Nagaratama is an elderly lady who has been with us for the last 7 years helping Leela in the kitchen. Today she rejoices with us, as a born-again Christian, having tasted the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord.
She is a widow, and was born and has lived as a Hindu all these years. We have looked after her as one among us, and not as a servant or a help. When she began associating with us, her children warned her not to and neither to have anything with our Church activities or join us for the Church gatherings, although they never cared for her or helped her in away. We never pushed her to attend our prayer meetings but did pray in our hearts for her salvation – as the Psalmist says in 49:8, “For the redemption of their soul is precious – it is of too high a price to be redeemed with corruptible things, such as silver or gold, and has required the sacrificial death of Christ”.
Nagaratama used to listen to all the songs we sing in Tamil. The other day we were singing ‘I have decided to follow Jesus’ for our morning devotion, and she was touched by the words ‘No turning back, no turning back’. We are now overjoyed, as she told us she would join us in following Jesus without turning back! I told her we would be in heaven with Jesus when we die as His children. Since the Lord enabled me to share the Gospel with her, she now knows all who are saved will be in heaven – our life is an absolute, eloquent preacher. We also told her we would be taking care of her till she breathes her last. She did not have a bed, or a door for her front room (which is literally a small space), but we were able to fix it for her.
She knew we were different from the local people, and she now knows why – channels of blessing are what we want to be! Our children asked us to take care and not to go out for Outreach for a while because of the pandemic returning to Kerala, but I found it hard not being able to share with others. So my Lord led me to this lady who was inside with us and I was able to share the love of our Lord. We are truly blessed and praise God for bringing people in touch with us. Please keep on praying for us as we long to see more souls come to the Lord once this terrible virus is eradicated. His name alone be glorified!
Your brother and sister in Christ,
Paul & Leela
