On January 1, 1987, I wanted to wish a New Year greeting by giving a gift to my neighbors and to the very important people in Jammu Kashmir, India. After packing New Testaments, Christian tracts, and gospel packets in nice-looking gift papers, I took my two older daughters with me to distribute our gifts in Katra, a Hindu Pilgrim center in Jammu Kashmir. As we wished New Year greetings to everyone, we told them we also wanted to give them a New Year gift. Even though everyone said they gladly accepted our gift, many were not happy with the Christian literature we gave them. If we had given our gift on any day other than the New Year, it would not have been received.
After greeting many and distributing gifts, we finally reached the Post Master, a man who had been friendly toward us in the past. “Happy New Year, sir,” I said.
“Same to you,” he said smiling.
“My daughter Jessy brought a New Year gift for you,” I told the Post Master. He gladly accepted the packet from Jessy, who was nine years old at the time. “Can I open it now?” he asked.
“Yes,” I told him.
After opening our gift, the Post Master’s face reddened with anger. He started speaking vulgar and filthy language, obviously disgusted with the Christian materials we had given him. Still hostile after expressing his disapproval, he spat in Jessy’s face.
Jessy cried out. I wiped the spit from her face with my hand towel, then quickly took her home and asked my wife to give her a bath.
This incident greatly saddened me as a father and as a Christian, but I believe it paved the way for God to bless Jessy. About two years later, she was attending a Christian residential school in Kashmir to study and to receive her education. While she was home visiting for her annual vacation, I took her back to my mission field, where we minister to the leper colonies. Before the end of her vacation she reminded me that she loved mangoes and asked me repeatedly to buy her a mango before she returned to school.
I had no money, not even enough to buy a mango. I was much worried about the school fees and hostel fees for my two daughters, and knew I could not spend anything on a mango. Because Jessy was only about ten years old, I knew she couldn’t understand my financial crisis or stress. So for ten days she continued insisting that I buy a mango for her.
On Sunday, the last day of her holidays, Jessy came to me and said, “Pappa, tomorrow I am going back to my school. Before I go, I need mangoes!”
My heart broke. I told Jessy once again that because I needed to have money to put her back in the school, I didn’t have money for mangoes.
“Pappa, always you say that our Jesus hears our prayer and answers all of our prayers. You say that nothing is impossible.” Determined, Jessy continued, “Jesus answers prayers. Now I am going to pray for mangoes. Tomorrow, before I go back to school, I need mangoes.” After hearing Jessy’s determination to ask God for a mango, I was speechless and couldn’t open my mouth. I could only smile at her and nod my head in agreement.
Jessy went to the prayer hall and closed the door. After singing several songs, she prayed to her heavenly Father and asked Him for mangos. Some time later she came out, lifted my face towards her, and said, “Pappa, I prayed, and I believe that my Jesus will give me mangoes.” Looking into
Jessy’s red face, I could see the marks where tears had streamed down her cheeks. I, being her father, was shaken by her emotion and prayed in my heart that God would honor her request. Extraordinary Miracles in the Lives of Ordinary People
A couple of hours later, Christian believers started arriving for Sunday worship and prayer. Elisha, one of our believers, arrived carrying a large basket. He said, “Pastor (Padri Sab), I brought something for your second daughter Jessy. Where is she?”
I called for Jessy, and when she came I said, “Look at Elisha, Jessy. He brought something for you.”
Jessy peered into the oversized basket then started shouting with joy. “Pappa! It’s mangoes. Mangoes! Mangoes!” she burst out with joy. We all watched in awe at the wondrous miracle God had done for Jessy. The basket was filled with more than five killograms (about twelve pounds) of
plump, ripe mangoes.
We all enjoyed eating mangoes that day. On Monday, the next day, Jessy travelled in a bus headed back to her school in Kashmir, savoring her luscious mangoes with a heart of gratitude.
Jessy had asked me for one mango, but God gave her an abundance of mangoes. I, her earthly father, couldn’t buy even one mango for Jessy. But her heavenly Father did a miracle and brought more than we could ask or imagine.
After being in residential school for two years, God made a way for Jessy’s admission to the best school at Santhosha Vidhyalaya in Tamil Nadu, South India. While Jessy was studying in her high school she became the state athlete in sports. Because she excelled and was honored in the local school, in district level and state level, every year I received scholarship money from the Tamil Nadu government to pay for her schooling. It was a great relief for me to pay her school fees. Because of the talents God gave Jessy, I was also honored by the school principal and other teachers. Jessy completed her college education in Nagpur, India.
In 2004, just before coming to the United States for Jessy’s arranged wedding, I asked her if she realized how God had honored her by bringing her to the United States to get married. This was her first trip to the United States, and she didn’t understand my question. I continued, “Do you
remember when the Post Master spat in your face after you gave him a gospel packet and New Testament?”
When she said she didn’t remember, I reminded her of God’s miracle mango provision. “When the Post Master spat at your face,” I told Jessy, “our God recorded honor to you in heaven.”
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