The Orange Coat Love Lesson

Last August I was studying my Bible and came upon a passage that changed my life. It was in Matthew, Chapter 22. Starting at verse 36 it goes something like this:

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all our heart and with all your soul and with all your mind,’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'”

Now I had heard this many times before but that day, that peculiar day in August of last year, these words struck home with such incredible force. It was as if a bullet had ripped my heart open and I cried as I confessed to my Maker, my Boss and my Savior “I do NOT love You with ALL of my heart and ALL of my soul and ALL of my mind. “ I knew in my heart of hearts that I didn’t and I asked Him, simply and honestly what should I do – so that I could. He told me, “Go to Coimbatore, my girls there will teach you how to love.”

Now you know the reason why I came to the Michael Job Centre for Orphan Girls, Coimbatore, India, the place for the daughters of Christian martyrs. I came so that they could teach me. Will you let me share one of the love lessons they have taught me? Remember, these are girls who have struggled under horrific persecution, many watching their mothers and fathers being killed because THEY loved Jesus more than life itself. OK Here goes.

Last January, when I returned to the Centre for a second love-training semester, it was a very different place. The persecution in the Indian State of Orissa had intensified greatly. Many thousands of Christians had run into the jungle to keep from being killed by radical Hindus. Thousands had been moved into protective refugee camps patrolled by the military from the Central Government as they tried (often unsuccessfully) to keep the Christians safe. Because of this persecution, over 140 new girls had come to the orphanage. This had put an awful strain on the resources here and the staff was struggling to keep it all together.

There were so many problems. First of all there was a huge language barrier. These new Orissa orphans only spoke their local language – Oriya. So they could not communicate with the staff or other girls who spoke either English or Hindi or one of their own native Indian languages. Second, most of them had never seen a toilet, or slept in a real bed, or sat down at a table and used a plate for eating. The struggle was on to help as many as we could; as quickly as we could. Most of them were very malnourished and more than a few were suffering from a multitude of medical problems like malaria. So I got to watch as the staff and older girls lovingly demonstrated to the new frightened Christian refugees, how to adapt to this very foreign world.

This is when I was introduced to Naina. She was a young girl of 16, I believe she was the daughter of a persecuted pastor. She happened to speak both Oriya and English, so she became my interpreter, as I tried to help the new girls learn the ropes of the Centre. When I preached on Sunday at Chapel she translated into Oriya for the new ones. I tend to think that her sermons were probably better than mine but I hoped that there was some similarity in the content. 😉

But Naina was also very memorable for me because of her coat. You see in January in Coimbatore the nights and mornings can be cold. Well at least cold to these girls. When we walk to the Chapel at 05:20am (so we can start worshiping at 05:30) the temperature can get down into the low 60’s. Like the octogenarians in South Florida who get out mukluks when it drops below 80, for these thin girls, 64 degrees was like freezing. But Naina had a coat. It was a bright burnt orange color with fake fur around the wrists and collar. It was about 2 sizes too small (I’m not sure if she could button it) and was in my opinion one of the ugliest coats I’ve ever seen. But it was warm. It kept her warm when many, many others were cold. To me, that’s all that mattered – it kept her warm. So I watched with enjoyment, Naina staying warm in her ugly orange coat when we went to Chapel.

One morning during the announcements portion of the Chapel service, Uncle Shajan (one of the Staff at the Centre) was VERY angry. It seems Nora, one of the new Orissa girls, had left her room unlocked and all of her clothes had been stolen. This included 5 new, highly prized dresses she had just received because she was a recent arrival. He was so angry and rightfully so. He said first it was wrong to steal but then it was also just stupid, because whoever stole the dresses couldn’t wear them. They’d be found out right away. What a waste. It was a hard lesson for Nora who seemed as sad a little girl as I’d ever seen.

The next morning was especially cold. I remember shivering as I walked from the Arts and Science College building to the Chapel. I walk past the hostel where the orphans live so I always get to stroll with them at least part of the way, as we go together for worship. Most of the girls were all bundled up in thin blankets or double and triple layer sweaters. Then I saw Naina. She was cold! She wasn’t wearing her coat. Puzzled I asked her, “Hey, where’s your coat?” She gave me a shrug and a smile as an answer. That’s all I could get out of her, as she too shivered her way on to the Chapel.

Then I saw the ugly orange coat. Nora walked past me wearing it. The girl that had no clothes yesterday was warm this morning because of the willing, silent sacrifice of Naina. I quickly turned and walked a little away from the girls then. I didn’t want them to see this stupid old man’s tears as I thanked God for bringing me here, to learn this Orange Coat Love lesson. This love is-an-action-verb lesson.

From the Love student at the Michael Job Centre for Orphan Girls, the home for daughters of martyred Christians, near Sulur’s Boat Lake, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India

Neighbor Tom

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Back In The United States

I took my family to see ‘Behold the Lamb’ yesterday at the Sight and Sound Theater in Lancaster, PA. It was a great play by the way. I highly recommend it. A nice gentleman from New England was sitting next to me. We got to talking (not a hard thing for me) and our conversation came around to what I had been doing at the Michael Job Center for Orphan Girls during the last couple of months. I’ve been thinking about that – what I’ve REALLY been doing there and what the real needs are at the orphanage. I gave him my pat answers; that I’m helping to set up the digital library for the girls and the start-up of an IT park where the orphans can work (if they desire that kind of computer work) after graduating from school.

But neither of my answers seemed to really convey what I’ve been doing there. I think what the real need is, and what I’ve tried my best to do – is to play the part of a Christian Dad to the orphaned girls. The Lord miraculously provides for them in so many ways. The stories of how they got good water to the facility, electricity and even a decent road next to the center are all miracles in and of themselves. As I watched the girls eat three meals a day (more than the vast majority of Indians) of the best food available and eat all they wanted – I marveled at how God blesses His girls there. So many of their physical and educational needs are being met that I realized the most important gift I had given was to provide them with spiritual and emotional support.

I think what they need most of all are good, solid, mature Christian men who love them unconditionally. Love them with the kind of agape love that lets them know – for sure – that even after the terrible tragedies most of them have endured such as the murder of their families – that Good Men, Loving Men, Men you can depend on– do exist in this world for them. The emotional hunger I saw every day in their eyes showed me that this was one of their most pressing needs. Satan destroyed all that was familiar to them. They need to learn how to trust again. I saw their need to believe that it is possible to go on, to play again, to laugh again, to grow past the horrible hurts of the past and thrive in this new environment. I saw that if I could do anything that would matter the most it would simply be to love them with the unconditional love of a Christian Dad. A love that is consistent, truthful, forgiving and always encouraging them to be their best. At the end of every sermon, at the finish of every 5:45am chapel service message, at the conclusion of each Sunday Night Worship program, I always said (and they know that I meant it…)

“Oh… One Last Thing…. (and with the sign language motions that I had taught them and that the girls demonstrated back to me as I did them; I said, and they said and we signed to each other)
I. . .LOVE. . . YOU!!!”

I think that Last Thing is what they remembered the most from whatever sermon I had just preached. Maybe it should always be that way – when it’s all said and done – what you remember – what you’ll always remember, is the Love.

On the spiritual side, I started everyone on the 40 Days of Purpose program that Rick Warren put together. It changed my life and I thought it might help these girls who also hunger to know why they are still in this world. Remember, these girls are the survivors. Not some game show survivors who scheme and connive to win a million. These girls are the ones who were not murdered. Their families were not spared but they were. They ran faster and farther, hid better, out smarted and out witted those who were literally out to kill them. These girls are smart. They are quick. But many of them are also left with a tremendous sense of loss – they carry within themselves a horribly depressing fissure of despair where everything they know has been swallowed up by the hate of their would-be killers. One of their most pressing needs is to know they really can go on because God has a real plan for them. That it is important for them to find their place in His purpose for their lives and accomplish it.

So they all call me Uncle Tom. They don’t know anything about the reference to Uncle Tom’s Cabin so it’s just Uncle Tom in their minds. A few call me Dad – because for them I’ve taken on that role. And that’s hard. Because a Dad should be there for you – all the time – and I already have that job with my own two wonderful children in the United States. If I’m with the girls in India, I’m missing the family I left behind in the US. I’m typing this now from the lobby of the Bird-In-Hand Inn in Lancaster, PA at 3:55am. I’m having a great time with my US family as we reconnect during this mini-vacation but I miss my 500 nieces and just as importantly I know they miss me. I’m here. I’m not there and if you are going to correctly do your ‘Christian Dad Job’ – well you just have to be there. So maybe calling me Uncle is a more appropriate title right now.

So what do I do at the Michael Job Centre for Orphan Girls? I’m their Uncle. It’s a really good position with lots of benefits. There are more openings if you know anyone who’s interested . . . 😉

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SLAVE COLONY FOUND AT ORPHANGE

The evidence of children slave labor in India has been well established. Shoes, textiles, you name it and there are little kids working long hours for substance pay all across Asia.  It’s tragic but common place here.

So you can image my surprise to find slavery going on right here at the Michael Job Centre.  It all started yesterday as part of the 10th day into our 40 Days of Purpose series.  It seems there was a man who became a ‘slave’ of his own volition and because of that decision it’s reckoned over 150 MILLION people become believers, followers, disciples of Jesus Christ.  His name – Bill Bright of Campus Crusade for Christ.

Yesterday morning, a large group of us signed a similar un-emancipation contract like Bill did long ago.  The contract reads:

From this day forth, I am a slave of Jesus Christ.

From this time and place – we serve one Master.  Who are you serving?

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More Orrisa Girls Sick

I was called up to Bobby’s room late last night. Her fever is worse and she is coughing up blood.  Like Bobby, we now have 5 recently arrived Orissa girls displaying the same symptoms as Providencia. We’re heading to the hospital with them this morning for blood tests to confirm Malaria.  We need your help. Your prayers please for a quick diagnoses and cure for these angels who have suffered so much already..

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The Lazy Clouds of India

Do you know about lazy clouds? In parts of India they are extremely rare.  Here in New Delhi where I’m staying they don’t see them very often.  What are lazy clouds you ask?  J   Fog.   Fog is a cloud too lazy to fly – so it lies on the ground.  It just lies around, luxuriously relaxing – doing nothing much at all.

Lazy and not so lazy clouds can be beautiful and dangerous at the same time.  Everyone loves the white puffy billows, flying high and riding the winds with joy.  But flying an aircraft into one unprepared is often fatal.  Driving a car in a lazy cloud, without slowing down and taking your time can be fatal too.  Many deaths in mega-car pileups are blamed every year on our lazy clouds.

Many decades ago, as a young pilot, I remember taking off, shrouded in a lazy cloud. The fog was so thick I couldn’t see more than 10 meters in front of me. It was FOGGY. Taking off in a helicopter in the fog, is one of the most difficult and dangerous things you can do as a pilot. If you don’t get airspeed and altitude quickly, you can die. If you don’t trust your instruments completely you will die. So I was obviously nervous as I prepared to jump from the earth.  I fixed my eyes on the flight panel, trusting in my instruments as we left the ground. I told my copilot to tell me the instant we were out of the fog.  It seemed to take forever but soon my friend told me to look up. As I diverted my gaze to the windshield I saw a wondrous sight. The whole earth was covered with fog except the two mountain ranges on each side of us and just to my left, jutting out of the fog was the tail of a huge C-5 – the largest military cargo aircraft in the US inventory.  We had not known the C-5 was even at the airport because of the fog that morning. But there it was, tail sticking high above the fog like a shark fin.  Lazy Clouds – most beautiful and dangerous!

It’s not just fog. Flying clouds can be dangerous too.  During military flight school I lost 6 classmates due to their inability to trust their instruments when flying in clouds.  Because of their lack of trust, 6 good men died.

After flight school, my best friend, Dave Chrisman and I were sent to Texas to fly.  Vietnam was all but over so we started our military duty at Ft. Hood Texas.  We were ‘new bee’ copilots with a whole lot to learn.

One night, not long after we had arrived, we were on a night exercise flying in loose single-file formation.  We had clouds at 400 meters so we stayed below them to stay out of trouble.   Dave was in the helicopter in front of me. My job was to follow just behind and slightly above him to stay out of his rotor wash.  As we flew I noticed he was slowly gaining altitude.  His climbing was only slight, hardly discernable at all, but since it was my mission to stay above him, I noticed it.  I continued to climb with him until I saw the bottoms of the clouds, reflected by the lights of our aircraft.  I was scared. I told my pilot that even though it was breaking protocol, I was not going to climb any further. That if I did, I ran the risk of going into the clouds. I would continue to stay in formation with Dave but not above him. So we flew on like this as Dave flew in front of me but slightly above me.

Suddenly I saw him hit and then enter the clouds above us.  Then his aircraft disappeared completely into the mist.  He was gone.  I could no longer follow him in formation.  I didn’t know what to do.  I asked my pilot who had seen the same thing.  Before we could come to a decision, about 20 seconds after Dave entered the clouds, I saw what looked like a falling star coming down from the clouds. It went straight down in front of me, like a rocket shot from the clouds it went instantly to the ground below and then exploded into a brilliant white light of burning jet fuel and magnesium.  I had just witnessed the final moments of my best friend’s life. Dave Chrisman was dead.

At the young age of 19, at 3 o’ clock the next morning, with an Army Chaplain beside me, I was knocking on the door of Dave’s home, preparing to tell his new widow that her husband was gone.   What a horrible time.  Clouds can be dangerous. They’ve taken best friends from me.

So now you might understand my level of trepidation the other day when my flight from New Delhi to Coimbatore was delayed – for FOG.  And fog is a very rare thing in Delhi, India; they don’t see it often and are not equipped to deal with it.  We were supposed to fly out at 05:30 am but the flight was delayed until 8:00.  I was fine with that.  The more visibility the better as far as I was concerned.  But even after the delay, the lazy clouds persisted in just hanging around. They decided they just weren’t going anywhere – I guess they liked Delhi that day.  So we boarded the plane anyway and the pilots prepared to take on the dangerous task of taxiing and taking off in fog.

So we did. As we took off, I started counting the seconds, 1001, 1002, 1003….  Watching through the window for the moment we would break out of the fog.  1004, 1005, 1006…. I knew the more we were “in the soup” the more dangerous it was, 1007, 1008, 1009, 1010… Still in the fog, the ground long gone, I couldn’t tell up from down, left from right, I knew if the pilots did not trust in their instruments completely we were in big trouble, 1011, 1012, 1013, 1014, 1015 and WE BROKE OUT INTO THE SUN! Whoop! I could finally see the horizon and knew that we were climbing level. We were safe.

I sat back in my seat and relaxed for the first time since boarding.  It was going to be ok. I thanked God for his protection and I silently thanked the pilots for trusting in their instruments.  We continued climbing to the appropriate flight level and proceeded south towards my destination, the orphanage I had fallen in love with 3 months ago.  I was finally on the last leg of my journey going to my second home – going to finally see my adopted nieces who had stolen my heart, all 356 of them, back in September. Now there were almost 500 of them.

Almost 150 new orphans have recently come from Orissa where the persecution of Christians has escalated to the point where whole villages have been burned; 10s of thousands running into the jungles to escape. The government has created refugee camps trying to quell the violence but still – much misery and suffering is happening there RIGHT NOW as you read this. Many have been murdered for their Christian faith or died in the jungles trying to escape – leaving young girls with no hope of surviving. 

The Michael Job Centre for Orphan Girls gives them Life AND Hope AND a Future.  What a God beautiful place it is.  I was talking to Dr Job (the founder of the Orphanage) the other day about the new arrivals. He was there at the train station in Orrisa as they were rescuing the most recent group of girls.  With tears in his eyes he recounted the story as he described the One Thousand other Christian children on the train platform that day. The Thousand he had to leave behind. They were crying and pleading with him to take them too. With streaming tears, they begged, they cried, ‘If you leave us here we will die.’ He believed them. But He had to leave them there.  He did not have the resources to take more.  In reality, he didn’t have the resources to take the ones he did!  But by stepping out in faith, he trusted that God would provide the things they needed – just as He has always done, since the start of the orphanage 9 years ago now.

I settled back in my seat as we reaching cruising altitude, I once again started looking out the window watching the lazy clouds far below.  They were beautiful.  The whole earth, as far as I could see from my 30,000 feet vantage point, was covered in a wooly white, fluffy blanket. I could see no earth or ground at all – anywhere – the world, the whole world for me was covered in white.  It was breathtaking. It reminded me of the heaven images of my childhood. It was as if I could step out and just sit on a cloud – what a wonderful picture. 

I was watching the fog below, thinking about the girls, when all of a sudden from within the fog I saw a bright flash. It was like the flash-flare from a camera taking a picture. I looked intently but I couldn’t find the source.  I wondered if I was imaging things – what in the world could it have been. I keep looking to see if it had been real or just my mind playing tricks on me.  Then I saw it again – a silver blaze of light – so fast but long enough to know that it was real. Something was down there for sure.

The fog was thick. I couldn’t see the ground through the fog so what in this world could be causing these flashes. Maybe lightening I thought, but these were not cumulonimbus clouds – the ones that cause thunderstorms. These were lazy clouds, fog, close to the ground.  Then I saw the flash again but this time, since I was watching intently I saw more.  As I focused keenly on the area that had produced the flash I saw something amazing. The best way I can describe it is – it appeared to be a silver serpent, running below the fog, but so brilliant with light that I could see it through the fog.  I would see it, and then it would disappear completely in the fog.  Then I saw it reappear again, running below the fog with what appeared to be silver scales glistening with flashing light – what an incredible sight. 

Can you guess what I was seeing? Can you tell me the secret of the silver serpent? Try to guess before reading more if you want the joy of figuring it out before I tell you…….

Give up?

Are you sure?

Ok here is the answer. What I was seeing was the light of the sun, reflecting off the river below.  If you look at most rivers from above, they wave and weave back and forth across the ground much like a snake.  What I was seeing was the silver reflection of the sun bouncing off the water with such force and brilliance that it was cutting through the fog and back into my eyes.  I couldn’t see the ground or anything else around the river, only the reflection of the sun.  Whoop! What a beautiful sight I was seeing.  As I watched the silver serpent weave its path down-river I marveled at God’s creation.  What a wonderful thing He has done and what a great gift He has provided that I might see and share it with Him.

And now kind and patient Christian reader, I have said all I have said above, so that I can say this.

God wants YOU to be like this Silver Serpent. But instead of reflecting the sun through the fog, His admonition is that you reflect His SON to the world.

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord,  who is the Spirit.  2 Cor 3:18

Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. Ps 34:5

Who is like the wise man? Who knows the explanation of things? Wisdom brightens a man’s face and changes its hard appearance.  Ecc 8:1

Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. Da 12:3

And it’s not our own light; we are simply to reflect the true light within us because,

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  Jn 8:12

HE is the light that should be shining within us – as we reflect His light so brilliantly that it cuts through the fog of this world.

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.  Eph 5:8

LIVE AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT!

How do you do this?  How do you become a reflection of Christ?  Ask.  Ask Him to change you into the person he designed you to be from before time began.  Do you trust Him? Does He want the best for you? Doesn’t his act of love, sacrificing his life for you prove it?  Then ask. STOP READING THIS AND ASK NOW!! What are you waiting for? He will answer you.

Let us live as Children of Light such that the world will say, “We must have what they have. We don’t understand it. But we want it too.”  Then we can share the Good News, the gift of the Light of Life, so they too can share in the brilliance of our Savior.

All His Very Best to You and Yours,  Shine On!

Neighbor Tom

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Return to Coimbatore – Tomorrow

So here it is, the day before my return to the Michael Job Centre.  Lots going on right now!

I’m told we have almost 500 orphans now at MJC. There are 148 new orphans from Orrisa refugee camps greatly over stretching the capabilities of the Centre.  It’s a HUGE challenge since most are sick, scared, in a new place with strangers and no common language. BUT – for the first time in months, they have a warm, safe place to stay. They have hot, good food served 3 times a day and people covering them with love.  With food and safety and time they will grow, with Love they will thrive!

We have news now that Pakistan is moving troops from the Afghanistan boarder to the India boarder – not good news.  Tensions are escalating, it’s not a pretty picture having two nuclear powered neighbors who don’t like or trust each other.  It’s incredible what 10 determined terrorists can do, whole nations shift their defensive posture because of 10. 

I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised. 1 man and his 12 disciples changed the world.

Click Here to read the most recent news about the new orphans.

What can you do to help?  PRAY for the Centre’s safety. PRAY for the resourses to care for 500 daughters of Christian martyrs.  We see God’s miracles every day as He takes care of them.  PRAY for the Christians still in the jungles of Orrisa trying to survive on leaves and berries. We ask for YOUR Prayers please.

http://www.jordanfoundation.com/TheMJCStory.html

 

 

 

 

 

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