"If you make children happy now, you make them happy twenty years hence by the memory of it."
Kate Douglas Wiggin

Dear Saints and Aints.

Shalom.

Sitting in front of the computer, hunting for an idea for my update, to my mind comes an incident that occurred towards the end of the rainy season.

Under an overcast sky with dark slow moving clouds some of the older boys are struggling to roll a disused 16”diameter, 10’ long cement pipe into a trench we had dug for it. The trench is actually part of the foundation for a retaining wall of the small kids ‘playground. The pipe would fit perfectly and save us on boulders and secondly would stop the kids from rolling it back and forth across the playground. One of the 16 year olds struggling with the pipe shakes his head indicating the task is impossible. I grin at him, shaking my head in disagreement with his conclusion. My pep talk could have been mistaken by some as overhearing Adam giving names to the animals. “He makes a common mistake - equating difficult with impossible“, I thought.  In the end I was proven right when, after a lot of work, the pipe slipped snugly into the trench.

Splattered with mud, their faces lite up with a happy grin as they give me the thumbs up sign. We did it! My grin matches theirs and so does the thumbs up sign. Still, in my heart of hearts I wonder about their future. We certainly make every effort for them to climb out of the pit of poverty and deprivation their families find themselves in. Yet - So far … some of the college kids like Anup, Jamna and Ravi who I thought would be my showpiece for the home are not doing very well in their studies. Still - So far … others are doing very well. The so far is a handy phrase indicating it is not the last word on the subject.

The kids having left, I stood alone for a moment my thoughts on their future wondering what memories they would take away from here.

Suddenly a lone fat raindrop whizzes by my nose.  My mind still on memories I briefly, with childlike curiosity, wonder if it too has any memories of places it had been and of things it saw and did. As if in answer to my thoughts my mind is suddenly flooded with images of roaring oceans where hurricane winds whip the waves into a frenzy and with it came a sense of exhilaration. Next are images of a threatening tsunami wave that looms over a panicky crowd on a beach and crashes into ships and buildings. It is a terrifying sight and with it comes a sense of horror and shame at the destruction wrought. As if to ameliorate for the horror just witnessed a calm beautiful lake reflecting the azure blue sky fills my vision. Trees and mountains are mirrored in its calm water. With childlike joy I am next presented with a bubbling brook jumping of stones and dead branches and playing hide and seek in the shadow of overhanging branches. Again the scene changes and before the eyes of my mind appears a large field covered with dewdrops looking gray in the predawn waiting for the sun. As the first rays of the sun spill across the horizon the dewdrops cast off their mantle of gray and pose in a million-color attire. Breathtaking! The final scene is a tear slowly making its way down the cheek of a child and no hand to dry it. My imagination unfettered by adult thinking seems to hear a whisper, “Now you know.” There is a final note of thrill, of joy as it hits the solid ground and its molecules scatter into a million directions – not to destruction but in search of new adventures, new memories...

In but a few days I will have my 76th birthday. Thinking about that event, other memories invade my mind - my own. I am a companion of the raindrop. I too have been there, done that. How oft have I not with reckless abandoning thrown myself into life? Though no tsunami how oft have I caused hurt and pain and loss? The childlike happiness of the bubbling brook has been mine and so the tranquil peace of the calm, sunbathed lake. My soul like the dew draped field was lying dull and gray in the predawn till touched by the Spirit of God it was provided “a garment of praise instead of a spirit of heaviness.” The final image - the tear slowly rolling down a child’s cheek too is mine – yes, I have been there too; many times...

Lastly, we too can dare to dream that the final splash will lead not to destruction but to a new life to new experiences, new thrills, new sights and sounds - like a baby emerging from the womb discovers a new world, a more beautiful world than it could possibly have imagined in the womb. We too, who have entrusted our soul to Christ, will at death break into a new world a wider world where unimaginable beauty and joys await us.
…just as it is written,

“Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard,
And whichhave not entered the heart of man,
All that God has prepared for those who love Him.”
1 Cor. 2:9 (NIV)

It will be the beginning of a new quest!

God has Bapu well prepared for that day; I thought that he and Ethan, who is a great help to him, should add a note of greetings to this letter.

A note from Bapu

Last month the children had their mid-term exams and after that they went for Diwali holidays for a few days. Now almost all the children are back so I am keeping busy in day to day activities.
Next month is Christmas and so we are planning to start the preparations for our Christmas celebration programs to which everybody is always looking forward to. All the children joyfully and happily celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
Everything else is going well at both the boys’ and girls’ homes.
Thank you for your prayer, love and care. We do remember you all in our daily prayers. God’s abundant Love and Grace be yours.
With prayers - Bapu

A note from Ethan Morden
I have now been here for one month; this third time at Prem Sewa. I must say it is great to be back!  Two years before and roughly 12,745 kilometers away, I could never have imagined all that has happened in my life since then. I believe in the ministry here - that God is using it to work in the lives of many children and young people.  My aim is to serve and be a help to Bapu - to play some small part in easing the great responsibility he now carries.  As well, I love interacting with the kids and being able to teach them some things. I look forward to seeing all that God has planned for my future and that of Prem Sewa.
God Bless!   Ethan

This letter has been produced on my new computer; my pride and joy. Reading about the raindrop you probably think I should have kept the old one … But I love to look at things with the eyes of an inquisitive child. The other day while sitting in the car waiting for the driver, a leaf from the tree in whose shadow I sat, floated on my lap. For 15 minutes I sat there admiring this beautifully crafted thing I had been gifted. I look at my kids this way - beautiful things have been gifted to me by my God. When tempted by Satan Jesus rejected the splendor of the world for our sake, our salvation; looking at our kids and the way I feel about them I can understand that he could. They have no price tag.

I am sure many, after 20 or however many years, will smile at the memories they harbor; memories which you in your love, kindness and generosity made possible.

We thank you and love you Saints.

Frank
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Frank M. Juelich
Prem Sewa Shikshan Sangh
Box 15 Katol Road Post Office
Nagpur 440 013

E-mail:                  fjuelich@gmail.com

childrens.refuge@gmail.com

prem.sewa.homes@gmail.com

bapudesai1@gmail.com

Website:              www.frankjuelich.com
Website:              www.premsewa.com
Photos:                http://community.webshots.com/user/fjuelich