7/22
Yesterday we were invited by our house parents to go to our house father’s parent’s house. We were a little confused. Well actually, I don’t feel like it was so much our fault. The kids went and saw his biological parents, but we only met his sp.r.t.al family. It was good to meet them and have an opportunity to learn more about our family’s past. We got to hear our house father’s full story of how he came to believe and how they came to have so many kids. We also learned some more details about how he and his wife ended up together. Before that, we heard a three point sermon from his sp.r.tual father about waiting for the Father to arrange our marriages. The Father really did arrange their marriage. Sometimes it is hard to see or understand their affection for each other because there are no physical displays of it that we ever see. Their story is really cool though.
They met while working at the same place. Before meeting though, our house father had spent some time fasting to ask the Father who his life partner would be. He received a vision of the woman that is now his wife. When he met her, he knew but did not say anything to her and spent more time in yarper. She had also received direction from the Father that she should marry him. She was raised as a b.l.ever and he had been a b.l.ever for several years at that point. He is mbb. His family still are Mus. And for a long time were very angry toward him. Anyway, her family did not support their relationship because they did not believe that he was really a b.l.ever. Obviously, his family did not support it either. By the way, prior to being married they never dated or went out together. They just spent time together at work and both knew they would marry each other. So we now come to the climax of our forbidden love story. Along with the help of his spiritual father, our house father met his soon-to-be wife at the train station in the middle of the night with her suitcase. I like to call it a consensual kidnapping. Once they were to a far away location, she called her parents and told them she was getting married! They still do not really have the support of their families, but in their large family have all the familial love they need. Yarp for strength for all of them!
We also learned more about how they came to have all of their children and some more details about how the Father led them to that. All of the children were taken very soon after being born. One was premature. One was born to a single woman who could not care for her. Two were babies that were going to end up in the dustbin. They told us about babies that were not wanted or could not be cared for ending up in the dumpster and dying in the night. That just breaks my heart. I was getting tears in my eyes on the way home as I considered how the Father chose these kids to be raised by these lovers of the Father in this region for His purpose. These were kids that nobody cared about and, in all reality, would probably not be alive if they were not here.
We got to visit the hospital where his sp.r.tual mother and father work. Today the mother had a c-section to do and asked us if we would like to see the baby once it was out. Naturally we said yes. So we sat in a room right outside the operating room and right after we heard the baby’s first cries, they wheeled it out for us to see. It was tiny, purple, and covered with goo like all new-born babies, but it is always a joy to see a new life coming into the world. This coupled with learning about the histories of the children we help care for every day made for a beautiful experience.
As we were leaving town we stopped at this place with all of these little pools with lots of fish in it. The kids wanted to see the fish. Once we walked in, I realized that it was a Hindu temple area. I came to this conclusion after seeing a sign that said people were not allowed in the temple area if they had eaten non-vegetarian food for any of their meals. Consequently, we had just eaten the meatiest meal I’ve had since arriving! Anyway, the kids fed the fish and had a good time. While they were feeding them I noticed a sign that said, “Do not touch the Holy Fish.” Unfortunately I left my camera. If we go back again, I promise to take it. The kids were playing very close to the edge while feeding the fish and frankly, I was worried they might fall in and be all over those holy fish!
The last few weeks have been difficult for me. Things are going better though. I may have been enduring some culture shock—not completely sure. The Father gives us times of learning and times of refreshment. I am sure of that. I am grateful for the blessings He has given me the last few days. I am also finding myself eternally grateful that He is constant and no matter how I am struggling or tired or annoyed, I can always spend time with Him and have something familiar no matter where I am.
I am glad my hope is not in sanctified holy fish.
