WHEN_GOD_GUIDES_8C: The HOUSE

                The HOUSE: 8C

So we were given an ultimatum that we should pay the full amount of Rs 180000/- at once on 28th of Febraury, 1994 and get registered.  Or else we can forgo our claims to negotiate to buy the house..

        The Manager of the Baroda Bank told me I will not get any loan because the house is too old above
10 years old. This is 25 years old.

           I asked for the loan on 14th Febraury.  So what to do? I asked the same question "Sir, then what to do? I need to purchase this house before 28th of this month."
        I know this is the house God want me to buy, I wont go for any other one for sure.

        " Mam' may be you will get  a personal loan, but for that we cannot help you in any other way."

" How much you will give , Sir?"

"Rs. 10000/-"

"Ok, Sir, when will you give that amount?"

  ( God will help me certainly, So far He is leading me, He will lead me further..I am sure of it)

" Fill up these papers, and get your salary ceritificate tomorrow and we will pay you tomorrow itself, mam'"

       I got up from the seat, went to college.
         The next day he gave me Rs. 10000/-
 
  I asked him further this time,
     "Sir I have 4 gold bangles and one gold chain. Can you give me some loan on it?"

      "yes mam' we can give an agriculture loan to you for lesser interest, do you have any agriculture land?"
Yes, sir, we have a small piece of land on my husband name in his native village."

 "Ok, taking your word for assurance we will release the amount tomorrow on your gold, say, Rs.10000/-"
         Next day I went and received the total of                     Rs.20000/-

       We lecturers were used to buy NSC-Certificates to evade the tax we had to pay on our salary.
 Eg. when we need to pay Rs. 5000/- tax, if we show 25000/- value certificates that amount of 5000 need not be paid for tax. But we cannot redeem them before 6 years until they are matured to the double amount , in those days, because we bought those for the purpose of Tax elimination with Government permission.
        But I was told that I can opt for a loan on those certificates. Not knowing what to do and how to do, I went to the same bank and inquired the same clerk who was kind enough to advise me to meet the Manager.  He told me that I need to go to Post office where I purchased them through an agent, and ask them to give some loan. He counted the face value of those certificates which comes to Rs. 75000/-

         The same day my husband and myself went to different post offices, like Ashoknagar, Venkatarao , and Narasimha Rao post  Offices.  In Narasamiha Rao post        
        We had a strange incident with a gentle man who was tall and fair in white attire, the Post Master.
  We were taken into the inner chamber of the post office and made us to sit comfortably, got two cups of tea for us, and inquired about our purchase of the house.

          He said, " I am like your father, I want to give you some good advice. I see that you are buying an old house, do not try to destroy it or do not be  hasty to build a new one. See I did the same thing and I built a very big house, but my children are grown up and they cannot stay with me due to the jobs they are doing in different places. Even if they come they could stay with me a few days, or at the most for a fortnight , not more than that.  I am getting old and it has become a great burden for me to maintain the house as it is a big house. Do not do like me. For one year do not try to do anything with that house. Just keep it as it is. Later,  after you could pay the interests on the loans you made, and redeem the loans, by and by, then you can think of repairing it or renovating it, slowly. This is my advise to you as an elderly person of father age."

          It was just like my own dad was with me and telling me what to do and what not to do.  He was so kind and gentle we took his good advice at once. He redeemed our certificates and gave us the cash.

    All together on our NSC certificates we got Rs.45000/- on loan.so 45000 +20000=65000

        My friend Cecilia who was a physical directress used to come with me to the Bank while I was going for personal loan and Gold loan, because she had classes only after the college academic hours , she was free to accompany me.
         One day, on our way to the Bank, she said like this,
     " Leela, I understand you need some money to buy this house, I have Rs.10000/- in the bank as Fixed deposit, I would like to lend it to you, but will you pay the interest I am getting in the bank every month, until you repay the money to me?"

         Can you imagine my surprise? I never know that she would lend money like this, without me asking her. She herself was a widow, and living in a small rented house, trying to save every pie for the higher education of her only son.

              I was so grateful to her and accepted her offer. so 65000+10000=75000

          That day I went to college as usual to sign in the register, I lifted my eyes and saw a notice on the board. A notice of that kind was never put on before or after wards in our college.
        Its notice from IOB ( Indian Oversees Bank)  It says, WWW  Working women welfare - fund.  It was written that they were ready to give Rs.10000/- loan to the working women instantly, any body can apply for it bringing salary certificate from the employer.

          My joy knew no bounds, I got one from the Principal, and went home and informed my husband who came for lunch
( he got transfer to Eluru, which was another great story to be shared shortly)
 We both went immediately to Over Seas Bank in
 1 town area, there was the cashier whom I knew since my childhood, I knew he was working in a bank but did not know that he was in that bank. His name was Aruna kumar, his sister Shobha and me were childhood friends, as his dad also was Police Officer, he and my dad worked in the same towns three times, and lived in the bungalows side by side. in Bandar, Guntur Eluru etc..
      But his sister and me were so afraid of him because he was much older to us, and used to hit us on our heads, as he was thinking that we were wasting time all the time by playing in the ground.

       so as I know him well ,when I saw him I was so happy , and I introduced my husband to him, and told him that I came to claim for a loan on www.
    He was kind enough and did the work within minutes and handed over the cash to us. We thanked him immensely and reached home

           .75000+10000=85000

    My friend and my financial adviser Mrs. Umadevi, Lecturer in History asked me whether I pooled out all the money, when I told her I did and I still need some Rs.30000/- for registration expenditure and other things.
     She said , " your youngest sister is working in Andhra Bank and your brother-in-law in Bank of India, cant they get some loan on their name and give to you so that you can repay them? "

         I saw this advice was very good advice, so I went home and shared this piece of information with my husband, so that day we called her and told her our need and requested her whether she could get some loan on her name and give to us , and we will repay the interest and the principal money within short period of time...

       .She answered," O Leelakka, as it is we are in deep debts, you know we hardly get money as salary to bring home, as we bought the gas stove and fridge and all the things on installments and our salary is being cut all together, we hardly can help you."

         This is the sister for whose marriage we spent all our salary for her wedding as my dad was in need of money, in those days.
        I was so disappointed, but as usual as the eldest of the three sisters, I demanded, " hey you have to help me otherwise who will help me , you being the banker you have to do something , we are coming to Jony's marriage tomorrow, please try to get some help."
         After an hour or so she called me back and told me that some one in her office is in habit of lending money to good party, when they could pay the Bank interest. And he is willing to give us Rs. 30000/- but that money should be re-payed by the end of the April month.
   
        I was happy knowing very well, that the faithful God would help me to repay her money in due time. He is the one who would do wonders and He is my father. He would not put me to shame.  Knowing this, by faith I accepted the offer. How I would pay I did not know but I would repay it. I have faith in Him.

       It was 27th Febraury, the next day we will get the house registered.  I was signing in the college register, one of our good friends Ms. Rajyalaxmi, Head of History Department, asked me

,'Leela when is the house registration?"

I said, 'Tomorrow Miss"

She sat on the sofa, I too made my place beside hers.

        She said," You  always say you would not give any bribes, but in case of house registration you have to give bribe, without paying bribe they would not register the house. "

       My heart just stopped at once, I was shocked,

      "what Miss, is it real? without bribe they do not register?" my face was pale, and I said, very slowly and steadily, "Miss, if.. if it is not possible to register the house ,..... yes,... I will cancel the registration of the house ,....Miss.." I said so in a pensive mood, and sat there for some time even after she left for her class.

              I went home and knelt down at my bed side, I poured my heart, what I prayed, how I prayed I do not remember, but I was in deep agony which cannot be explained. How much time I was in His presence I do not remember now.
     But one thing I remember very clearly, the Word of God was in front of me, my Lord speaks to me through His word, He consoles me by His word, He heals my ruptured heart with His word, He comforts me with His word, he erases all my fears with His word.

        Numbers 11:18 to 35--Its my daily portion from ODB- You know what it is about?

     The Israelites were crying for the meat, and God heard of their wailing and called Moses and told him to feed them with the meat.Not one day, or two days, not even 5 days, or 10 or 20 days, I will give them for one month, go and tell them.'
         Then Moses was asking God, 'Lord I am among these people who are more than 6 lakh people, how can you give so much meat to them? Should I kill all the goats, and cattle?  Should I gather all the fish in the oceans?---

                  Then the Lord answered him like this, verse 23, "Is the Lord's arm too short? Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true to you"This was my promise.

           Later, they ate quails which were brought by the wind till it came out of their nostrils and loathed it, and still the meat was in between their teeth they were struck with plague.

Yes His arm was not short.. that was my promise.

(in between another incident happened those who want to read it can search for "when we prattle foolishly " to see what God did with water tap in our house.)

        So on 28th Febraury we went to the Registrar office, I wanted to go along with him into the house, I used to feel that I should be with him to give him moral support. but he told me,

       "Leela , you stand at the scooter under this tree, and pray for the registration go smoothly"

         It was my custom to obey him without another word. So I stood there and was praying, after an hour or so he came out with a grin on his face.

       He told me, " Leela, nobody asked me for bribe, I took New Testament Bibles in my suitcase , and I distributed those to them and came"

       We got our house registered on 28th February, 1994.
     You want to know how I re-payed that Rs.30000/- back to my sister in the month of April? Its not an ordinary story.. There again the Lord was there and He extended His hand and wiped away the shame on our faces, we were His children, who could make us to feel ashamed?

         Faith walks in real sense, it is there when we were in rags or in costly apparel, You will have no words to speak when you know how we got that amount , we never asked any one, nor stopped to pay our regular interest payments in different banks and post offices, while we were doing so we were able to pay that amount.

           Wait for the next episode... Prayer makes everything possible.

For Chapter 9D CLICK HERE

WHEN_GOD_GUIDES_8B: The House

   

The HOUSE: 8B

The Lord loves each one of us, He wants to tell us what is the best , His best for us. If we ask Him He will reveal it to us. Because He never like to be pushy even for our good. He wants us to learn to go to Him and learn of Him. Remember His Best is The Best. Even if we have the whole world in our hands we would never get that safety, joy and peace in our heart and lives as it would be in obeying in His will.

        '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