the next one. They don’t waste a lot of time on sleep. We love them both so much. They’re humble and sweet and don’t want more for themselves. They care for many children and adults who have handicaps of different sorts. They also provide for women and children who have contracted AIDS from their husbands and fathers. They work tirelessly to tell the poor of India about Jesus. They consider us to be their parents in the Lord. What an honor.

   We’re happy to report that our partners David and Diana Phillips have good news. David has been hired by a Christian organization called Yeshu Darbar to train village pastors and evangelists and to oversee the work in the 64 villages near Allahabad. All during the rest of this month he will conduct training sessions and then he’ll begin visiting  the villages to discern the level of instruction appropriate for each. David is a skilled teacher and also has first-hand knowledge of the local languages and cultures. This will be invaluable as he works in each village. All of these reports are a huge answer to prayer because David’s heart has desired full-time Christian work for many years. Now is the time!! Now we need to work with them to find a reliable means of transportation to work and for the long and challenging rides through countryside roads.

On Pentecost God visited His people in a big way. He came with audible and visible manifestations to show His presence. He gifted the people with His Holy Spirit who lives inside each believer which is a mystery and a blessing. There is no way that our partners could do the work they do without the power of God’s Spirit living in and encouraging their hearts. The work is too demanding and difficult and the monetary rewards are practically nil. But the hard work they do comes from hearts convinced that there is nothing more important than serving God by telling the people what He’s done for them in sending Jesus to a broken and hurting world. Jesus told the disciples to wait for His Spirit. They did, and once they had received it they began the work that we continue to support today. It’s an amazing story of faithfulness throughout the generations. I’m glad to be part of it.