Rina and Lakshmi earn a few coins by putting tikkas (dots of red and yellow paint) on the forehead of worshippers that come to the ghats (steps that go down to the river). They had tried to put a dot on my forehead one evening last summer. "No thank you," I said, "I don't want a dot. But would you like to hear a story?"
They readily agreed, and I told them the story of Jesus blessing the children. It's a great story for children, especially street children, who have heard over and over the words of the disciples: "Go away! No time for you!" It lets them know that Somebody does have time for them, Somebody does love them. As we left I prayed that hearing Jesus' name would grow a hunger in their hearts.
Now, in meeting them a second time, my heart was encouraged to know that they remembered the story! I asked if they wanted to hear another. There was more time in this second meeting, enough for a simple retelling of Creation, the Fall, and the One who came to fix the problem of people's broken relationship with God.
Our paths crossed a third time a couple of weeks ago on a morning walk. A crowd started gathering as I told them of the demon-possessed man, the woman with the flow of blood, and Jairus' daughter. (The crowd was because of a foreigner speaking their language, but if that helps them listen, great!) I said good-bye when the crowd started getting uncomfortably big, but the girls came after me. We sat on some steps, and without a distracting crowd, I was able to explain what Jesus had done for them.
Did they understand? Did they want something from me? Did they believe? Will they remember? I don't know. But my heart is filled with thanks to the God who orchestrates divine opportunities. Sometimes we see the effects, many times we don't, but even a three-minute story can touch somebody's heart, and taking time for somebody can give them a taste of God's love.
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