August 2002

Dear Saints and Aints.

Shalom!

"God heard the lad crying ..." A strange assertion in the light of the recent death of one of our boys – Narayan - who died from a bite from a rabid dog he received some 6 years ago– and for whom many of you prayed. Yet the assertion still holds true.

It holds true for the many that – against all hope, often against all odds – live. It holds true for the many that – from our home, grew up to manhood, and He still hears the cry of those who are still with us.

Recently I received several letters from churches asking me to take them off my mailing list because they do not know who I am. And so, in the next few paragraphs I will write something about myself to bring up to date those who do not know me. A further purpose of this letter is, to challenge those who like me feel inadequate, to venture forth for God. You take care of your commitment; God will take care of the rest. You others – please indulge me …

I am only three years short of seventy.

I received my Call from God! Not only my Call but my Call specifically to India came from God. That was 30 years ago ... I came to India against all odds and remained in India in spite of all odds. Countless times I was threatened to be thrown out, I have been thrown out and been refused entry and refused a visa on several occasions ... I have fought, I have cried, I have prayed, I have begged both man and God – and God every time vindicated His Call ... and – I am still here.

This letters is actually all about God ... I have nothing to boast about. When I left Canada for India in 1972, I sacrificed nothing: No good job, no good position, no status, no property, no family – nothing ... I only missed my friends. Furthermore, I neither was nor am qualified spiritually, mentally nor academically – just a mediocre carpenter with a mediocre mind and less then mediocre spirituality. (I am not humble – just honest. And if humble – Humility is the truth, pride is the lie.) Yet 38 years ago I offered my life and my service to God and He – against all odds and in spite of all that He saw in me and knew about me – accepted it. It is when I think about this that I break out either in Hallelujahs or tears. Frequently it is the latter.

My dream – which I thought was God's mandate for me -- was to do the translation of the New Testament into a tribal language, Mawchi, a job which with the help of some Mawchi pastors I did. Though I was poorly qualified – still I wanted to do it. We completed the Mawchi translation in 1989. God certainly has indulged me. I sometime can almost hear him say: "Let him do it, We will fix it later."

What about the kids?

The first kids started coming in 1977 and then – never stopped coming ... As a bachelor, without a wife to tell me otherwise, I accepted them like the paint on the wall and the leaking taps in the bathroom – sometimes they were just there and sometimes - I noticed them ... It was when once I noticed them too often that I began to realize my responsibly towards them. I suddenly saw myself as a father. Not a good one, not an experienced one but – a caring one and, in a fumbling sort of way, a loving one.

Once we bought the 18 acres of land in 1982 at the edge of Nagpur city I had all the excuse I needed to take more kids – we had oodles of space. Unfortunately the oodles of space and the oodles of kids were not matched by oodles of money which you need to look after oodles of kids. But we kept taking them anyhow.

I am a natural risk taker. But not only a risk taker; I utterly believe in the goodness and faithfulness of God. He called me, He gave me this mandate and – He will look after me. I am like a bird sitting on a branch of a tree, though the branch swings yet the bird sings because – it has wings.

My wings are my faith in a loving, caring wonderful God Who has proven Himself faithful in frequency beyond the numbers of stars in the sky. Though there have been times when I cried bitterly because I was submersed in needs seemingly beyond my ability to cope with, yet, I never lost my faith only -- at times --my courage. I have never been disappointed with God. Though I have gone through the fire and the flood, I have gone through the "valley of the shadow of death" I was always conscious of the presence of my God who lovingly and caringly brought me through it all. He knew I needed the experience to grow and learn.

If nothing else, I have proven beyond any doubt that God is utterly faithful and that trusting in Him, one person, though sinful, simple, and unqualified can take upon his shoulders the needs of a thousand kids:

He weeps – they don't.
He worries – they need not.
He has sleepless nights – they don't.

Now we have three homes with almost 1000 kids ...

Looking back I have that sneaking suspicion that the translation was only MY idea but - looking after the kids – was really what GOD had planned for me.

People frequently tell me to write and "ask" for money. I refuse! If somebody after reading my letters does not know that 1000 kids take a lot of money to be looked after and that out of those 1000 only 200 are sponsored - I telling them will not change anything. I refuse to become a beggar and I refuse to insult my God by telling the world He can not look after us. He can and -- He will! I love nothing more than to prove my God! It is like sitting at the edge of an active volcano – only safer ...

In spite of all the problems and difficulties we always face, ours is truly a wonderful place. For me, just being here is a source of constant joy. For the kids, though, like all kids, they sometimes grumble and complain, it is a haven, an oasis in a barren and hopeless land. Yohan is doing a great job. This summer again he sent the staff far and wide to make sure kids who do not have the money to come to Nagpur get an application form. Yes, he really, really cares.

We did a lot of work this summer -- though not enough. There is no end to our dreaming and the stretching of ourselves to realize those dreams. And now – the kids are back. Listening to all the racket they make I wonder why I ever missed them during their summer holidays ... Yet, the sound of their happy laughter often works like a tonic. Somehow it makes it worth it all.

Having my own car, I also have traveled far and wide over the past few months but have always come back with an ache in my heart at seeing all those needy and often without hope-kids out there. For better or worse --I am committed to helping kids.

I also preach and teach a lot in the church and take the daily staff devotion. I have finally started speaking in Hindi doing away with a translator. I am far from perfect in either Hindi or preaching but – I am trying.

If, in this letter I seem like boasting -- forgive me. I am really not. I am always deeply conscious that I am only God's instrument, His hands and heart to these incredibly needy kids. I am only a channel – no more.

But like the Apostle Paul I can also honestly state: "I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven." I have been faithful to my Call and Mandate. And God has been utterly faithful to me.

In closing let me thank you for your gifts, which though unsolicited, you lavished upon us during the past few months. At times it seems there is noHagar that cries seeing the pitiful state, the hunger and hopelessness of so many, many children in cities, towns and slums; there seems to be no "Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.” Yet I believe there are. Thank you, that you like Hagar and Rachel, weep – and weep for children not your own and do your part stilling their tears. We thank you.

In His great love.

Frank, Yohan and the Prem Sewa Family.