If your house was the size of your bathroom...

A kind man lives just beneath our house in an old woodshed. There is no running water, no electricity, (although he has some access to both from the owner of the woodshed), and his “house” is about the size of an American bathroom. There is one small window with bars on it, no glass, no screen and a thin door for the room. In the harshness of winter, I often wonder how he doesn’t freeze to death. In the warm of summer swarming with mosquitos and flies, I wonder how he doesn’t get typhoid and more. 

This man is one of the kindest men I have ever met. He has a smile that displays his kindness without words. 

Recently after the COVID-19 lockdown hit our area, about 8 day laborers got stuck in our city as they were trying to travel home to Nepal. In Hindi, we refer to these day laborers as “coolies”. This sweet neighbor of ours opened his one room home to these 8 men. For the last two months, they shared his tiny one room home, limited water supply, and cramped quarters until the borders reopened. 

We have been able to share food and rations with these men during this time of hardship. Manoj tried to visit them outside, “socially distanced”, to daily build a friendship and encourage them. Of course, we have tried to shine Jesus to them and open doors for conversation. But I can’t help notice the kind neighbor’s generosity and sacrifice for these men. It was above and beyond our giving of food to the men. It was Agape love shown through the neighbor, giving his all to the passerby. 

Corinthians talks about “giving out of what you don’t have to prove you love for God.” I rarely do this. I often give out of my surplus, but rarely to the point it hurts me or becomes a sacrifice. Our sweet neighbor gave out of what he didn’t have, and his giving was so generous, I know those day laborer men felt God’s love. 

I have been challenge this week as I reflected on our neighbor. “Faith without deeds is dead.” I wonder if giving without some sacrifice is also dead? Christ gave His all. He laid down His life for His “neighbor”. As I share Truth with people here, I want them to grasp the goodness and deep love of God. I want them to understand God gave His all for them, and I want to be willing to sacrificially give in such a way that proves to those around me my love for the Father. As my neighbor gave so freely, I also want to give and trust the Lord. 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Bhindi or “Tikka” Mark on the Head- What is it?

Image
(Pooja tikka mark) Many westerners have asked me what the Bhindi or red “tikka” mark means or why I am willing to wear it as a Chri$tian. Many people associate this mark with H!nduism. In my contextualization classes we were taught about finding the difference between culture and religion. The scripture is clear that we don’t want to do anything to compromise our Chri$tian faith and values. At the same time the go$pel is full of the liberties that Chri$t brought to us through the cross. We are no longer obligated to religious practices and rituals. Chri$t fulfilled the law. As we work with non-believers we don’t want to make Chri$tianity another religion. We don’t want to make following Chri$t more difficult than it has to be. Following Je$us doesn’t have to mean abandoning culture, it just has to mean abandoning any other faith or practices of that faith. As teachers, we have to help our disciples find this difference as they come to follow the Father more and more. We don...
Read more

What’s It Like Here with Lockdown?

Image
(This woman sold her husband's phone for 2500rps ($33) to buy food.) I don’t think any country or family has it “easy” during these Covid-19 times, but I do think Third World Countries like ours have it a little harder.  Many of the people who are day laborers or migrants are really struggling. These are the people who work every day to get income to supply that same day’s food supply. Without it, they have no food to eat. With lockdown, most of this population is without income and therefore without food. Today, news came that one lady died from hunger in Nep@l.  Each day the news is filled with stories and pictures of desperate slum dwellers lined up at NGO doors for food donations or migrant day laborers walking thousands of miles to try to go back to their cities or countries to find food. The stories are gut retching.  In our personal city, we haven’t seen these stories first hand. Throughout the country, there are government programs ...
Read more

But God...

Every Knee Will Bow And Every Tongue Will Confess Truly everywhere we look is need- physical, emotional, financial, and spiritual. I see the man with elephantitis lift his giant leg to shift his position as he sits on a mat begging for money on the side of the road. I see a woman sitting on a patch of grass on the edge of a busy highway practicing her meditation attempting to find her inner peace. I see a young girl on her way to school stop to touch the street cow and then touch her own forehead in hopes that her Hindu practices will reap the blessing from her god (cow). Simultaneously, I see a shop keeper allow the giant cow to mosey along his street front restaurant; he even offers the cow freshly made roti (bread) as to not offend his “god” passing by. I see another person practicing yoga with all the pristine positions and poses. Her breaths are well practiced, yet her face is stricken with the look of anxiety and distress.  I see a young man who ...
Read more