One Second, One Prayer, One Day

“People kill to live in such an area” I had heard. 1.3 kms away from the sea, “Hmmmm I was lucky” I said. Or that was what I thought until that happened. North eastern Japan , the land of the rising sun had sunk into the sea. A booming economy, ultramodern technology, earthquake resistant structures, destroyed by mother nature.

A beautiful afternoon, a normal day, people at work and children at play, but nature had its own different play. Earthquakes are common, tremors every day , volcanoes all around but still they stand brave, ready to face things that come their way. And so it came the first quake , a highest 9 on the Richter scale. Glasses broken, skyscrapers moving, offices shaken and the earth’s tectonic plate had shifted base. In a few minutes the exterior was completely shattered , but what was beneath had a different story to tell.

And so the wave started moving from its epicenter, like a lion waiting to devour its prey. Giving the brave people of Japan just 6 minutes to prepare themselves. What would we have done if we had a 6 minutes to plan our lives? To change our lives? To save our lives? Police cars were all over the coast warning the people to move to higher ground. Some moved , some didn’t, some stood and watched. The first wave hit the coast at a height of 24ft (4 times the height of a normal 6 footer). The water gushing in moved everything, right from the widest flyovers scraping through the fields to the tallest buildings down to debris. A death toll rising every day, a 60 yr old man’s survival by holding on to the roof of his house,a bunch of 6 yr olds without their loved ones. A booming economy, ultra modern technology , earthquake resistant structures, none of which could help them.

Nothing else that we have been watching on TV other than the news , but what do we see? What do I see? I see myself , a coward. Unlike the Japanese who fight the fear of earthquakes and death every day, I would have died of fear in the first place. I see the people of Japan fighting nature back with their strong nature and “CAN DO ANYTHING” attitude, whereas I have a “CANT DO” attitude. I see the country of Japan facing something as bad as the world war II but still stand so tall than anybody else in the whole wide world. I see Japan having 275 aftershocks, volcano eruption, nuclear explosion , cornered from all end calling out to me for help. And me, I sit here in front of the computer, fighting my emotions just to know how to save them.

I know at this point, there are millions out there who feel exactly the same way as I do. And I know we would all have one question in mind. “Why should such things happen?”. The truth is I do not know the answer to it. But I do know this. That GOD has left you and me in this world alive for a reason, for a purpose. The purpose can be very small, like to say a small little prayer for Japan, or even a big one that can not only change the lives around us but the whole world. So you are not lucky to be alive but only “Blessed” by HIS grace and mercy, for HIS purpose.

In 2004, Chennai saw the repercussions of a huge earthquake whose epicenter was at Sumatra. And for the kind of strong tremors we felt, If GOD willed , we all could have been long gone just like our people at Japan. The same sea, the same tsunami, the same cause. Why? What if the epicenter was so close to Chennai like it was to Sendai? Where would Chennai be? But we live, still live a full life, a blessed life. Having the luxuries of a computer, the internet reading a blog or facebook chat. Under a roof, warm temperature, clothes to wear, food to eat. But is that what a blessed life is? Just having everything you want in life? The LORD created the whole universe, the whole world, all the countries , all the people. Then why is HE so mindful of you that you are alive , reading this page this moment? Just so you can enjoy all HIS blessings? Yes. And the answer is NO as well… GOD does not want us to just receive blessings but to be a blessing to someone today. To close our eyes and pray for one person in Japan today. To do something for a person suffering next door. To feel compassion for the children of Somalia. To fight for women suffering for their rights. To fulfill one purpose for which you were created, every single day you live. To pray a prayer for one second, for one person, one day

To my fellow humans created by my Heavenly Father going through struggles all over the world,

I do not know you. I do not know what you are going through. I see you. I see your in pain. This second I pray that GOD be with you and grant you the peace that passeth all understanding. Turn to HIM, and HE will make you strong to face life’s earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and every single problem. May I be a blessing to you today, so you can be a blessing to someone else tomorrow. BLESS AND BE BLESSED. In CHRIST’s name.

To my Mom, On her 49th Birthday

A year Older and yet so young
Born on the 11th of January 1963,yet another beautiful creation.A precious third daughter to her parents.Full of life,very bright, absolutely colorful and as energetic as she can be.She grew up to be this tall,slim, very beautiful woman with poise and elegance.She was the apple of her father's eye,but now it was time to let her go.She married a handsome young man.Her dreams had finally come true.A life she had always looked forward to.The perfect husband,perfect house,beautiful little girl just like her and one more on the way. But things had to change.Completely shook her up. Overnight,She went on to become the woman of the house.But she accepted the role with grace and embraced it.she taught her children that,Not her confidence,nor her strength,or education,but her faith in her HEAVENLY FATHER made her well.She gave up all the luxuries in the world so her daughters can have them all.She gave up all her desires to give her daughters can fulfil theirs.She gave up her food when they were hungry.She took a government bus so she can give her princesses the luxuries of an auto. She never bought a single saree for herself for years so her daughters can dress the way the want.She went through all the pains in life, right from their birth,at the end to gain nothing for herself out of it.She taught them GOD.She taught them HIS love.She disciplined them.She taught them problems and made sure they fought them in real life.She moulded them to be the one,GOD wanted them to be. She made them a winner just like her.This beautiful angel is my mother, my GUARDIAN angel. Today she turns a year older. Happy birthday ma. I love u:-)

Myself, Me and I

People call me dark. I say I am fearfully and wonderfully made. They say i am fat. I say my GOD supplies all my needs according to HIS riches and glory. They say i can never take life seriously. I say I have cast all my burdens upon HIM for HE careth for me. They say i have an attitude. I say A thousand may fall at my side, ten thousand on my right hand, but it shall not approach me. They say i am very clear in what i want. I say My LORD leadeth me by HIS right hand. They say I am very lucky. I say my Father is the creator of the Whole universe. Whatever people say about me, good or bad, its the LORD'S doing. When people say good about me i see how MY HEAVENLY FATHER has changed me. When they speak bad of me, i see what MY HEAVENLY FATHER wants me to be. I am thankful to GOD for what i am today and everything I will be. All glory, laud and honor to HIM.

My Saviour - My Testament

What is man that YOU are mindful of him,
the son of man that YOU care for him?

Psalm 8: 4

What am I that GOD is mindful of me? Why me? I am a sinner of the worst category.

16^th January 2008, 10:30 AM:

Day 2 : My parents and sister were driving back from Bangalore to Chennai while they met with a major accident. A head on collision with a Tamil Nadu state transport bus. All three were injured. The doors were stuck and were unable to move out. My dad had fainted immediately and my mom feared something had happened to him. My dad is highly diabetic and also has BP that made him to faint. My sister who was sleeping at the back, suffered severe injuries on her head and also fractured her spinal cord (D4 bone of the spinal cord). The public never came for help but were busy discussing thinking all in the car were dead. By GOD’s grace, the accident took place right outside the Motorola factory at Sri Perambadur who were the only ones to help them. They rushed my family to the nearest Jaya Hospital in their ambulance and gave them first aid.

I was 45 Km away from them, when my mother calls me at 10: 45 AM in the morning. I hear her scream on the phone “Chinnu, there has been a major accident, appa is down and minnu cannot walk”. My mind went blank. All I kept saying was “What? What? What? ”. My Stephen Peripa (uncle) was with me at the time and I told him. I just couldn’t talk further. He spoke to my mom and asked a few more details and hung up. An hour passed by and we still had not reached the place. I kept calling my mom through out but she wouldn’t answer. I kept crying thinking on the pain they should be going through, not knowing what was happening to them, the worst of all, fearing I would become an orphan. I finally reached Jaya Hospital around 12 noon.

I ran into the small hospital and found my mom and dad in the emergency ward. My strong dad who would never hurt a soul, the softest person I had ever known was lying down with bandages all over his head. His favorite new kurta and pyjamas from Fab India, fully torn and blood all over. My mom was seated on the other bed again in torn clothes, hand scraped and I saw the nurses take glass pieces out of her. I gave them both a big hug missing them for a life time in those 2 hours. I found my sister in the X ray room with blood flowing out of her head and for the first time in all these years I had seen my sister cry like a baby. I am the older one at home, 7 years older than my younger sister. She is more mature, more pain tolerant, most pampered the youngest and brightest in the family and has never cried for anything in her life. Minchu, as we all call her had a spinal cord fracture. They shaved a small part of her head and stapled the skin on her skull to stop the bleeding. We then took her to Bharath Scans with better facilities for a scan after which all three of them were shifted to a bigger hospital for further treatment. I had my dad admitted in one room, my mom and sister in the other. My dad by then was ok, they had his BP and sugar under control. His forehead was scraped with glass and had a minor rib fracture. My mom had fractured her thumb and the flesh in the thumb had also been scraped out and she had glass pieces that had pierced throughout her body. These glass pieces were so tiny that they were unable to find where and how many pieces were there. The doctor said that these glass pieces will push itself out on its own. Weeks, months and years have passed by since the accident, and my mom pulls out glass pieces even now. The last one she pulled out was 15^th September 2010. She also suffered a minor rib fracture like my dad. My sister had fractured the D4 bone of her spinal cord. The doctor assigned for my sister never turned up on Day 1, but after raising a complaint we were told that he had seen the reports and prescribed medicines without personal examination. But GOD again sent the right doctor at the right time.

Day 2: Through our family doctor – Dr. Gopinath (Gop mama) we contacted Dr. George Thomas an ortho specialist for my sister. I remember crying the whole night beside my sister , fearing she would be paralyzed. My mom and I laid hands on her and prayed, we cried our hearts out to GOD that night. The next day Dr George walked in and was very friendly. We felt so comfortable with him. He also said that it was a compression fracture of the D4 bone, meaning the bone was compressed but did not break. He also gave us the assurance that nothing like we feared is going to happen and asked her to walk slowly from that day itself. He also looked after my mom and dads rib fractures with utmost care.

Day 3: My family got discharged and my family WALKED OUT of the hospital. My mom and dad with their fractures even my sister with her spine fractured walked out of the hospital slowly till the car.

A lot of things could have happened in those 3 days. At the most, I could have become an orphan. But GOD did not let that happen. I used to question GOD asking HIM “Why me?” that I should go through all these hardships, these emotions in life. It did take a few months for me to ask the same question again. But now I ask “Why me?” “Why Lord?, Why have YOU chosen me and given me such a blessing?, Such a miracle in my life?”.

1. We took my peripa’s Getz for the trip. If we had taken our Omni I definitely would not have seen my parents alive as the bonnet of the Getz took all the effect

2. The accident happened right outside a place where they would get immediate help. If it had happened just ten minutes earlier, they would have been stuck in a deserted national highway. The Motorola employees who had taken them for first aid had packed all our things and left it neatly at the hospital. They had not missed the CD collection too.

3. My dad was not wearing his seatbelt, he did hit the steering wheel but nothing happened to his heart. If his rib fracture had been more serious, it could have pierced his heart with a 0% chance for survival. This same applies in my mom’s condition too.

4. My mom survived because she wore her seatbelt. Her side of the car went fully under the bus and if she had not had her seatbelt on, she would have been thrown out of the car under the bus.

5. My sister could have had a deeper fracture in her spine, a deeper cut through her skull. But she didn’t.

6. GOD made sure I had the right people with me at that time. My Stephen Peripa and my Benny Peripa especially. They were truly my BIG DADDIES…

7. GOD also sent the right doctors – especially Dr George who gave the right treatment at the right time.

8. GOD enabled all three of them to walk out of the hospital in their own two legs, with no wheel chair or any other help.

15^th January 2008 was my parents wedding anniversary. In our family prayer that day , my dad who never talks much said he received a promise from GOD.

“Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand” Psalm 73:23.

Our GOD is a promise keeping GOD. GOD did as HE had promised. I now write victoriously “I am a sinner but GOD has made me a Winner”

I Don't Know Why Jesus Loved Me
I Don't Know Why He Cared
I Don't Know Why He Sacrificed His Life
Oh, But I'm Glad, So Glad He Did

I am not a good writer or an orator. But I write this Blog because my GOD has been so good to me beyond my imaginations, beyond my dreams. This is my testament.

Mommy Darling

Having written my first blog successfully I began to break my head over the second. I walk back home from work usually. And on Wednesday, 5^th of May(the same day of my first blog) 7:45 pm I saw a little girl wearing a white dress with red polka dots,2 cute fountain like pony tails and rubber chappals. She was holding her moms hand tight and was walking right in front of me. I love children and I was admiring her childish talk, inquistive questions, and I found myself smiling. I just wanted to get back to that stage. Why do we all have to grow up?? Those days were just so easy. No unnecessary tensions in life…. No problems to worry about . No commitments. All we ever had to do was just eat,sleep, play , watch tv or overact our talentsJ( sing ,dance or immitate to guests – parents are such show offs). I was just questioning myself on all these things when suddenly Ifeel a tiny pair of eyes staring at me. The little girl found me smiling at her and was scared:-). I kept smiling at her when she calls her mother and says something to her,pointing her fingers at me.Embarassed and not knowing how to react , I felt like I was the person ,mothers try to scare the children to get them to eat their food(Police, robber-thirudan or BOOCHAANDI). Putting an end to all my imaginations, the mother just turns around , gives me a friendly smile ,turns in front and starts walking again. The little girl immediatley turned to look at me and smiled the most beautiful & enthusiastic smile. This made me wonder the power of a mother in all our lives.

This also reminds me of one such an incident in my own life. I would have been about 2 years old when I was travelling with my grandfather whom i much adored, in an autorickshaw. We stop at McRennet to buy some cakes and my grandfather leaves in the autorickshaw under the care of its driver. This guy turns to me and asks “Your grandfather has left you under my control, what would you do if I kidnap you?” and coming from a family of BLESSED people (size wise :-)) I replied “You see my grandfather over there? My Mother is twice his size and she will kick the life out of you”.

I always knew a mother’s love was the greatest and loses out only to the love GOD has for each and every one of us. For the first time I realized a mother’s love does not lie in the way she expresses it, but just her presence is so special, so wonderdul, so powerful. It gives us the assurance that anything in this world can be faced because my MUMMY is there with me. Even when I did something wrong , to my mother I was alwayssssssss right. And the best part is when I know the mistake was on my part… This made me a better person. Because I saw myself through my mother’s eyes. The trust she had in me. The confidence she gave me. Her encouragement. Her strong personality.

Mothers are STRONGGG...People say women are emotionally very weak and men are strong. But I think it’s the other way round… Men are emotionally weak. And I am sure most of you all would agree with me. When we go through a rough patch, the Fathers are affected first and find it very difficult to get past it. On the other hand the women of the house makes a decision and takes the first step forward. Yes they do cry for movies, and ofcourse for serials…….they are fearfully and wonderfully made that way(:-)) are'nt they?.

This is what the little girl taught me. That no matter what I face in my life my mom will be there for me. Even though I make a mistake I will be right in her eyes because she trusts me. And more than anything her presence is just enough to assure me that everything is going to be fine. What can anybody do me when my mommy is there with me? This goes out to all mothers out there and especially from me to my mom. For never losing hope in me. For believing in me. For trusting me. For giving me so much without me asking for it and also for giving everything I had asked for. Mom, you are the best. You are my best friend and always will be. I am thankful to GOD for giving me my BESTESTTTTTTTTTTTT Friend in my mom. HAPPY MOTHERS DAY my Dearesttttttttt Mommy Darling…………You Inspire me…

and THANK YOU LORD FOR THE WORLD'S BESTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT MOMMY.....:-)

Ma...you made me the person that I am today. I saw GOD through you and the way HE worked wonders in your life. Even in times of despair you never gave up... You set the best exampla amma.
I love you amma and I always will......

Wishes to all your wonderful mothers out there….

Catch ya’ll later guys……………

My First Blog

5th May 9: 25 pm. I am walking back home from work. a bus speeeeeeedddddddssss besides me and parks a few feet away...i am stuck behind the bus. I cannot move forward with the traffic on one side and a small dark lane on the other that scares me()...the bus does not move for 15 minutes...i get so angry, impatient, IRRITATED, i am literally cursing the driver every second....the bus moves finallyyyy..i found a man in his late thirties held by an older man(looked like his father).The man was paralyzed from below his waist.. it was the this man who got down from the very same TCS bus. It took almost 30 seconds for him to place one foot in front with the help of his father. He had a painful look in his eye for every single move. His lean father on the other hand was struggling to hold him but knew that without his strength and confidence, his son would not be able to take that painful step. I have seen parents look proudly at their little kids as they take their first step. A joy that means so much that they go boasting about it to every single person they meet “AVA ADHUKULLA NADAKA LA AARAMICHUTTA”….(remembering my mom when I was a kid). I saw the same proud look in that fathers eyes as his son took his initial steps. The look that knew that his son’s running days are not too far off. I saw the son making jokes and laughing with the father in spite of all the pain. He knew that his father was going to help him get through with this no matter what.

Everyday i crib about going to work...? Today is not FRIDAYYYYYY?????? walk back home??? SOOOOO Many things in life…But I have forgotten to count my blessings. The wonderful legs I have. They take me wherever I want to go, whenever I want to go, however I want to go. Thank you LORD for these wonderful legs! Thank you for that beautiful incident yesterday. It reminded me of my HEAVENLY FATHER’s love for me. The way HE held me right from the second I started walking. The way HE never gives up on me even whenever I fail and fall down. The way HE comes back and calls me and encourages to get up and to move forward. For giving me parents who love and accept me in spite of my stupidity (which does happen most of the time) and my failures (used to). There is just so much more I learnt yesterday. The father and the son’s determination (which I have never had), their laughter in the midst of pain( Cast your burden onto JESUS for HE cares for you- so HE has taken all the load- why worry???), so much more that this one blog is not enough……..

See you all in my next blog….Love you all……