the beginning and end of a fateful trip - WOW

5/2/13
2:27 AM the phone ring conveying a message
2:30 AM rang back to confirm
2:35 AM booking 2 flight tickets online
2:50 AM telephoning children
3:30 AM packing
3:45 AM starting from home

then  the hurdles started
1
car started well but it went off failing then to start even with a push
a rescue car from Chris rescued us
2
misplaced an ID card - requested entry through security gate
3
no ATM to take cash in the security enclosure
we had less than 500 between us
4
lost the boarding pass  and couldn't recover
went here and there to resolve the problem
5
directed to the departure - found the boarding card there
had no ID to claim the lost boarding gate
but persuaded the staff - may be by with the help of our greying hairs
and so finally retrieved the boarding card and so boarded the plane

WOW!
8/2/13
1
on return almost hindered and held back by another mishap
2
instead off two - only one return ticket
3
the ticket cost at the booking counter was already high
so book a ticket for the next flight and rescheduled the other ticket
and finally boarded, flew and reached home the same day…. 2 hours late ,,,

WOW! WOW!

  

In loving memory of Pipi

 Thank you Lord for all of these

And many more that we could not recall today

We had prayed for her to live long

She lived 99 years - even longer than we had bargained for

We had prayed for a peaceful ending when the time comes

The end came quietly and peacefully when it was God’s timing

We had asked for the end to be of least trouble for all others

Post 2 AM on a Tuesday Feb the fifth disturbed the others the least

The end time was right for us to catch the 5:35 AM Delhi –Imphal flight

So that we reached home by 10:30 AM in time for burial service

In time for us to pay our last respect with the traditional ‘ puandum’

We gazed and gazed at her still frame as if to forever engrave it within our hearts

Hugging her coffin we grieved and cried our hearts out as we bid good bye

We knew many who silently cried in their own places, as they couldn’t be there

Almost a century back her mom gave birth to her at Tinsong missions Hq,

Her father Nengkhat was perhaps the first ordained ministered among the Paites

Her dad was remembered as ‘Khaizaliana-pa’ who had his hairs tied into a knot

And used to ‘lamder-der’ – joyfully dancing to God around the village ‘pulpit’

She was known by all who spoke in sweet memory for 2 things she was

Her long straight hairs reaching below her knees and her love for ‘cleanness’

Many in different ways fondly remembered her - especially by her own children

As a hard working mom who led and showed how to ‘learn, labour and live’

To me I would cherish the memory of her ever-smiling face and her gentle manners
I would miss most our later days nonverbal communication that were nonetheless truly sweet   

I am truly grateful to God and her for all she was to Rebecca and my older kids

Her caring hands and her warm embrace to them when it was needed the most

In retrospect, I can see God blessed her in many ways –a long life, 'successful' sons,
grand and great grand kids, a quiet peaceful end and an ideal spot for her final resting place!

langkham@gmail.com 5-9 Feb, 2013 (Delhi – Lamka - Delhi)

spic and span shined the vessels

the kitchen house
with pots and panes
and a place where one can do the washings
with just a few cane stools and a pair of round-ended tongs
that's her kingdom at least for the time till the dinner got ready

no dust, nor ash in the mud floor fireplace
even though the burning firewoods made lots of ashes
the pots and pans remained spic and span
the lady in the kitchenette  was ever cleaning them all
she couldn't do otherwise as that was her trademark!

nimble footed as a dancing bird
her agile frame earned her laurels even in her teens
she even earned a place for the cultural troupe
a 'Paite' puadum in her loins with a lady headgear in her head
she joined the Paite dancers on a tableau on an R'day in Delhi

that day she wore a simple cotton faded blue 'top'
her loincloths were made of silk in three colors
as I watched her moving around in her mom's kitchenette
no one need to tell me she was one of very 'fel' young girls of the town
as per the 'Paite' culture, the small kitchen house always seemed crowded with visiting 'guys'!


Dated Mission Road,  (L) T. Tonsing's residence in the early 70s!

remembering in Dwarka, New Delhi 12/1/13 (LK)    

The five cigarette sticks that lit a flame

Packs and packs of 'charminar' cigarettes,
Unpacked and unpacked just to be distributed;
At a wedding reception held in Mission Road,
One stick for each guest that come to grace[
Way back in a cold winter nightly Dec 62.

Every hand with a lighted cigarette,
It did lit up the night and add to that of the hurricane lamp;
I remembered the night as it was special to me,
The damsel who led the distribution of those white sticks 
Was one who became my better half a decade later.

When it was my turn she handed 5 instead of one, 
The  5 unlit sticks created a big flame in my heart since that day! 

As if to confirm the flame the 5 sticks caused,
I chanced to steal a look while other eyes were closed in prayer,
To my pleasant surprise I saw a pair of eyes looking towards my direction 
So both our eyes met and we confirmed the 'flame' within that night.

Then we joined the others in closing our eyes,
Only to yield to the temptation of sneaking another look;
Two eyes met again as if both were expecting a returned look,
Another closing of the eyes and another opening of them and the drama went on.

The visual communication with the language of the butterfly lasted so long as the prayers were,

Too busy to hear any word of the Pastor till everybody else said 'Amen'

We joined the chorus of 'Amen' but  our 'Amen' was for another 'prayer' that was special to 'us'!

Lk Dwarka Delhi 11/1/13

Southern Manipur Christians - baby steps?

Southern Manipur

What baby steps can you and I take for bringing healing to ‘our land’?

1.     To God

·      Pray for forgiveness, grace and mercy

·      Pray for the revival of His people

·      To look for the will of God in the Bible

2.     To my self

·      To love God

·      To love others as He commanded

3.     To my family

·      To strive to set up a Christian home

·      To use Christian principles and practices for every issues of life

4.     To my own community

·      To appreciate others

·      To help others within Christian values and practices

·      To welcome others as ‘Jesus’ in disguise  

5.     To my own church

·      To support my pastors and elders

·      To attend services regularly

·      To pay my tithes and offerings

6.     To my own place of work

·      To work as unto the Lord

·      To apply diligence in all matters of work

7.     To my own friends

·      Be a good and dependable friend

·      Never to take advantage of position or relationship

8.     To my own leaders

·      Be faithful

·      Be respectful

·      Be supportive

a house is set in order

Listening to Him talked - through Isaiah 44: 1-5

Calling me - my servant (his appointment)
Reassuring me - I have chosen you (his grace)
Reminding me - I have formed you in your mother's womb (me nothing 'formed' by His hands)
(acknowledging  this is the first step)

He told me - Fear Not
Reminding me again - He chose me and I am His 'servant'
(trusting Him completely and taking our appointed position)

He then 'poured out' His precious promises
To  pour His Spirit to my offspring
To pour out His blessings to my descendants
(Can you take in, my soul? - too wonderful a ' I will' from God who formed me in my mom's womb!)

And He said

"They will spring up like grass in a meadow"
"Like poplar trees by flowing streams"
(WOW!!!)

And

One will say - 'I belong to the Lord'
Another will call himself by the name of Jacob (= the chosen one)
And another will write in his hand 'The Lord's'
And will take the name Israel (= Prince with God)
(Knowing to whom they belong!)

Lk 26/12/2012 8AM 144 DDA/SFS, Dwarka, Delhi 

A trip for the season

One big bag full of adult diapers for a Grand-Ma, who turns 95,

Another one with used clothes to be shared with the less fortunate;

And some small gifts with a message for some very special people I would go to meet

The trip was to spend just a few moments with these very special people,

And the occasion seemed just right for the reason and the season

Christmas round the corner with Santa Claus and Jingle Bells on many a shop front!

The day started with meeting the ‘NWRC’, an acronym for a network,

And the members thereof use drugs and then sell sex to again buy the former;

A life in vicious circle, it’s difficult to know the difficulties they face!  

The other in a small rehab centre with bare facilities,

Mud floor, matted bamboo walls, tin roof with no ceiling,

Bunks beds, a small chapel and two large cow-hide drums

The message for the season was simple and short

About the One whose birth we celebrate year after year

Of how inclusive was the approach this Divinity made!  

Shepherds in field with their flock by night,  

A mother and a father taking shelter in a stable,

A new born babe wrapped in clothes and laid in a manger

The story of incarnation for the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords,

He did choose the poor so the poor would feel welcome,

To the message of Good News, that is for all!

For the message of this season, nothing seemed more appropriate,

‘Jesus is available to all - no matter who and what and where we today might be’,

‘Jesus is always near and will hear our call - anytime, anywhere, all the time’.

Family may disown, friends may shun and others may discriminate,

The powerful ones may be unkind or even made use of the situation,

But here is ‘Someone’ who will not turn down and we can turn to.

Born in a stable, laid in a manger,

Descent of a King, yet grew up in an uphill Galilee,

‘A friend of sinners’, ‘sin-bearer for all’   

Call out His name - ‘JESUS’ – the Saviour for all,

Let’s call out today, tomorrow or even when we near our journey’s end,

And never forget: He will hear and answer the moment we call!    

Langkham

17/12/2011