This is Pradeep Kumar. He is one of the coolest kids I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet.
Let me tell you why.
The first day of ministry in India we load up everything and head to an orphan boys’ home. We arrive ready to settle in for a few days with the understanding that we would be playing with the boys and helping to repaint the living room of the home.
That wasn’t what ended up happening exactly.
Shortly after we arrived at the home we took our bags upstairs to the church where we would sleep. Our hosts discovered that there was no mosquito protection and no way to add any that night. They said we wouldn’t stay the night. We would play with the kids, go back to the office to sleep, then return the next day.
We gathered all the kids to play. We had several chess boards, puzzles, and playing cards. We had been asked to teach the children chess as part of our activities. Play chess with kids…maybe best ministry ever.
We set out to teach chess and realize that many of the boys already know how to play. They really know how to play.
I played only 2 games that night. The first I played against Pradeep. About 10 seconds in I realized I was going to have to pay attention. This kid knew his stuff. My actual thought process after his first 2 moves was: “OK. This is going to be like playing Sean. But for real. No murder death chess. Real chess with Sean. Well, a small Indian Sean.”
So I paid attention. I tried to remember every strategy I’ve ever used or learned. I was trying to figure out his strategy, not die, and maybe take a few of his pieces at the same time. All of you who play chess probably just thought, “Yes, that is how you play chess.” Here’s the thing. I haven’t been playing real chess the whole race. I’ve been using chess as a conversation and friendship vehicle. I had to reorient my brain in a moment without looking like I had no clue what I was about to do.
Anyway we played a lovely game of chess. We were fairly well matched. We ended up playing to a draw which I haven’t done in ages. Pradeep was a total gentleman about it. He taught me things; I taught him things. It was great. He thanked me for the game and moved on to another activity.
Not too long after this I was sitting on the edge of the covering on the floor. Pradeep came and sat near me. We didn’t talk much but smiled a bit. He left and came back with chalk. He drew a small heart on the floor. He handed me the chalk. I wondered if it really was ok to write all over the church floor. It’s just chalk I thought and drew a smiley face.
For the next 30 minutes or so we took turns adding to the art show on the floor. He drew a boy with a flag. I drew a cat. He drew shield. I drew a flower. He drew a warrior. I drew a pirate ship. Soon trees, fruit, people, and words in multiple languages covered a large space on the church floor. We were nearing the end of the chalk and had grown a large audience. Pradeep and I silently agreed to let others have their turn. Other boys and some of my teammates added to the art gallery you see below.
I played another game of chess which I lost. I wasn’t exactly trounced but I wouldn’t say I held my own well. After that game we returned downstairs for dinner. After dinner we left with promises to return in the morning.
As ministry normally goes, we almost didn’t return at all. The team went to a different home the next day. We actually went to 4 other homes that month. We finally returned to the first home 3 days before we would leave India.
I was so excited. I wanted to see Pradeep again and hopefully play another game.
We arrived at the home in the morning and set about fixing the mural that was in the living room. We decided to save the mural and repaint the individual pieces or change details to improve it. Here is how it finished.
It was a laborious process. We were also down 2 team members who were in a different city for PVT. (PVT stands for Parent Vision Trip. It is a time when parents can join their racer on the field to do ministry together.)
We painted all day long, working hard to get all the large pieces completed so we could do detail work the next day. The boys came home from school and were so excited to see us. I was finishing up the window shutters when they came in. They all loved to watch us paint. 🙂 They were soon herded into their room for homework.
Pradeep didn’t follow them. He went into the kitchen, talked to the mother, and returned with a cell phone to photograph the painting process. It’s then I understood. Pradeep isn’t an orphan. He lived in the orphan home because the pastor’s family that cares for the orphans is his family; he is the pastor’s son.
I hadn’t understood this before because he treats all the boys with such kindness and love. He acts as another one of the boys in most ways. He accepts them all as his brothers. I was floored by this kid. He taught me how easy it was to be Jesus to another. Simply see them as an equal and care for them.
We talked a bit that evening and he showed me all the photos he had taken of the painting. He helped us pack up to leave and waved goodbye with all the other boys.
The next morning our host tells us we will visit the boys’ school. He didn’t tell us this until we were already on the way. Therefore we show up to school in paint clothes unsure of what is happening. Since we are all white the school workers and teachers seemed to think it was an inspection. We were toured around the various levels and classrooms and shown all the modern improvements to the school. We did get to see some of the boys in class. It was so surreal to get to add cool points to Indian orphan boys just by being in their school.
After the tour they retrieved all the boys to take a photo with us in front of the school. As all the boys were coming from class Pradeep and I had a small conversation. After all the official photos one of my teammates pulled out her phone for a selfie. This started a marathon of selfie attempts with any number of boys.
I made sure in a quiet moment to pull Pradeep aside and grad the photo at the top of this blog. I knew then that I wanted to write this. I wanted to share the story of the boy in India who taught me about Jesus through a simple game of chess, some chalk drawings, and a Christ-like character.
I leave you with my favorite selfie from the marathon of school selfies. The silly smiles took a little work from Indian kids. Most Indian people don’t smile in photos. They maintain a pretty serious “dead” face. This was a candid moment of joy that I captured.
