They looked like an ordinary Indian family living in a small house in a remote village. There were two little boys, one 3 year old running around the yard without any pants on and a 1 year old trying to crawl around the dirt and sticking rocks in his mouth. The Dad left for work early in the morning and the Mom stayed and took care of the boys. She never stopped moving. Doing laundry, cooking for the kids, giving the boys baths, washing dishes, kissing their cheeks, chasing away the goats that walk into her yard every day, fetching water from the well, the list could go on and on. From the moment she woke up in the morning her body didn’t stop.
They looked like an ordinary Indian family and then I looked deeper. It seemed like the Mom was a little older than most Mom’s around the village, and I kept looking deeper and the closer I got, the more I noticed small details. I looked at the mother’s gray hair. I looked at the sadness in her eyes. I looked at her skin and saw years’ worth of scars and wrinkles.
I looked a little closer, and that is when I realized that she wasn’t their Mom. The closer I got, the more it sunk in.
Their Mom wasn’t here.
Their Mom was gone.
Where is she and who is this women taking care of these two sweet boys?
She looked tired.
She looked sad.
Then I got closer.
The closer I got, the more I understood.
The more I understood, the closer I got.
I smile and play with the boys every day, chasing Mark around the dirt roads. I pick up Arevanehu, and wipe the dirt off his 1 year old bare bottom. I try to give the Grandma a break for at least a little part of her day. I try to show joy to overcome the grief that hangs over this house. I hug and kiss Mark and Arevanehu. One day they invited me into their home. They showed me pictures of their family. Then it all made sense. It all clicked.
This women is the boys’ Grandma, her name is Sahamea, who now takes care of her grandchildren because their mother has passed away. 24 days after Arevanehu was born she took her life. The reason why, no one knows.
Through the language barrier I could only make out that her husband is an alcoholic. That was all I found out.
Her name is Lakshmi. She is absolutely beautiful. She was baptized as a Christian the same day as her mother-in-law, Sahamea. She had two children in her short 25 years on this earth. She believes that Jesus is the Messiah.
My heart broke as Mark, the 3 year old, clung to her picture. He hugged the framed picture of his Mom and I realized this is the only thing he has left of her.
My heart broke as I realized Arevanehu would never know his mom.
My heart broke.
I could ask a million questions. Why? Why God do these boys have to grow up without their mom? Why did Lakshmi feel like there was no other way? Why did it have to come to this? Why God?
These thoughts flooded my heart. I wanted to know the answers, but I quickly realized that the answer is not for me to know. All I knew was that I was right here in this moment hearing this tragic story and being allowed into this home for a reason. I had two options in this moment. Get mad at God for allowing this to happen or pray for the family.
I prayed.
With tears flooding my eyes I cried to God. Take away their grief God. Take away their anger at You. Let them be filled with your love, joy, and peace. Lord give these children dreams of their Mom. God let these boys grow up to be men after Your heart and presence. Take away any sadness. Take away any heartache. Take away the pain Lord. Fill every broken piece of their heart with You. Fill this family with joy. Fill every part of their being with peace.
I prayed with as much authority as I could muster up. I felt God in that moment. I felt His presence overtaking the house, wiping away anything that was not of Him.
As I opened my eyes there were tears streaming out of the Grandma’s eyes. I knew she felt it too.
God may not give us all of the answers that we so desperately seek, but He can give us something far greater. He can give us peace in our soul. He can give us our joy back. He can redeem a story that may seem tragic. He can restore broken parts of our life for His glory.
God is a redeemer and can bring a beautiful story out of tragedy and pain if you allow Him to. God wants to change your circumstances if you allow Him to. God wants to call you His if you allow Him to. God wants you to know that He is your Father.
I wanted to share this story with you because suicide is very common in the villages of India. I don’t want Lakshmi’s story to go untold. I don’t want her to be forgotten.
Please join me in praying for this family and the loving Grandma. Join me in praying for Mark and Arevanehu. Join me in praying for Lakshmi. Join me in praying for India.
Father,
Even though we try to understand these situations and it doesn’t make sense, I just ask that you will lay your hand upon this family. Let them experience a supernatural peace that can only come from You. Let them experience a supernatural joy that can only come from You. Father fill their house with You. Let any fears fall away into Your lap. Let any heartache fall into Your hands. Father just fill this family with You. I pray that all of India will fall in love with You. That all idolization will fall away to the pits. That all the villages of India will have an abundance of churches and pastors. I pray that You pull back the veil of darkness on this land and replace it with Your light and love. Father bless this precious land and show them miracles and visions of You. Father bless India abundantly!
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen!
