MELTING ROCK

Having shared before, many of you know my "rocky" history. I struggled with life, but now am rejoicing for the strength that my Rock placed in me. And, thinking of others, I'm always trusting that He would eventually be accepted for His kindness.  It usually occurs, just as I thought it would.  But this story will be all out of the norm.  Nothing I ever would have anticipated, for instance, from Maya's mouth.

A Bhutanese "grandma" arrived from Nepal on July 1st, 2010.  The following weekend, the 4th of July, two months after I became involved with the Bhutanese, I was asked to take her to an ER.  I did.  I took her, her 2 youngest sons [early 20s] who had arrived with her, and her grandson, Kharka, their age, who had been here for about a year and was to be our interpreter.  We ended up hanging out there for 5 hours.

When the Dr. was examining her, and the boys stepped out of the room, she covered her face with her shawl, and held my hand.  She was released with no serious effects and I returned them to the family group.

Grandma Maya seems to truly enjoy and love me -- and Dave.  But, overall, she is one very, VERY angry woman.  The reason?  She is a very deeply intense Hindu.  More and more of her kids and grandkids have come to the Lord.  Some want to, according to what I've been told, but because she is so angry and threatening suicide if more become Christians, they are afraid to break from Hinduism. 

I am asked sometimes to go see her at her apartment complex, a couple miles from our house, so her heart might change.  However, it has seldom been possible for me.  The apartments over there are flooded with roaches and bedbugs, and many residents [a variety of international refugees] are heavily involved in alcohol and drugs and theft.  I've gone over for crisis or serious situations, but I can't go over for a simply "fun" time.  I see the roaches falling off the walls and landing on hair, or hitting the table dishes or food and that makes me jump and run.  [Maybe could be less reactive when these things happen, but... EHH!!  Don't think so.]

In July, 2011, her grandson Kharka, who had come to the Lord a few months earlier, was marrying his dear lady who, immediately after arriving, had also become a Christian.  When I was waiting outside Kharka's family home to take a few to the nearby church, Grandma, on their porch, was on a phone, crying.  I was told by one of her grandkids that she was talking to a Hindu family member in Nepal.  She dreaded going to the Christian wedding.  It was a very tough day for her.

One of her granddaughters married the end of May, 2012, to one special man who had been helping the families for a couple years -- Charles and I met almost immediately as we both entered their world in May, '10. I was thrilled that he was marrying my "granddaughter", Sanu.  Grandma Maya seemed to do a little better at that Assembly of God wedding.

Not long ago, while talking to another of her family members, I learned something.  Previously, I had thought Maya was turning to the Lord, stopping the constant battles.  I was wrong.

This is what Maya said regarding her strength in Hinduism:

               A rock can melt; my heart will not.

So, my heart is seeking that her heart WILL melt, that it will soften, that it will recognize the call of our Lord.

                            That is my desire.