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For Me, Jesus
Bob and Marie* had just begun working in a small village in India. The neighborhood
was buzzing because they were the first foreigners to ever come
there. Everyone was very curious. Dozens of eyes would peer into their front
window daily, and the people would whisper loudly in the Tamil language,
which Bob and Marie did not understand.
One particular little boy would often “pop up” on the kitchen window ledge
and just smile, chatter, and watch Marie cook. He reminded Marie of the little
monkeys that came to their windows on occasion.
Marie learned how to ask in Tamil, “OOn, paar yina?” (What’s your name?)
They found out that his name was Chandran, which means Moon. They also
learned that he was working as a servant boy in a house across the street from
theirs. He did whatever jobs he was given—sweeping, washing dishes, washing
clothes, washing their car, going to market, taking out the trash, and the like.
Bob and Marie’s two children, Mike and Julie*, became angry when they
learned that Chandran slept outside every night on a thin grass mat, right outside
the door of the house where he worked. They also learned that Chandran’s
mother had sold him to that family because she was desperate for money. Her
husband had died, and her family of seven were living on the street and were
starving. By selling Chandran, they could have some money to survive longer.
One afternoon, Marie discovered that Chandran had been popping up in Mike
and Julie’s windows while they were doing their home-schooling lessons.
When Marie scolded Julie about it, Julie said, “But, Mom, he has never been to
school, and he doesn’t know how to read or write. I’m teaching him the Tamil alphabet.” Julie had learned the alphabet from their next-door neighbors and
could already speak simple phrases.
Over the next year and a half, the family became very attached to Chandran. Chandran worked very hard for his owners, but during his free time he would
sit in one of their windows. Eventually he worked his way into their front door.
He loved to watch cartoons on TV, especially Tom & Jerry, because it was all
action and no words to understand. Jerry, the little mouse, always got the best
of the big cat, which delighted Chandran.
While at their house, Chandran tried french fries and pizza for the first time in
his life. He even drank some chilled Pepsi through a straw.
Marie’s family was able to tell Chandran the whole story of Jesus using a crown
of thorns Bob had weaved from a nearby thorn bush. Chandran was amazed by
the little illustration Bob used to help him understand the resurrection. Bob
and Marie began taking Chandran to church and inviting him to watch Christian
children’s videos at their house.
Chandran always wore a black string around his neck with little pictures of
idols on it. But after hearing the good news of Jesus, he began thinking. One
morning he came bright and early, shouting, “Oongal lakoo, Jesupa!” He was
clutching a tiny picture of Jesus that he now had hung on his black string
around his neck. He was saying, “For me, Jesus!”
Julie asked where the other pictures were, and he proudly said, “Kupi,” which
meant they were in the trash. The family said a prayer with him, and they were
all so happy.
One year, the family had to return to the United States. They made sure Chandran
understood they would return in two months. Sure enough, when they
returned, there was Chandran in their windowsill, bright and early.
The next year, Mike and Julie returned to the United States for more schooling.
They don’t know where Chandran is now, but they know that wherever he
is, Jesus is with him.
*Names have been changed
Information for this story was provided by workers in India and is used with
permission from Assemblies of God World Missions.
©2007 The General Council of the Assemblies of God. All rights reserved. Permission granted to reproduce and adapt lesson components for exclusive use in the local church. Any other use requires written permission. |
