Ever since the birth of the Church and the New Testament was written, so many questions had been raised by the believers regarding the laws and prophesies in the Old Testament. Many churches got split and various denominations sprouted out over the stand on certain law or doctrine. Unity which Christ spoke of and emphasized on sadly got chipped and chopped off by mere petty disagreement and prideful decisions.
Even in Paul's days, confusion rose when Paul tried to point to the heart of Christ rather than to the laws and rituals the people were accustomed to. When he gave more importance to the circumcision of heart rather than the circumcision of foreskin, his teaching were either misunderstood, misinterpreted or opposed by many who heard him. His undertaking of spreading the gospel among Gentiles were met with resistance by law abiding Jews of that time. Paul's journey was a rocky one and his message was confusing to many because they failed to see was trying to point to-the ultimate fulfillment of the Mosaic Law in Christ.
Paul defends himself telling the churches in Corinth and Galatia, how drenched he was in Judaism as a Pharisee and how zealous he was for the tradition of his fathers until he met Christ on his way to Damascus.
Once transformed by Christ and was on a journey to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, he focused on the essentials, the matters of the heart rather than tradition and ceremonial laws. He even confronted Peter, who was considered as one of the "Super Apostle" for being in the wrong. Traditionally, Jews never ate with Gentiles, because in their eyes, they were considered unclean. But Paul refused to take that path anymore. Once, a person is in Christ, Paul saw no difference between Jews and Gentiles. As such, he ate and fellowshipped with non-circumsized Gentiles. However, when Peter visited Paul and Baranabas in Antioch, at first he showed no reluctance to eat with the Gentiles as Paul did. But when James' men from Jerusalem visited Antioch, Peter avoided eating with the Gentiles in their company. His action disappointed and even angered Paul enough to confront Peter. What made worse was the fact Peter's reluctance influenced even Baranabas to avoid eating with the Gentiles.
It's understandable for men at that time to be confused by Paul's argument of taking up grace and not giving into Law, once you're crucified with Christ and made alive again. Expecting it to happen overnight was too much to ask on Paul's side. Though he was right in every respect, customs and traditonal laws cannot be easily cast away like old garments. No doubt Paul was sought after by mobs to be beaten and killed for trying the change their Jewish traditions.
Two millenia had passed and "We are under grace," preach many pastors and Bible teachers, but then why are they still quoting from OT regarding keeping the Sabbath, tithing, eating pork and so on. Church goers are confused whether they're walking on thin ice, not knowing whether to hold onto both and to let go of the old and grabbing on to NT.
It's interesting how Jesus Himself once said,when He was asked why His disciples did not fast as the disciples of John did " No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment. " The explanation given for the statement which I heard when I was growing up was that , if you try to join OT and NT and walk by the saying, it may not work for once Grace was given, there's no need to follow the old rules. Yet the distinction is not given clearly for everyones understanding because churches seem to do selective choices of the laws from OT and make them a yardstick to measure the faith of believers.
Yes, I understand that without OT, the New Testament wouldn't have made any sense for the Bible student. The Bible as a whole reveal the heart of God and the plan of salvation for the humankind. Without, the New Testament, the Old would have remain incomplete, the great plan not fulfilled. Likewise, without the Old Testament, history of humankind, Jewish nation, prophesies of a Saviour, God's faithfulness would have been missed. In truth, one relies on the other for fulfillment and to be complete. But caution need to be made to take context into consideration when time, culture and circumstance are taken into account. Plucking out scripture out of context to suit our purpose had produced calamity and division among churches and stained the beautiful image of the body of Christ.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Reflection on a Movie I watched
Last night, I watched the movie Other Side of Heaven, on Netflix. It's a true story of a young Mormon missionary sent on to spread the Good News with Tongo people in an island near Fiji. Young as he was and had to leave his girlfriend, love of his life and his family back home and sail to an unknown destination and to live among people whom he had never seen even in a picture, never knew to speak a word of his language nor tasted their food nor slept in a thatched hut like them brought tremendous anxiety and concerns.
Yet, in faith he stepped out of his house bading farewell to his loved ones and boarded the train in anticipation that someone from the mission would meet him at the ship yard to travel with him to his destination. To his horror, no one showed up at the harbor, even worse, he was not permitted to board the ship saying his name was not on the travellors list. When he tried to enter, despite the refusal, he was thrown overboard by a mean captain. Luckily he landed unhurt on the harbor, but was arrested for trying to enter the boat without permission and put into a room with pigs and chicken were kept. Instead of sitting and wallowing in self-pity, the young missionary took out his trombone and started playing. Shortly, the man who supposed to meet him showed up, gave him a young Tongo man as his help and companion to escort him to the land he was assigned to serve.
Getting adapted to the new surroundings with entirely different culture, language, customs and dwelling was a challenge beyond his expectation and imagination. He suffered many sleepless nights with vicious mosquitoes sucking out his blood all over his body, threw up most of the food he ingested for his body couldn't handle the taste of it, the people made fun of his speech when he tried to say something to them. Instead of taking back a boat to the comfort of his land, he stayed at the shore on his knees praying and studying the native's language and little by little gained the trust and respect of the Tongo people.
The people began to trust him, not because of his preaching, but because he was there beside them praying and caring for a child almost at the brim of death, helped them in the rescue mission when a monstrous hurricane swept the island, stood shoulder to shoulder in lending a hand in builiding back their broken huts and joined them in their celebration and mourned with them when their loved ones died. Until the director from his mission came and asked him to give him an account of the number of people he had led to Christ and the list of the names of people whom he had baptized, he had never thought of having an account of them. Such thing mattered little in his view compared to the number of people he had come to love and serve and gained the trust to lead to Christ. That's all mattered to him and that's all need to matter to anyone who goes onto the mission field to serve the Lord.
Yes, he longed to be near his girl friend, missed his family, home food and all the facilities he enjoyed living in his home country. Yet, he stood by his vision to serve the Lord and people well and even asked for an extension of six months to overstay. When his request was denied, but told he was promoted to be a deputy diirector to serve back home or in another country, instead of being thrilled, he was heart broken, grieve stricken to leave the Tongo people whom he had come to love so dearly within the last four year.
As promised, once he got home, he got married to his girlfriend and started raising a family. However, he and his wife visited many a times the Tongo people and served on short missionary assignments. This was based on a true story and it happened in the 1950s.
Oh what a difference how mission work is done now and in those days. The ones now I hear are those that last averaging from two weeks to three months or little longer. The reason may be that other unChrstianed countries are no more open to mission work as they used to do those days or mission work has not been as effective as those in earlier times. as in Dr. Livingstone's days.
Today, we see our church taking youngsters on two weeks missionary trips spending so much money on air flights and lodgings only to go and mingle with children there, how to play games, tell stories, entertain them in whatever way they could, handover some of the gifts they took along with them and return happy in the contentment thay had seen a new place, experienced a new culture, given the kids there a good time. True, I've no right to judge them for I've never been on any of mission trips. But knowing people who had gone on such mission trips I wonder whether it's truly worth of the effort and the trip in the name of mission work.
I've a friend, who used to put away some hard earn money to take a mission trip flight all the way up to Uganda, travel there for two weeks, to work at the orphanage and to meet the two orphans she's sponsoring. When asked what work she did there, she told me that she helped to organize and shelf the books she took for the children and gave a helping hand to the medical personnel in the clinics. My question was, does she need to spend $3000 US dollars to organize a library and to help at the clinic? Couldn't any local there capable of doing such work? Wouldn't the money spent on the flight be given to the orphanage so that they could spend it in stocking their pantry, buying school books, or toward some building projecs or any other project?
In my opinion, now a days mission trips from this part of the country serves those who go rather than whom they serve. The ones who go get the satisfaction of going on a mission trip,and feeling good about it. And there's no wrong on that . But when you compare such trips to the one I saw on the film The Other Side of Heaven, what a vast difference. When it comes to purpose, sacrifice and in the transformation of life both in those who serve and those who were served, the missionaries of the old times stand high to gain my awe and admiration.
The missionary this film potrayed was a Mormon one. We, Christians in the evangelical and traditional circles consider Mormons as outcastes and false teaching followers. They may be right in their saying and have the reason to caution us not to have anything to do with Mormonism. I've no clue of their message nor has not come across anyone belonging to their belief , except an old woman I come across during my walk.
I'm not here to discuss about their belief or reason out what's wrong with their message. I've no knowledge to debate on that line. My only reason, I brought up the subject is that the main character of the movie happens to be Mormon missionary who potrayed what a true Christian missionary needs to be. His life was almost like Pauls, when it comes to facing shipwrecks, living in starvation, faith and intergrity.
Today, if we have Christians, not only missionaries, but the ordinaryl ones live who chooses to live by faith, sincerity and in love, we don't need to go to foreign land to do mission. Mission will come searching to our doorstep to hear the Good News. As it is, we are from living the life, Jesus, Paul and Peter preached. We hear enough preachings to make even the rocky mountains speak, we attend Bible studies week after week, follow teachers around at seminars on Marriage, Family, purpose driven life and so forth. Yet, the world around looks at us as someone with Judgment label stuck to our forehead, feel judged,not loved, pretentious not genuine.
Would we ever change to reflect your genuine love and act of grace, Lord? Only then can we truly say we're following in the foot steps of Christ. Until then, our mission work may look and sound worth speaking of on the serface, but deeper, the roots may not run to make a life lasting change. Books are wonderful to write and share the message, pulpits and crusades are great stage to energize a crowd, but giving the keys to live a victorious life cannot be taught, but be caught, be observed. Have I got it? Have you got it? If not, let's humbly ask the One who gives it, to change us first so that we could change the world for Him.
Yet, in faith he stepped out of his house bading farewell to his loved ones and boarded the train in anticipation that someone from the mission would meet him at the ship yard to travel with him to his destination. To his horror, no one showed up at the harbor, even worse, he was not permitted to board the ship saying his name was not on the travellors list. When he tried to enter, despite the refusal, he was thrown overboard by a mean captain. Luckily he landed unhurt on the harbor, but was arrested for trying to enter the boat without permission and put into a room with pigs and chicken were kept. Instead of sitting and wallowing in self-pity, the young missionary took out his trombone and started playing. Shortly, the man who supposed to meet him showed up, gave him a young Tongo man as his help and companion to escort him to the land he was assigned to serve.
Getting adapted to the new surroundings with entirely different culture, language, customs and dwelling was a challenge beyond his expectation and imagination. He suffered many sleepless nights with vicious mosquitoes sucking out his blood all over his body, threw up most of the food he ingested for his body couldn't handle the taste of it, the people made fun of his speech when he tried to say something to them. Instead of taking back a boat to the comfort of his land, he stayed at the shore on his knees praying and studying the native's language and little by little gained the trust and respect of the Tongo people.
The people began to trust him, not because of his preaching, but because he was there beside them praying and caring for a child almost at the brim of death, helped them in the rescue mission when a monstrous hurricane swept the island, stood shoulder to shoulder in lending a hand in builiding back their broken huts and joined them in their celebration and mourned with them when their loved ones died. Until the director from his mission came and asked him to give him an account of the number of people he had led to Christ and the list of the names of people whom he had baptized, he had never thought of having an account of them. Such thing mattered little in his view compared to the number of people he had come to love and serve and gained the trust to lead to Christ. That's all mattered to him and that's all need to matter to anyone who goes onto the mission field to serve the Lord.
Yes, he longed to be near his girl friend, missed his family, home food and all the facilities he enjoyed living in his home country. Yet, he stood by his vision to serve the Lord and people well and even asked for an extension of six months to overstay. When his request was denied, but told he was promoted to be a deputy diirector to serve back home or in another country, instead of being thrilled, he was heart broken, grieve stricken to leave the Tongo people whom he had come to love so dearly within the last four year.
As promised, once he got home, he got married to his girlfriend and started raising a family. However, he and his wife visited many a times the Tongo people and served on short missionary assignments. This was based on a true story and it happened in the 1950s.
Oh what a difference how mission work is done now and in those days. The ones now I hear are those that last averaging from two weeks to three months or little longer. The reason may be that other unChrstianed countries are no more open to mission work as they used to do those days or mission work has not been as effective as those in earlier times. as in Dr. Livingstone's days.
Today, we see our church taking youngsters on two weeks missionary trips spending so much money on air flights and lodgings only to go and mingle with children there, how to play games, tell stories, entertain them in whatever way they could, handover some of the gifts they took along with them and return happy in the contentment thay had seen a new place, experienced a new culture, given the kids there a good time. True, I've no right to judge them for I've never been on any of mission trips. But knowing people who had gone on such mission trips I wonder whether it's truly worth of the effort and the trip in the name of mission work.
I've a friend, who used to put away some hard earn money to take a mission trip flight all the way up to Uganda, travel there for two weeks, to work at the orphanage and to meet the two orphans she's sponsoring. When asked what work she did there, she told me that she helped to organize and shelf the books she took for the children and gave a helping hand to the medical personnel in the clinics. My question was, does she need to spend $3000 US dollars to organize a library and to help at the clinic? Couldn't any local there capable of doing such work? Wouldn't the money spent on the flight be given to the orphanage so that they could spend it in stocking their pantry, buying school books, or toward some building projecs or any other project?
In my opinion, now a days mission trips from this part of the country serves those who go rather than whom they serve. The ones who go get the satisfaction of going on a mission trip,and feeling good about it. And there's no wrong on that . But when you compare such trips to the one I saw on the film The Other Side of Heaven, what a vast difference. When it comes to purpose, sacrifice and in the transformation of life both in those who serve and those who were served, the missionaries of the old times stand high to gain my awe and admiration.
The missionary this film potrayed was a Mormon one. We, Christians in the evangelical and traditional circles consider Mormons as outcastes and false teaching followers. They may be right in their saying and have the reason to caution us not to have anything to do with Mormonism. I've no clue of their message nor has not come across anyone belonging to their belief , except an old woman I come across during my walk.
I'm not here to discuss about their belief or reason out what's wrong with their message. I've no knowledge to debate on that line. My only reason, I brought up the subject is that the main character of the movie happens to be Mormon missionary who potrayed what a true Christian missionary needs to be. His life was almost like Pauls, when it comes to facing shipwrecks, living in starvation, faith and intergrity.
Today, if we have Christians, not only missionaries, but the ordinaryl ones live who chooses to live by faith, sincerity and in love, we don't need to go to foreign land to do mission. Mission will come searching to our doorstep to hear the Good News. As it is, we are from living the life, Jesus, Paul and Peter preached. We hear enough preachings to make even the rocky mountains speak, we attend Bible studies week after week, follow teachers around at seminars on Marriage, Family, purpose driven life and so forth. Yet, the world around looks at us as someone with Judgment label stuck to our forehead, feel judged,not loved, pretentious not genuine.
Would we ever change to reflect your genuine love and act of grace, Lord? Only then can we truly say we're following in the foot steps of Christ. Until then, our mission work may look and sound worth speaking of on the serface, but deeper, the roots may not run to make a life lasting change. Books are wonderful to write and share the message, pulpits and crusades are great stage to energize a crowd, but giving the keys to live a victorious life cannot be taught, but be caught, be observed. Have I got it? Have you got it? If not, let's humbly ask the One who gives it, to change us first so that we could change the world for Him.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Max Lucado and I
A strange title it may sound, for I don’t have any personal connection or contact with Max Lucado to give such a title. He’s a famous author, well known globally for his books and preaching ,and, I'm someone who loves to call myself a writer, but haven’t written a single book to this date, nor have published that many articles with my by-line to put my name beside him So, what’s the reason I’ve given this blog such a title. Maybe for the reason, that I've got hooked onto the author's style of writing that I can't contain myself without sharing it.
I've heard of others loving the author's books, but I'd never picked up any of his books to read until a month ago. In fact, I'd bought three of his books at our library sale for few dollars and they had been standing prim and poised on my bookshelf untouched very lately. Only yesterday, Linda from our Bible study returned two books I've loaned her a few months back. To my surprise, one of them is Max Lucado's When Christ Comes. I remember of giving her the book, when she inquired about Second coming. The fact that her mom got bought into the imminent Dooms Day preaching of some television evangelist worried her. I pointed few chapters in the Bible talking about it and gave Lucado's book thinking it might have some reliable facts there to help her. Even though I hadn't read the book, the title of the book and the credibility of the author made me believe it would have something she was looking for. But somehow I've completely forgotten about it until she returned it last evening along with Philip Yancey's Why Pray?
Our Women's Ministry has chosen Lucado's book Fearless for our Bible study this Fall and that's how I came to read the author's book for the very first time.Once I did, I was hooked at once. His conversational writing style, sprinkles of humor dotting the pages, his heart for God and people all bound together captured me to list him to be my favorite author next to Phil Yancey. Now that I'm caught up in the bug of his beautiful writing, I cannot resist from getting more and more of his books to read. I love his conversational style of writing with sprinkles of humor dotting the pages. If I ever write a book, I would like to adapt his style of writing and the kind message he tries to convey to his readers. His words reflect his faith, love for God and people and perspectives.
This morning, I started to read his book, Just Like Jesus. He starts the first chapter asking, " What if , for one day, Jesus were to become you? What if for twenty you allow him to be you, waking up from your bed, eating breakfast at your table, commuting to work, interacting with your coworkers, doing grocery, answering phone , watching television, reading etc. Your circumstance remains the same, your health problem, financial situation remain unchanged. Your schedules isn't altered. Your problems aren't solved. The only change that happens is that your heart gets the day off and you're allowed to function under the direction of Christ's heart. Him alone for one day. What would that day be like? That was the challenge he put out there.
I've heard of others loving the author's books, but I'd never picked up any of his books to read until a month ago. In fact, I'd bought three of his books at our library sale for few dollars and they had been standing prim and poised on my bookshelf untouched very lately. Only yesterday, Linda from our Bible study returned two books I've loaned her a few months back. To my surprise, one of them is Max Lucado's When Christ Comes. I remember of giving her the book, when she inquired about Second coming. The fact that her mom got bought into the imminent Dooms Day preaching of some television evangelist worried her. I pointed few chapters in the Bible talking about it and gave Lucado's book thinking it might have some reliable facts there to help her. Even though I hadn't read the book, the title of the book and the credibility of the author made me believe it would have something she was looking for. But somehow I've completely forgotten about it until she returned it last evening along with Philip Yancey's Why Pray?
Our Women's Ministry has chosen Lucado's book Fearless for our Bible study this Fall and that's how I came to read the author's book for the very first time.Once I did, I was hooked at once. His conversational writing style, sprinkles of humor dotting the pages, his heart for God and people all bound together captured me to list him to be my favorite author next to Phil Yancey. Now that I'm caught up in the bug of his beautiful writing, I cannot resist from getting more and more of his books to read. I love his conversational style of writing with sprinkles of humor dotting the pages. If I ever write a book, I would like to adapt his style of writing and the kind message he tries to convey to his readers. His words reflect his faith, love for God and people and perspectives.
This morning, I started to read his book, Just Like Jesus. He starts the first chapter asking, " What if , for one day, Jesus were to become you? What if for twenty you allow him to be you, waking up from your bed, eating breakfast at your table, commuting to work, interacting with your coworkers, doing grocery, answering phone , watching television, reading etc. Your circumstance remains the same, your health problem, financial situation remain unchanged. Your schedules isn't altered. Your problems aren't solved. The only change that happens is that your heart gets the day off and you're allowed to function under the direction of Christ's heart. Him alone for one day. What would that day be like? That was the challenge he put out there.
No doubt, I've heard of similar ones asking what will you do if Jesus comes to your house one day? Would you hide the things you read, speak differently, act kindlier and gentler? Would you dust off the Bible and put it on a prominent place for Him to notice. Instead of spurting out swears and slangs, would you talk politely, if possible quoting scripture or two in the middle to gain some browny points? Would your house look, sound and function very differently for anyone to notice
A few years back, a trend or fad came mostly among youngsters wearing a wristband saying WWJD or something like that to the effect what would Jesus Do in such a situation? A good idea and a great thought to keep the kids and teenagers from doing things the'd regret later. But like any other fad, it too had a short term duration, I presume for I don't see anyone wearing those bands around their wrists anymore.
But coming to Max Lucado and his challenge, I agree that it would give us a true view of ourselves and the shortcomings we have to achieve God's ultimate goal for us-be like Christ. I know I'm not there and I'm work in progress. How can we be like Jesus, love, pray, empathize, walk and talk like Him is what Lucado is trying to tell us in the way he knows and understood in this book. I can't wait to read and write about it on another day with another title for sure. The book looks like an easy read with short twelve chapters within 170 pages. So, let me come back again to write about what I've read and what I've learned to be like Jesus-the ultimate goal of every Christian.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Pain, Prayer and Praise
Why, why and why, that's what I asked God when I heard that Leela acca, my highschool teacher and closest neighbor in my hometown forty years back was hospitalized and was much in pain in Edmonton, Canada. Two months hadn't passed since her husband died and caring for him an year when he was almost bed-bound, must have made her not only grief-stricken but exhausted too.
No wonder, she took the invitation of her friend and went away from Toronto for a month or so to get over her sorrow and loneliness. Never would have she imagined what was in store for her during the holidays in Edmonton. It was there, suddenly she developed an unbearable pain and was rushed to hospital and underwent an emergency surgery for perforated intestine. Not a good thing to happen, a serious one too.
If it have been one surgery, it would have been bearable, but she has had atleast three abdominal surgeries within a week or two. I never knew about her serious condition until a week ago and that's when I took a call to the hospital and was able to talk to her. She sounded so frail and in much pain. She wasn't a person who complains, but the pain must have been so severe that she talked nothing else, but about her pain. That night after talking to her, I couldn't sleep. I almost felt her pain and sadness. She hasn't got her husband beside her for comfor. Having no children and siblings, she must have felt lost and saddenened on top of the physical pain. That's why I cried out to God asking why, why and why.
If she had fallen ill like this in Toronto, her her friends and neigbbors and her husband's nieces and nephews would have been around her doing whatever help they could do. But in Edmonton? I don't know how many people she even know there. Friends and relations may not be able to fly over there to be with her even if they want to. Maybe one or two may go, but how long could they stay. Why should it happen this way? In her condition, she wasn't allowed to fly by commercial plane she was told. To charter a flight and go, it would cost at least $ 50,000. she had found out. It didn't seem right. And it didn't seem fair.
After all she's a sincere Christian, always ever ready to help those in need. How many of her relatives in Sri Lanka she had helped and even helping. She and her husband were in charge of an orphanage when the war in the country was at the peak. The village they stayed was under crossfire and threat of looting, gun shots and , hunger faced them constantly. There was no reason for them to stay there with the orphans. If chosen, they could have abandoned them and gone somewhere else for their safety. But they didn't. They stayed for the sake of those children. They ate what they ate. Once she told us that they make a huge pot of rice porridge everyday and that's what they ate morning , noon and night. In that war climate, things were scarce to buy and money was short. They could feel snakes slithering underneath their mats at night while they are sleeping and once her husband, a heart patient got a chest pain and not having any help around or medication to get for the pain, she had given him his old medication, the expired date one.
Prayer was the only thing that kept us alive and gave the strength to keep going in such a time, she used to say. Such was her faith and obedience to God. And that's why I asked him, why Lord now and why in Edmonton and not in Toronto where she has friends and neighbors to help.
God knows much better than any of us and his reason, I may never fathom. But think of it, Edmonton may have been a better choice , when it comes to access to doctors and medical care. I wonder whether she could have had similar or better care there, knowing well of the long delays for doctors appointments. She seems to be well satisfied with the nursing care she's getting and I understand she's in a private ward.
Probably paid by her husband's niece or nephew. For sure Leela acca won't be having funds or insurance for such things. Even though she has no children or siblings, she's blessed to have loved ones who care for her.
I'm glad that I asked Emma to go and visit her at the hospital and let me know her condition. That itself would show Leela acca that we care and she's loved. I haven't stopped praying for her eversince I talked to her at the hospital. Emma told me that she needs lots of prayers and she has included Leela acca's name in her prayer group's list. It's nice of Emma to do that. Sweet as she is, she's a dear friend who prays and have a listening ear for others.
I pray that God's miraculous power will heal this woman of faith and give her a speedy recovery so that she could travel back home without much delay. God, you answer prayers and you've answered many of hers and mine. We stand in faith for healing to come through to her. Amen.
No wonder, she took the invitation of her friend and went away from Toronto for a month or so to get over her sorrow and loneliness. Never would have she imagined what was in store for her during the holidays in Edmonton. It was there, suddenly she developed an unbearable pain and was rushed to hospital and underwent an emergency surgery for perforated intestine. Not a good thing to happen, a serious one too.
If it have been one surgery, it would have been bearable, but she has had atleast three abdominal surgeries within a week or two. I never knew about her serious condition until a week ago and that's when I took a call to the hospital and was able to talk to her. She sounded so frail and in much pain. She wasn't a person who complains, but the pain must have been so severe that she talked nothing else, but about her pain. That night after talking to her, I couldn't sleep. I almost felt her pain and sadness. She hasn't got her husband beside her for comfor. Having no children and siblings, she must have felt lost and saddenened on top of the physical pain. That's why I cried out to God asking why, why and why.
If she had fallen ill like this in Toronto, her her friends and neigbbors and her husband's nieces and nephews would have been around her doing whatever help they could do. But in Edmonton? I don't know how many people she even know there. Friends and relations may not be able to fly over there to be with her even if they want to. Maybe one or two may go, but how long could they stay. Why should it happen this way? In her condition, she wasn't allowed to fly by commercial plane she was told. To charter a flight and go, it would cost at least $ 50,000. she had found out. It didn't seem right. And it didn't seem fair.
After all she's a sincere Christian, always ever ready to help those in need. How many of her relatives in Sri Lanka she had helped and even helping. She and her husband were in charge of an orphanage when the war in the country was at the peak. The village they stayed was under crossfire and threat of looting, gun shots and , hunger faced them constantly. There was no reason for them to stay there with the orphans. If chosen, they could have abandoned them and gone somewhere else for their safety. But they didn't. They stayed for the sake of those children. They ate what they ate. Once she told us that they make a huge pot of rice porridge everyday and that's what they ate morning , noon and night. In that war climate, things were scarce to buy and money was short. They could feel snakes slithering underneath their mats at night while they are sleeping and once her husband, a heart patient got a chest pain and not having any help around or medication to get for the pain, she had given him his old medication, the expired date one.
Prayer was the only thing that kept us alive and gave the strength to keep going in such a time, she used to say. Such was her faith and obedience to God. And that's why I asked him, why Lord now and why in Edmonton and not in Toronto where she has friends and neighbors to help.
God knows much better than any of us and his reason, I may never fathom. But think of it, Edmonton may have been a better choice , when it comes to access to doctors and medical care. I wonder whether she could have had similar or better care there, knowing well of the long delays for doctors appointments. She seems to be well satisfied with the nursing care she's getting and I understand she's in a private ward.
Probably paid by her husband's niece or nephew. For sure Leela acca won't be having funds or insurance for such things. Even though she has no children or siblings, she's blessed to have loved ones who care for her.
I'm glad that I asked Emma to go and visit her at the hospital and let me know her condition. That itself would show Leela acca that we care and she's loved. I haven't stopped praying for her eversince I talked to her at the hospital. Emma told me that she needs lots of prayers and she has included Leela acca's name in her prayer group's list. It's nice of Emma to do that. Sweet as she is, she's a dear friend who prays and have a listening ear for others.
I pray that God's miraculous power will heal this woman of faith and give her a speedy recovery so that she could travel back home without much delay. God, you answer prayers and you've answered many of hers and mine. We stand in faith for healing to come through to her. Amen.
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