Ravi was at the market hiding behind a car watching for Julie. He saw her in the distance surrounded by several beggar children. One little girl thrust a flower at Julie, another a bracelet made of braided multi-colored string. Julie kept walking and they kept following. When she entered the market, several of the vendors shooed the children away. Julie forced a smile and entered the grocery store.Ravi followed her at a distance back to the dump; then he hurried around back to the hedge. When the children first saw Julie, several of them let out a shout, which alerted the others. They organized themselves into two circles.
Forgetting protocol, a few of the orphans jumped up. Julie froze and postured her body between the bags and the orphans. Before they reached her, several of the other children grabbed them. The boy with the scar pushed the one wearing the cap before resigning himself to sit.
“Nobody eats until we’re all in order,” stated Sashi, looking straight at him. Most of them had recognized the pattern. Sashi helped arrange and get them seated while Julie passed out the sandwiches, apple, and juice. The boy with the scar glared at Julie as she handed him his sandwich. Julie glared back. You are an obnoxious brat, and someone needs to teach you a lesson.
After they had eaten, Sashi took food to the youngest, Nilaya. Sashi helps without even being asked. She’s so thoughtful. Julie watched from a distance to make sure that no one took Nilaya’s food away. She still wouldn’t come near or make eye contact.
At the end, Julie had two sandwiches, two apples, and two juice boxes left. She looked again to make sure everyone had eaten. I wonder who’s missing? She tried to communicate, but her best charades fell flat.
Ravi had been looking from behind the hedge. He had carefully watched to make sure there was food and assessed the situation correctly when two servings were left.
Which one was missing? Boy or girl? Ravi stared for a long time. The short boy who walked with a limp. Was he here yesterday? Ravi strained to remember. He wasn’t sure, but he didn’t think so. Where did he go?
Julie dismissed the mystery of the extra food. More for Ravi, I guess.
Some of the orphans seemed to be warming slightly. They thought, Today she didn’t try to hit us with her purse, but just tried to protect the food. Maybe she could be trusted—but just a little. Julie was thinking the same thing about them.
Shoba, Chavvi, and Sashi stayed around instead of immediately scampering off. Julie moved a little ways from the dump to escape the smell, and when she sat, they did too.
Sapna, the biter, joined them, but looked less than friendly. Julie guessed her about age seven. Average looks, average everything. Greasy, matted shoulder-length black hair. I guess that was a bob at one time. The man’s t-shirt dwarfed her. The short sleeves came down to her elbows, and the hem covered her knees. She looks like she’s been shrinking. Julie forced a smile, but Sapna just frowned. Julie gave wide berth to her. A scab was forming on her calf from Sapna’s bite, and Julie hadn’t forgotten.
Shoba, Chavvi, and Sashi all looked hopefully at Julie.
They are so starved for attention. She smiled and waved at each of them. They smiled and waved back. “Mithra,” each of them replied.
How can I communicate without words? Then she remembered the toddler’s game Pat-a-cake. She held up her hands and encouraged Sashi to do the same. Then she performed the motions as she chanted the rhyme. “Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker’s man, bake me a cake as fast as you can. Pat it and roll it and mark it with a ‘B’ and put it in the oven for baby and me!” Sashi was delighted with the attention and tried hard to follow along with the two-handed claps.
Julie paired Shoba with Sapna and Chavvi to Sashi. The girls didn’t quite catch all the motions, so Julie did it again. Each time she sang faster, and each time the children laughed at their attempts. Is Shoba smiling? Amazing.
Encouraged, Julie jumped. She sang, “You put your right foot in you put your right foot out. You put your right foot in and you shake it all about.” By the time Julie got to “ya put your head in, ya put your head out,” the three girls were following like pros. I guess the “Hokey Pokey” translates into any culture.
“Good job, you’re doing great!” When she clapped for them, they all gave a joyful nod and stood just a little taller.
The girls were having so much fun that Wilson, Madhu, Bhanu, Mahipal, and Praveen all joined them.
Wilson was about eight, had big ears, and was full of rambunctious energy. He wore a filthy white hat and carried a walking stick, which he lay aside to join the dance. On the verse, “ya put your whole self in, ya put your whole self out, ya put your whole self in and shake it all about,” he was flailing like crazy. He dances like he has ants in his pants, thought Julie, and she flung her head back and laughed at his wild lack of inhibitions.
All the children seem to be having a good time. I guess if you’re fed and entertained, that’s a good day at the dump.
After going through the songs a few more times Julie waved and left to find Ravi. The children continued playing, enchanted by the “Hokey Pokey.” As Julie was leaving she turned and saw Bhanu pick up Wilson’s walking stick. Wilson grabbed it so forcefully Bhanu stumbled forward. Wilson shoved him backwards and stormed off.
He’s just a little too possessive over that stick, thought Julie, wiping sweat from her forehead. In a flash, Bhanu was on his feet, made a running leap, and landed on Wilson’s back. He landed one hard punch before Wilson threw him off. Bhanu yelled something before stomping away.
He’s such a bully, thought Julie.
Silently, Ravi ran ahead of her.
Julie’s anxiety was building as she approached the alley. Will he even be there? I really blew it yesterday.
Ravi sat beside the trash, mulling the situation over. He was “sleeping” as usual and wondered, Will she give me the food? Is she angry at me for running away? I really blew it yesterday.
“Raavv-i, are you here? I have food for you.” She peeked into the alley and entered more slowly than usual. When he was sure she was there, he opened his eyes. He was pleased to see her smiling. He watched as she slowly sat down and opened the sack.
He hoped there were still two servings of everything. His eyes stared at her face, then the sack, then back to her face. Is this a trap? I can’t let my guard down. His brow furrowed with concern.
She put a sandwich in front of him. She was sure to leave the bag open so he could see there was more. Without taking his eyes off her, he reached and clutched the sandwich to his chest. To his relief, she gave him the other sandwich, too. He ate, not taking his eyes off of her.
She heard the Lord’s voice. Talk to him.
Lord, he won’t understand.
Julie, don’t try to figure things out; just figure out how you can obey. I didn’t give Moses the 10 Suggestions.
“Well, Ravi, here we are sharing food in an alley. What a strange place to meet. Here, this is yours,” she said, handing him the two apples. “Double rations. I guess someone else found another place to eat today. I’m from America. That’s a large country that’s far, far away. I have a husband named Michael and a son named Logan. He’s about your age. I miss him terribly, and when I look at you, I can sometimes picture him.”
“Jesus sent me here to help all the orphans who are living at the dump, including you. It’s a strange situation, far too strange to try to fill in all the details. You wouldn’t believe it if I told you.” She stopped and smiled. He smiled back.
“Ravi, you have a lovely smile. I wish I knew your story. Where are your parents? I wish you would follow me back to the dump, the glorious, foul-smelling dump. How could you possibly resist an offer like that? But at least I could protect you better, and you could make friends. I worry about you. I’m afraid I’ll show up one day and,” she choked over her words, “you’ll be gone forever.” Ravi continued eating.
“I wish you could understand me, and I’d ask if you’d be my son while I’m here in India. I could be your temporary mother, and I’d give you big hugs every day.” A tear welled in her eyes. “I guess that’s not going to happen. Oh, I still have the juice.” She passed two cartons to him. She was surprised that he took time to sip the juice rather than guzzling it like the other children.
“I have something else for you,” she fished in the pocket of her dress and pulled out two chewable multivitamins. “Here, take these, they’re vitamins, they’ll help you stay strong and healthy, but they taste like sweets.
“Ravi, as long as I can find you here, I’ll bring you food every day, and you won’t have to be hungry. I promise.” His eyes met hers and held the look for five long seconds. He smiled slightly and finally looked away.
I wish I could do something nice to thank her for bringing me food. Then he picked up the empty sack and put the juice cartons and sandwich wrappers inside, tied the top, and handed it to her.
“Ravi, maybe you understand more than I think you do. Be safe, and I’ll be back tomorrow.” She wanted to touch him, to pat his shoulder, but decided not to push it. It’s going to take time, Julie; if I don’t quit, I win.
He wanted to hug her again, but fear won out.
She headed back to the dump, oblivious that he followed at a distance. She was also unaware she was humming and that her heart’s fissure had cracked a little wider today.
That evening she lay in the dirt, trying to find a comfortable position. Her thoughts bounced between Logan and Ravi; both seemed just out of her reach. She was trying to be positive, Look on the bright side, Julie; you’re making progress, but discouragement flooded in. At this rate you’ll only be here two or three years before you get to go home. Despair washed over her, and she wept for her son and husband.
Logan, Logan, how are you? Please don’t worry about me. I am coming back—sometime. Michael, I’m here, but I want to be there with you. I miss you. As she wiped her last tear, she heard the Lord’s gentle voice whisper.
Julie, you need to practice the discipline of gratitude. No matter how hard your circumstances seem, there is still much to be grateful for. If I didn’t give you your next breath, you’d be dead. If I hadn’t kept your heart beating, you never would have lived to age 32. I want you to give thanks in all circumstances.
She bristled, “That’s not even realistic, and I was expecting a little sympathy given what You’re putting me through!”
Since you’ve been in India, you have realized how comfortable your life was at home, but when you were home, you weren’t grateful for running water, flushing toilets, or unlimited food. Many people do not have these, but you never once thanked Me for providing them. How many things can you thank Me for today?
Julie felt her teeth clench. “Ummh? Today I’ve got no clean water, no flushing toilets, and no food.”
You can start by rejoicing that your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.1 You will spend eternity in Paradise covered by My love instead of living in eternal damnation, which is what you deserve. Surely you can be grateful for that.
I guess so, thought Julie, but eternity is a long ways away; hunger and deprivation are now. And my sleeping condition couldn’t get any worse.
Thunder boomed, lightning flashed, and in several seconds torrential rain was falling.