James 1: 2-4
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Today has been a day of me trying to count it all joy… if you know what I mean.
It started off like any old other day. My little one nudges me in the side to tell me it is time to get up. She likes to nudge me and then lay her head on my belly (while I lay flat) for a couple of minutes while I rub her back, then she sits up and motions for me to get up. (Love her!) We do our morning routine, and have breakfast with our friends.
I started at 10am calling Mr. Pandit about the passport. He would tell me to call back, he wasn’t at the office yet. After calling him every 15 minutes, he said don’t call back until 12. 🙂
He is going to want me out of Ahmedabad more than I want to go home, by the time this is over! haha
Late morning, we all hopped in the car to help some friends who just moved here get into their new place. We had some Indian lunch together. I tried something new… it was called Bihari Tikka Masala. Yummy!
Then I finally called Mr. Pandit and got the word that the passport was in process of being printed and should maybe be ready tomorrow. I tried to hold it together, at this point I am riding in the car with everyone. My friend M looked over at me and asked if I was okay. Tears started flowing down. I said out loud through sobs…. I just want to see my other children….I miss them! How blessed I was to be riding with that group though…they just started praying and encouraging me. I can see God’s timing for 12pm….if I had found out earlier, I might have been alone. But the timing was just right!
After getting our friends moved, we did what every girl needs to do after being a little sad… We went and ate some chocolate and shopped a little. 🙂
Now time wise, we are into when Lyla normally starts to nap, but she was hanging in there like a champ. My friend and I talked some more about the passport and we decided it would be a good idea for me to go to the passport office myself to check on things. Not that Mr. Pandit is not telling the truth, but to get a clear idea of when I should have my hands on that passport. So we decided to run some more errands and then go to the office.
We almost got all the errands done, and my poor little one hit the wall. She went into 100% pure melt down mode, and really it was my fault for keeping her out all day. Nothing was consoling her….not even food…at this point I knew we were in for it!
My friend immediately dropped us off at her place and finished her errands alone. I still could not do anything to help her. She would want to be held, and then want to be down, she would want something to drink, and then would reject it…. she was just plain worn out.
She was still going pretty strong when my friend got back from her errands. M was trying to help me come up with creative ideas to console her… and finally she said… “How about a bath?”
Bingo! Lyla loves to take baths and brush her teeth. So I looked at Lyla, and gave her the hand motion she and I do to represent a bath. It basically looks like you are washing your hair and scrubbing your head.
She smiled and headed straight for the bathroom.
My friend was gracious enough to watch her play in the bathroom while I went to the passport office on my own. My friend gave me all kinds of tips on how I should act when I get there, so no one would stop me. It is kind of a cross between playing dumb, yet confident. The family friend that helps with their home ended up accompanying me, which brought me comfort so she could help me translate when needed.
We arrive at the office which is gated with three guards standing at the entrance before you can even get in. I just walk in like I am supposed to be there. He stops me and says…. “Applying passport?” I say no, and tell him I need to ask some questions. They begin to question my friend with me who is a national and speaks Gujararti. She not understanding my position tells them I am here to apply for a passport, and they tell me to come back tomorrow. I could not understand why when it was open, I could not go in. My national friend tries to get me to leave, and I stand my ground, and say I am supposed to be here to ask a question. 🙂 I explain to my friend I have already applied and they told me it would be ready today and I am here to get it. So she explained that to the guards and they let me through. Thank goodness my friend M previously told me to be confident!
So I walk in and no one is in there at all….I walk straight to the window, and a gentlemen helps me find out my status, not without another phone call to Mr. Pandit though, who I am sure is thinking… this woman is crazy she is at the passport office alone!
He confirmed it is printing and shows it will be ready tomorrow. I am feeling like I should have it in hand tomorrow after that visit.
But, I will be calling Mr. Pandit harassing him again tomorrow, until I have word. 🙂
We head back home, and I am so glad I have my friend R with me, because I realized in my mad dash to get to the passport office… I did not know the address to get back. That would have been really bad!
We come back, and Lyla is still having a blast in the shower, and playing in the water. I eventually get her dried off and put pajamas on, and she is nice and calm.
We have dinner, and she is just acting silly goofy, which has been a sign since we have gotten her that she is very tired. It was almost seven and I knew she could hardly take it any longer. We laid down and started reading a book. The power went out while we were reading, and a minute later she was out!
After getting her to rest, I came out of the room, and R was in the kitchen with the dishes. She invited me to sit in there while she worked so we could talk.
She started telling me a little about her life, and a lot of it was sad. She mentioned that there are times she just wishes she could die.
I immediately tell her, I would never want her to die, without knowing where she would go when she dies. I know people here have been sharing with her regularly. She already has a lot of knowledge about Heaven and hell, and Jesus.
Finally she said, I want to accept Him, but I do not know how. I told her the Bible says “If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
She held up her hands and said Jesus is Lord!
I knew she was ready, I was really hoping my friend would come out soon from putting her kids down. She is the one that has been pouring spiritually into R, and I wanted her to be there.
She came out, and I explained to my friend what had taken place. My friend then talked and prayed with her. R prayed, and now we have a new sister in Christ!
After my sad day of not getting the passport, and having a child in complete exhaustion mode I realized something…
While I was in the car with my friends, when I got the news about the passport, I just prayed silently… Lord use me while I am here, since I can’t be at home.
Tonight, I think He did.
I count it all joy that I have a new sister (previously Muslim) and I got to be here to initiate the conversation tonight of the fruit that has been poured into her for years. If I had gotten the passport, I probably would have been shut off in my room packing… not being available to talk.
Please hear me out, I don’t want any glory for this, like I said she has been poured into by many here. I was just at the right place at the right time…which is how this whole trip has been for me!
God is so cool! He has totally used a trip to pick up an orphan girl (my precious Lyla) to change lives… Including mine!