31 July 2013. I lugged my bag to platform 5 to board the Jolarpettai Express to Katpadi. Usually I go to the First Class to avoid the elbowing crowd. But as I walked past the ladies compartment, I noticed it was fairly empty and decided to hop in.
I took the single seat near the window and started to pray. Half an hour later the compartment was full and the train chugged out of the station on gun-time. I was pretty tired and in no mood to talk to anyone. I leaned back and settled down for a comfortable journey. I looked around and thought, “A compartment full of people are tumbling towards hell and here I am sitting tongue-tied like a dumb fool.” Then I thought, “I am always sharing. Relaxing one day is surely forgivable.” An eleven year old Brahmin boy was sitting opposite to me with holy ash smeared on his forehead. A lady sat by his side, squeezing him to the corner and with a big smile begged to be accomodated. She smiled at me, thinking he was my son. So I struck up a conversation with her. I asked her if she would like to read a book. When she answered affirmatively, I dished out the book and gave to her.
As she toyed with the book the boy, Arvind took it from her hand and flipped the pages. “Auntie, what’s in this book?” he queried. I told him. “Can you give more details?” he asked very politely. So I explained to him. He started bombarding me with questions asking for more and more and more. I ended up explaining to him the plan of salvation from Genesis, concluding with the return of Christ. Then came the sweetest sentence, “Auntie, I want to become a Christian.” His cousin aged 16, sitting near him was punctuating our conversation with a few questions. So I asked him if he also would like to become a Christian. “Yes,” he said. So then and there they prayed with me the prayer of commitment. Arvind flicked the tears from his eyes. His face shone. He was jumping with joy. Rupesh was a demure type. They learnt songs and said, “If we had got into the men’s compartment, we wouldn’t have met you.”
Suddenly Arvind asked, “Auntie, can I have a Bible?” “Oh, yes” I said, “I’ll send you the Life of Jesus.” I was nervous when he shouted to his mother, “Ma, can we buy a Bible?” She was chatting with other ladies and I was happy she didn’t observe me talking to the boys. She replied, “Why not? Buy a Bible, read the Bible, who said ‘No’?” She turned to me and said, “I don’t restrict my chilren.” etc. etc. I started talking to her and gradually our conversation turned to religion. I explained to her the Goodnews. At a certain point she broke down and started weeping. She told me how she and her husband were separated for 10 years and since three months living together again, fighting everyday.
At the end she said, “Something is happening in my heart. I am experiencing a peace. Ma’am, I want to become a Christian.” “Are you ready to take Jesus Christ alone as your God?” I cornered her. “Yes, from today onwards it’s only Jesus for me,” she replied sincerely. There, in the train we held hands and prayed the prayer of commitment. “I have to light the deepam as per my husband’s commandment. What shall I do?” was her question. “Please do it, as long as your husband wants it, praying to God. Soon he will ask you to stop it,” I said.
More than the joy of reaping the harvest, my heart was praising God for those who had sowed the seeds. Arvind was studying in a Seventh Day Adventist School and the teacher had told him many Bible stories. A Roman Catholic family had fasted and prayed for the family to come together, encouraging their union. “Paul planted, Apollos watered, God gave the increase.”
Dear, don’t let anyone sitting by you go to hell. May be it’s a door, waiting to be knocked!
Dr. Lilian Stanley
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91 9843511943
lilianstanley@gmail.com
Blessing Youth Mission
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91-416-2242943, +91-416-2248943
hq@bymonline.org
www.bymonline.org
Click here for more options
To buy books written by Dr. Lilian Stanley, kindly reach to us in the follwing address
Blessing Literature Centre
21/11 West Coovam River Road,
Chintadripet,
Chennai 600 002, India.
+91-44-28450411, 8806270699
blc@bymonline.org
31 July 2013. I lugged my bag to platform 5 to board the Jolarpettai Express to Katpadi. Usually I go to the First Class to avoid the elbowing crowd. But as I walked past the ladies compartment, I noticed it was fairly empty and decided to hop in.
I took the single seat near the window and started to pray. Half an hour later the compartment was full and the train chugged out of the station on gun-time. I was pretty tired and in no mood to talk to anyone. I leaned back and settled down for a comfortable journey. I looked around and thought, “A compartment full of people are tumbling towards hell and here I am sitting tongue-tied like a dumb fool.” Then I thought, “I am always sharing. Relaxing one day is surely forgivable.” An eleven year old Brahmin boy was sitting opposite to me with holy ash smeared on his forehead. A lady sat by his side, squeezing him to the corner and with a big smile begged to be accomodated. She smiled at me, thinking he was my son. So I struck up a conversation with her. I asked her if she would like to read a book. When she answered affirmatively, I dished out the book and gave to her.
As she toyed with the book the boy, Arvind took it from her hand and flipped the pages. “Auntie, what’s in this book?” he queried. I told him. “Can you give more details?” he asked very politely. So I explained to him. He started bombarding me with questions asking for more and more and more. I ended up explaining to him the plan of salvation from Genesis, concluding with the return of Christ. Then came the sweetest sentence, “Auntie, I want to become a Christian.” His cousin aged 16, sitting near him was punctuating our conversation with a few questions. So I asked him if he also would like to become a Christian. “Yes,” he said. So then and there they prayed with me the prayer of commitment. Arvind flicked the tears from his eyes. His face shone. He was jumping with joy. Rupesh was a demure type. They learnt songs and said, “If we had got into the men’s compartment, we wouldn’t have met you.”
Suddenly Arvind asked, “Auntie, can I have a Bible?” “Oh, yes” I said, “I’ll send you the Life of Jesus.” I was nervous when he shouted to his mother, “Ma, can we buy a Bible?” She was chatting with other ladies and I was happy she didn’t observe me talking to the boys. She replied, “Why not? Buy a Bible, read the Bible, who said ‘No’?” She turned to me and said, “I don’t restrict my chilren.” etc. etc. I started talking to her and gradually our conversation turned to religion. I explained to her the Goodnews. At a certain point she broke down and started weeping. She told me how she and her husband were separated for 10 years and since three months living together again, fighting everyday.
At the end she said, “Something is happening in my heart. I am experiencing a peace. Ma’am, I want to become a Christian.” “Are you ready to take Jesus Christ alone as your God?” I cornered her. “Yes, from today onwards it’s only Jesus for me,” she replied sincerely. There, in the train we held hands and prayed the prayer of commitment. “I have to light the deepam as per my husband’s commandment. What shall I do?” was her question. “Please do it, as long as your husband wants it, praying to God. Soon he will ask you to stop it,” I said.
More than the joy of reaping the harvest, my heart was praising God for those who had sowed the seeds. Arvind was studying in a Seventh Day Adventist School and the teacher had told him many Bible stories. A Roman Catholic family had fasted and prayed for the family to come together, encouraging their union. “Paul planted, Apollos watered, God gave the increase.”
Dear, don’t let anyone sitting by you go to hell. May be it’s a door, waiting to be knocked!
Dr. Lilian Stanley
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91 9843511943
lilianstanley@gmail.com
Blessing Youth Mission
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91-416-2242943, +91-416-2248943
hq@bymonline.org
www.bymonline.org
Click here for more options
To buy books written by Dr. Lilian Stanley, kindly reach to us in the follwing address
Blessing Literature Centre
21/11 West Coovam River Road,
Chintadripet,
Chennai 600 002, India.
+91-44-28450411, Mob:8806270699
blc@bymonline.org
