Wonderful glasses

There are always surprises in life. Sometimes even the person who is doing something is totally unaware about his good deeds. Unintentionally people do so many good for others. I remember the story told by my teacher in the school.  Teacher’s father  was a  carpenter and volunteer at Vanvashi Ashram (wing of RSS which involves in social work at tribal area) at the district place.   

On one particular day, he was building some crates for some material which was supposed to be supplied to the  orphanage  school run by the Vanvashi Ashram at interior tribal area known as Melghat in Maharashtra. After the hectic day, when he was on the way at home,  he  reached into his shirt pocket to find his Spectacle  glasses, but they were gone.  When he mentally replayed his earlier actions, he realized what happened; the glasses had slipped out of his pocket unnoticed and fallen into one of the crates, which he had nailed shut.  His brand new glasses were heading for Melghat!

The Great Depression was at its height and father had six children.  He had spent 400 bucks for those glasses that very morning.  He was upset by the thought of having to buy another pair.  "It's not fair," he told God as he drove home in frustration.  "I've been very faithful in giving of my time and money to your work, and now this."

Several months later, the Incharge  of the orphanage school was on holiday in the City.  He wanted to visit Vanvasshi centers that supported him in Melghat, so he came to speak one Sunday at the center where teachers’ father's was volunteering.  The Incharge began by thanking the people for their faithfulness in supporting the school.  "But most of all," he said, "I must thank you for the glasses you sent last year.  You see, I lost my glasses. I am staying in such interior area where it is difficult to get material for day to day chore during monsoon, so imagine how can I get glasses. I was desperate.  Even if I had the money, there was simply no way of replacing those glasses. Along with not being able to see well, I experienced headaches every day, so my colleagues, lovely students  and I were much in prayer about this.  Then your crates arrived. When my staff removed the covers, they found a pair of glasses lying on top.”

The Incharge paused long enough to let his words sink in.  Then, still gripped with the wonder of it all, he continued: "Folks, when I tried on the glasses, it was as though they had been custom-made just for me!  I want to thank you for being a part of that."

The people listened, happy for the miraculous glasses. But the Incharge surely must have confused their Center with another, they thought.  There were no glasses on their list of items to be sent at Melghat.

But sitting quietly in the back, with tears streaming down his face, an ordinary carpenter realized the Master Carpenter had used him in an extraordinary way.