God's revelation in India

I was asked to write a story for the upcoming ACA newsletter. This is one that I never blogged about, so I decided to share it...even though it happened many months ago.

Early one morning I dressed up in my best saree and made my way to meet other well-dressed friends on the ACA campus. We were on our way to a wedding reception of a former hospital staff worker. We departed late but hoped we could still catch the next bus into the nearby village. We waited in the dirt, next to a grass shack near a cow who had been tied up earlier in the day by its owner to eat what was left of the scarce vegetation still on the ground. As buses whirred past we looked for one to take us into town, but the right one never came. Finally, a company vehicle stopped and allowed a few of our party on. We barreled down the bumpy road while the door keeper collected the two rupee fee (25 cents) from everyone.

We made it to Bagalur, our second stop of many to come. Lydia and I passed the time by singing hymns in English. A few school children boarded the bus and slyly listened to us as we sang. I prayed that they would be curious about our songs. One girl eventually did pipe up and ask us what we were singing about and so Lydia explained in Tamil. Further into our trip I looked out the window at the seemingly desolate countryside. Many people were boarding and exiting the bus, but I didn’t know where they came from. For miles around there were no visible dwellings.

A thought suddenly overwhelmed me, “How will these people hear about God?!” They are so far removed from any type of community, Hindu or otherwise. I looked at the weathered faces of the field workers standing right over me. “They need to know,” I thought. “I can tell them right now! But, I don’t know the language! When will they ever have another encounter with a Christian?” The burden of sharing the good news with these remote villagers became so heavy to me I didn’t think I could bear it! I started to tear up. “Lord!” I cried out, “Send your workers!” I started to pray and ask God, “Is this where you want me? How else will they hear?”

In my desperation, as I was so burdened with the task, I almost jumped off the bus. But the Lord showed me a sweet revelation. I saw a banner hanging on the side of a small brick wall in one of the villages we drove past. It had Tamil script on it and…a picture of Jesus! I have no idea what the banner said, but I’m pretty sure it was Jesus, for he had a crown of thorns on his head. The Lord reminded me of His sovereignty and His omnipresence. Even when it seems He is absent, He is near and working out His plan. So, yes, while it is true that His mighty work is being carried out in India, in even the most desolate of places, there is still much work to be done and more workers are needed. Let us beseech the Lord of the harvest to send more workers into His field! Mt 9:37-38