Ebenezer Thatha

Precious memories how they linger; how they ever flood my soul!

One of the first things that come to my mind when I think of Ebenezer thatha is that each time he came to India and stayed with us, he would ask me to set aside some time to spend with him; – despite Mary pattima telling him not to trouble me as I had other things to do :’).

I remember when I was younger, I tried to dodge these talks with thatha (especially since they were questions I didn’t understand yet or know the “right answer” to) and find refuge in pattima’s love. It took me some time to understand that thatha’s request to talk also came from love. A love for his Maker and of course his love toward me. My soul mattered to him! And I am convinced I was somewhere in his prayers.

I remember the long conversations we’ve had about salvation.  A trademark of thatha at his best I’ve been told; one-on-one evangelism!  Looking back, it makes me realize that thatha had these talks with me before I embraced Christ.

I also remember that when I gave my life to Jesus, I didn’t even have to tell thatha. The salvation conversations stopped – it felt like he instinctively knew what he was concerned about was taken care of.  The change in tone and topics of our conversations reflected it.

The time he asked me to set aside for him on each trip continued till the most recent one, in June (I wish I had had more time, though). These were conversations filled with love, gladness and a sense of gratitude. And they are now memories forever etched in some corner of my brain. 

This June was the first and only time Thatha met Rufus. He welcomed him with the same love he had for me.  He mentioned how special I was to him and pattima and that now Rufus was special to them too. He told him that he (Rufus) was blessed to have me and that he ought to take good care of me!

To know there won’t be more of these talks for a while now saddens me. As ABBA sings it: “Sometimes I wish that I could freeze a picture and save it from the funny tricks of time!” Yet, I’m grateful for your life, thatha, and to know there is no more pain or sorrow but just uncontainable joy for you, gives us all peace in sorrow.

Glad and grateful that this is not the end.