The HOUSE: 8B
'We were searching for the houses, to buy and also for the site where we can build a house. In one instance we were cheated, we paid Rs 1000/ as an advance, Mr. Aurthur and my friend, and his wife Mrs kamala Swarna Kumari both came to check up the house, and gave us a friendly and elderly advice, "better you forego your advance rather than investing big amount on this house, which is not worthy to buy.'
We with draw, our bid over that house at the loss of Rs.1000/- taking their advice. Some times fully knowing that we have to do the will of God, still the ego in our heart goes its own way, which look like human understanding and human intelligence, which would land us in mud ultimately.In such times, God in His mercy pull us out of that mud through some friendly advice or pulling us literally out of the fire like a burnt coal.
So we were praying claiming the promises we have at His feet. We saw a house near our college ( Panchayathi area) which is in a600 sq yards but a small house with one room and a kitchen in it. The owner of the house was a State Bank officer. We were negotiating with him and it was almost to come to a final decision. But in those days we did not have mobiles or even land line phone, it was very difficult to contact people. so we were waiting for his final word for our bidding.
In one of those days , that is 1994, Febrauary 1st week, I was going to college by walk, as I had a little more time to spare, just to save some money on rikshaw. I was having so much of problems with money matters. I had to cut all my expenses, my husband was getting half of my salary even though he was Central Government employee, as I was in the habit of giving away every single pie of my salary to him, I was facing many troubles in my life. But I took all of them with low profile. I used to buy only one saree per year, and used to wear white blouse on every saree to reduce the expenditure on buying the matching blouses, and stitching charges.
While I was walking to college, suddenly I felt I must stop at one of our church comer, Mrs Jhansi, a state bank officer in our town. I thought I must ask her to enquire about the owner of the hosue which we were negotiating to buy. So I truned one step to right side and reached a small wicket gate, and about to call her, but I saw her brother, Mr Jacob Wesley was talking to her standing out side of their house in the compound premises. Seeing him I took a step back, feeling I should not disturb them, knowing he is strict disciplinarian and not much in good terms with us as he used to feel much above our cadre, those days. But as they saw me approaching the gate I quickly I told Jhansi about my issue and requested her, 'Can you please ask such and such person to contact us to finalise the issue about the house purchase.
Blurting out my words, I left the gate , and rushed to college. Never we expected that what happened that evening. Mr. Jacob's knephew came to our house and told us," Uncle and Aunty my uncle Mr. Jacob asking you both come and meet him today after an hour"
We were conducting the sunday worship in his school hall, so we used to give him respect, we thought may be he had some problem faced with the sunday worship service. As often he being a strict disciplinarian, any church goer make any mistake like forgetting to close the door, we were taken into task, so we thought may be it was one of those reasons he was asking us to come.
We went to meet him. Unlike the other days, he was so gentle in speaking to us and called us into his home and started to talk to us.
" This morning sister ( its me) called upon my sister Jhansi in search a house to purchase; Are you searching for a house to buy?"
I took initiative to answer him, because I was the one who talked that morning, " Yes, brother, we are trying to buy a house of her colleague in Sanivarapet Panchayat. which is very near to our college."
He answered back, " Brother, I am trying to buy a house for my sister Jhansi, I have done all the prelimanaries , I have all the documents of the hosue, It is Rs.1,80000/-. The owner is asking for Rs.90000/- as an advance and give the rest of the Rs. 90000/- after 6 months to get registered. When I told my sister, she is so 'adamant' and saying she cannot pay that much amount as advance but saying she could pay only Rs.10000/- for which the owner of the hosue is not willing. I will try to get that house for you if you are interested.
I said,' Thank you very much brother, for your concern, because Jhansi is not willing to buy, we can buy, actually we have only Rs.90000/- with us now.
he immediatly said,' God will take care of the rest."
I was happy to hear that, ' where is this house brother?'
He told us the location, immediatly we both realized that the house he was talking about is none other than the house we saw last year 1993 April. Then it was told it would cost more than Rs.200000/- At that time we had only Rs.40000/- which I saved when I got some arrearers in the college. In this past year btween April 1993 to 1994 February another Rs.50000/- is added to that by saving and by some more arrears I got, in the college.
So I see the hand of God in this bargain, so I was all in smiles while I was talking to him. He said, that he is all in all to help us, and he would definitely get the house be purchased by us. And he will not sleep until he would get that house for us. He himself promised us, as if my own my dad was alive he would take this issue so kindly.and concerning.
We came back to home, and we talked for a few minutes how God changed Mr. jacob in this case, to be so kind and concern. Then we both knelt down, before retiring to bed that night. I still remeber the place where we knelt down, to tell the Lord what was in our heart. He prayed sincerely about the house, and asked the Lord if it is His will He would guide us in this matter." But what I prayed , I remember very well. Point to Point. everything I asked Him.
I cannot forget one single word what I prayed, that night.
"Lord, We want to buy a house at this moment, because you know how many troubles we are facing in this matter. Lord by your grace you have given the status to us, to build a good house. but if we start to build a house, your servant , my husband , will spend whole time in purchase of sand, cement, and steel instead of spending his time , energy in Your kingdom, in your service. .
So tell us, Lord,
1) should we build or buy a house?
2)/should we buy the house which is near the college that is in Panchayat, or this house in Ashoknagar, Muncipality of Eluru
( I was more interested in buying the house nearby college, as I knew how difficult it was to spend money on rickshaw, even when I get old, I can go by walk to college )
3) Lord both houses are so old , if we spend all our savings on these old houses, and the ceiling would not lost for long, and walls crack further, what will happen.
Lord tell us should we buy or build a house?
If we buy a house which house you want us to buy , the house in Panchayath or Muncipality?
Even if we buy these old house how many years would it lost?
4) Will you please give us guarantee for these houses Lord?"
I finished my prayer knowing that God heard my prayer. I know it. That is all that I knew. He heard my prayer, and He would tell me what we have to do.
When we pray in the Spirit, we would pray in such a way which we never think what we pray.
Romans 8:26--"We do not know what we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us...
."Luke 21:15 The Holy Spirit will give you both words, and matter, in the same hour, instantly and immediately.
" The Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should you say"
Yes, I prayed so, and we retired to beds that night with a PEACE in my heart, which is beyond understanding, which gaurdes our minds and hearts.
When we have such PEACE the whole world would be in our palm as we are in His palm.
Next day I was reading my daily bible portion, It was month of February 1994, I cam to the Book of Leviticus 25 th chapter, I was reading slowly and steadily, when I come to the verse 30th , I was shocked, I found answeres to all my four questions, in ONE SENTENCE. Levi 25:30---
My Telugu verstion is more to my heart, more clear to me. Its my mother tongue and I got the answer at once, I wonder how far I can do justice to this in English, Let me put the verse here.
"If it is not bought within a year, and If there is a buyer of the house in the walled town, it will become the permanent property to the buyer throughout generations, ( children's children) It shall not go in the Jubilee"
What? 1 ) question of mine... should I buy or build?
Answer was:
If there is a buyer of the house, BUYER..
2) WHICH HOUSE??
Answer was ----If it was not bought within an year"--- I counted immediately... Last year 1993 April... now it is 1994 February 9th.
One year not yet over, it was not redeemed within this one year. The HOUSE within THE WALLED TOWN? Yes this house in Ashoknagar is in Muncipality, TOWN OF ELURU. God is telling me to buy this house in the town , not the house near the college, which is in Panchayath... OOOOh wonderful God, Ohho wonderful God How can I praise Thee Lord!!
God is giving me gaurantee for generations, children and children, this is the answer to my next question, Will there be gaurantee, should I invest all my hard earned savings on this OLD house? The answer is it will be there for children to children, and God answered further, It shall not go in the Jubilee.
JUBILEE, Jubilee,? what is it? 50 years life.. for the building, Ok they are saying that this house was built 25 years back, ok Lord even if it is 30 years, another 20 years you are giving gaurantee, oh 20 years, by then where I will be? where my children will be? My daugher Happy was in 7th class, and son John was in 5th class, 12 years and John 10 and 1/2 years old. so in jubilee where they would be, ( Oh my Lord, This year February this house completed 20 years that is Jubilee, my daughter is in USA and son is in AUSTRALIA...) Great God Great God, He is mighty God.
So the house was which I was going to buy was almost in ruines, one tin shed in front, one tiles shed at the back hardly three rooms, with a big hole in the ceiling where the bats dwell, and the doors were hallow ones for the mouses, the floors were having pits all over, But still I determined to go to buy. Because the Lord had given green signal in a wonderful way.
Meanwhile the owner of the house was annoyed with Mr. jacob and said to him, that, first he brought his sister to buy and now he brought another party to buy, what is all this, and he said he would not sell it for Rs.180000/- but only for 200000/- I do not know what made Mr. Jacob Wesley to go to Hyderabad on behalf of us, to plead him to come down to 180000? I do not know but he went with Joe his youngest son to the house of his eldest son Joshua and met the owner Srinivas and convinced him to fix the rate to 180000. Meanwhile God had given a promise that the house will be for 185000/ Isaiah 37:36 I did not understand about this number, but in the course of the conversation to my husband I said, "Emendi will surely come down to 180000/ and may be 5000 extra for something" Immediately he said, its written in Isaiah in case of Assyrian army, right? I was looking at him with wide eyes, and smiled at him.
Things will be so beautiful and we will never know what would happen how would happen in such sweet manner.
They came back on 13th February, 1994 and asked us to come to their home, Joe arranged two mikes to the land line and asked us to sit with them in their hall. Mr. Welsey called Srinivas, he was telling him , "Ok first you told us this house is for your sister, now you want to purchase it for another party, sir, Though I wanted to sell it for 200000 you asked me to reduce it 180000 for much loss for me, even that I accepted, but now one thing I want to tell you, ask the party to pay the full amount of 180000 at once that too at the end of this month that is on 28th February 1994, and get the house registered, I have no more patience to wait upon. If they cannot get registered the house on my terms, ask them to leave it off. and please do not disturb me any more." He hung up the phone.
What it i 13th hardly we have much time, one fortnight only. How we can get that much of money within this short period? who will give us? we do not go for debts. But the promise of God Levi 25:30 is shining in front of my eye lids.
The next day I went to Bank of Baroda where our salaries deposit every month by the UGC.( University Grants Commission) first time in my life to ask any one for financial help. My throat was shaking, there was a kind clerk who used to do our work fast whenever we go to bank knowing we went there between the classes.
when I asked him he ushered me to the manager room. I told the manager about my need.
The first question was, " You are telling me this house you want to buy is old house, how old it is madam"
"25 years Sir"
He laughed , a bit louder, I was puzzled, may be he laughed seeing my ignorance. " We will not give any loan for old houses if they exceed 10 years madam"
I was shocked, I said , but you gave to Swarna Kamala garu my friend, 4 lakhs, I reminded him" He said, " Madam they are buying a site to build a house" we will give for such transactions..Even for you we will give if you want to buy new house, or a vacant land"
You will be surprised, why I did not quit this bid, I as well go for new house or a vacant land to build a house. But the promise I got in Levi 25:30 is very clear, that I should go for this house in Ashoknagar.
I will tell you how I got the rest of the money... in the next chapter, You will be astonished how God will make things possible in miraculous way. Only to those who talk and listen to His voice it could be witnessed.. wait for that chapter.
For Chapter 8C CLICK HERE
