Fourteen years have passed since a train trip from Dehra Dun to Delhi. I had chance to speak with a young man as we traveled several hours on the train. Here is a major portion of an email I received from him-the first time in fourteen years. I am taken aback by this encounter. God's Spirit is at work.
It was April of 2001 that we met while we were on Dehradun-Delhi train, and you gave me the bible to read. You wrote your email id on the Bible and asked me write to you after I had read it.
After I reached Mumbai the next day, I had kept aside that Bible hoping to go thru it at more opportune time. But then that time never came as I got busy with other things. I had changed my job and was going through a tough period of adjustment in the new job. Over period of time, as I settled down in the new job I forgot about the train trip and Bible that you gave me...
It was earlier last week, that I got a call from my mother in Dehradun that my father had taken ill and was in hospital. I rushed to Dehradun to be with him. In Dehradun my mother gave me a small bag to carry with me to hospital to keep my wallet, phone and other things in it. Once I reached hospital and was waiting in the visitors lounge, I rummaged into the bag to take out the mobile phone. I unexpectedly got this bible in my hand. I was surprised to see it as I had thought that I had lost it in Mumbai, but then it was there that evening in my hand as I waited for my father to recover in ICU.
My father had a successful treatment & returned back home and is now recovering. That night as I sat waiting in the visitors room, for want of anything better to do, I started to read the Bible you gave me. I have so far managed just the first few pages only, but I was impressed by genealogy on the first page. If there were 42 generation between Abraham and Jesus, then taking avg span of 50 for each generation of those early days of human civilization, it must be about 2000 - 2500 years between Abraham and Jesus.
I am now trying to read it regularly during the commute between my office and home in Mumbai. I do not find it very smooth to read, but nevertheless I am fascinated and trying to read it. Maybe if try to read it more as religious text rather than as a historical narrative, I might be able to read it more easily. Strangely enough it does not mention any dates or time reference. It is just that birth of Jesus is considered as zero AD that I am able to put a time reference to it...
You had written your email id on the first page of the book. That is how I was able get in touch with you again... I just thought I will check if your remembered... Maybe you can also give me some tips on how best to read the book.
I thought you were medical doctors but you are indeed passionate about Christianity too.
Pray for this young man. I am interested to hear if you have way I may interact with him to address his questions.
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