The life of luxury

I talked to David Livingstone today.  He has been married for just over a month, and he is enjoying being a husband very much.  Jaya and Amma are already voicing their desire for a grandbaby. 

As we talked, David revealed a new calling upon his heart.  He is serving faithfully there, and honestly serves as my administrator while I am away.  He also helps his father greatly as the associate pastor to Faith Baptist Church of Kaikaram.  But God is calling.  This is what he said to me today:

“Brother, God has put a burden on my heart.  I am serving here at Faith Baptist.  I am living the life of luxury.  God is calling me to go to a poor village and start a new work there.”

I want to repeat that.  “I am living the life of luxury.”

Now, why would David think that?  Before Angie and I moved there, the Mandru residence was home to 8 people.  It had two rooms, no water, and no power.  The Mandru’s slept on dirt floors and made due.  Since I came into their life in 2007, much has changed for them.  Because I lived with them, I had to make some changes.   I couldn’t live that poor.  So we put in an outhouse.  We got water to the home.  We put in power.  We even built our home on top of the Mandru’s, and that house has a toilet INSIDE! 

So, the Mandru’s have an improved standard of living.  But it is not American by any means.  There are still rats.  We are still without power 6-8 hours a day.  The water cannot be trusted.  The ants invade daily.

But, to a Dalit, this is an improvement.  David’s response to this increase?  It is not merely to rest on one’s laurels.  It is not to sit back and “live the good life.”  David feels the call to leave what he has been given, and to build a church from nothing.  He feels the burden to go to the lost and build a new work.

I am amazed, and I am encouraged by such faithfulness.  I got off the phone with my brother, and I was reminded of who I am and what my calling is.