May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us;
Establish the work of our hands for us—
Yes, establish the work of our hands.
Psalm 90:17
Dear Saints and Aints.
Shalom.
Staring at the deserted playground shrouded in clouds of dust and sand gentled by a brisk breeze, my mind drifts to a poem I read once so long ago:
“I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: `Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed.
And on the pedestal these words appear --
"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.'”
- Percy Bysshe Shelley
According to one critic … “Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!" “Are arguably the most haunting words of poetry ever written” especially in the light of what follows – “Nothing beside remains …”
As I want Prem Sewa Shikshan Sangh to continue to offer hope to kids beyond the interment of my bones, Bapu’s appointment as director of Prem Sewa Shikshan Sangh should not have come as a surprise to anybody. Ever since I formed the society, and subsequently acquired the present property I knew one of our students would take control of the homes after me. I never felt that “that after me” would necessarily have to be the grave. Furthermore, the appointment of Bapu by the board amounted only to the transfer of the designation “Director” as Bapu has handled the content of that designation for well over a year already … But the title bestows upon him the authority to do that which he believes he must do in the interest of the children under his care. Even though we have our disagreements at times over how things should work, he is doing very well; it helps me to remember that God is at work conforming him, not – to the image of Frank - but to the image of Christ.
To become more widely known and accepted, I felt that Bapu should visit Canada alone. He does not need me to hold his hand (I am not humbled – I am proud!); he only needs friends who are willing to give him a chance to present his picture of the homes and the children. He will be in Canada from the beginning of September till the end of November. Dawn Steinke from the PAOC district office graciously offered to arrange his itinerary.
Bapu might bring with him a shorter version of the documentary shot by the Emerge team. We enjoyed their company and that of Clark Hollands, Errol and Myrna De Sousa very much. The kids were thrilled thinking they were in Hollywood on the cast of an epic drama of gigantic proportion – as superstars … The documentary should be out by about Christmas; they plan on two versions, one shorter and one for about 45 minutes.
Some, no doubt, see Ozymandias’ fate as ours. Maybe true; yet while concerned about the future still our plea is help us today! Help today’s’ kids! Give today’s’ kids hope and a chance; the future will take care of their own. Who knows, maybe today’s kids helped - will secure that future. Not to invest in today because the future is uncertain should not be an option! It certainly - is not ours!
I now I have a 1 year multiple entry visa issued by the State Government that can be renewed in Mumbai. The Government changed the visa procurement rules and I had a couple of anxious moments about the visa – if 48 hours can be classified as moments...
For those who plan to visit us … While our guests were here, but for minor discomforts, they felt ok. In Jaipur, their next stop, the tummy of most of them turned into a minor Vesuvius … Hopefully they remembered the words of wisdom “not to take sleeping pills the same night – you have tummy troubles.” It reflects well on our kids who cooked for them; our meals cannot compete with the “tasty morsels” offered in fancy hotels and resorts but they generally stay with you for the duration required to do your body any good.
During the last month of the exams one of the college students I helped with college related expenses said, “You set me free!” He continued, “I don’t have to depend on friends for the things the office doesn’t supply.”(He is taking a specialized degree course which can prove expensive). It is a freedom no doubt students across the world crave. To me it was a totally new concept – free to study without worrying about the cost. As I have to raise my own funds just to work here i.e. work so that I can work I can identify with him – I crave that same freedom. I pledged myself that this academic year every college-going student will be free to pursue his studies (in colleges approved by us) without worrying about expenses related to that study. The gifts that friends send to me directly via checks etc., go towards that. Let me boast in this; my pension and 75% of my wages go in some way or the other to the kids and others I help. If I want more it is so that I can do more and not have more. I assure you, I don’t shore up my depleted bank account with money meant for the kids!!!
Eight college students who passed 11th class are staying for the summer. They thought they would have a holiday. Holiday my foot! They get up at 6 am, water the gardens, go to college at 9 am for 1 hour tuition, come back and have more than 1 hour English lessons, they work from 4 – 6 pm moving dirt, for which I promised them $80 each, and then they go for computer class from 7 – 9 pm. As you see, that freedom I offer to our kids has a price tag – hard work.
The spiritual atmosphere among the kids is good. Before the kids went home for the summer they begged Bapu to burn for them copies of Jesus films and Jesus songs on DVDs and CDs; we burnt about 300- 350. During the second half of the academic year it was not uncommon to see groups of little boys praying in small groups; once the 12 year old leader of such a group gave all his kids - a candy.
Saints though they be … kids by nature are destructive; we will spend the next two months and a lot of money getting things fixed and repaired. Also, as the mercury already climbed over the 45 Celsius mark keeping our gardens alive is a major chore.
Easter brought home again the truth that our burden transferred upon our Lord is a real burden with all its weight and ugliness. By implication so are the burdens of others we take upon ourselves to bear. Workers in God’s Kingdom – global or local –will find themselves as often in the dust as in the clouds; as often with hands raised in desperate supplication as in abundant adoration - But were it not so it would make a mockery of the concept of burden bearing. Still, life even at 75 is still great and often laced with great joy! After all, we couldn’t bless others if God was not blessings us first and – he really, really is!
Our gratitude is yours for providing Him with the means to bless us! Frank |
