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.

If God can get us through this……..

It was mid August. We were at Big Bazar. She had been shopping with her Mom in Big Bazar. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful long haired, freckle faced image of innocence. It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout. We all stood there under the awning of the Big Bazar. We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day.

I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child come pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.

Her voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in. "Mom, let's run through the rain," she said.
"What?" Mom asked.
"Let's run through the rain!" She repeated.
"No, beta. We'll wait until it slows down a bit," Mom replied.
This young child waited about another minute and repeated: "Mom, let's run through the rain."
"We'll get soaked if we do," Mom said.
"No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning," the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm. "This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?" "Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, 'If God can get us through this, he can get us through anything!"
The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you couldn't hear anything but the rain. We all stood silently. No one came or left in the next few minutes. Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say. Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life.

A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith. "beta, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If GOD let's us get wet, well maybe we just needed washing," Mom said. Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They held their shopping bags over their heads just in case. They got soaked. But they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars. And yes, we did. We ran. We got wet. We needed washing. Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories...