In April, 2019, I participated in the Global Leadership Conference for Female Pastoral Staff held in Korea. When I came back to India, I deeply thought about how to make a happy Church and support the gospel work as a female pastoral staff member. One of the thoughts I had was about how to deliver Mother’s love to the members who live far away from the Church, and to the members whom we can hardly meet.
Navi Mumbai, where Zion is located, is well known for its high rent. Since it is difficult for one person to make enough money for one family, housewives too work as a domestic assistant in two or more houses a day. Even in this tiring and exhausting circumstance, they keep worship services; I think they have a great faith.
The female pastoral staff of the Navi Mumbai Church decided to make Methi Puri so that the evangelists could deliver to the members they visited. Methi Puri is an Indian snack fried in a round shape, mixed with wheat flour, Methi (a type of edible medicinal plant) powder, and a little spice. Though it is not a great dish, we made it with all our heart, hoping that the members would feel Mother’s love and be comforted and grow in faith through it. On the packages, we wrote, “This Methi Puri was made with Mother’s love. Enjoy and cheer up! We Love U.” Let me introduce a few fragrances of Zion about Methi Puri.
1.
There were two sisters who didn’t come to Zion for about two years while their mom and grandmother were very firm in faith. When we visited the family with Methi Puri, only their grandmother was at home. We handed Methi Puri, saying, “This Methi Puri was made with Mother’s love. Enjoy and cheer up!” just as what was written on the package. After receiving it, she thought, ‘I can’t have this alone. I will have it with my daughter and granddaughters.’ So she gave it to her daughter and asked her a favor earnestly, “This is from Mother, so don’t leave anything behind. And make sure to share this with your daughters.” The mother gave the Methi Puri to her two daughters, and they too enjoyed it.
The next day, our young adult members, who did not know about this situation, visited the two sisters to deliver Methi Puri. However, when the two sisters saw it, they said something amazing.
“I think, that Methi Puri was a little different.”
“Why? What happened?”
“Actually, I enjoyed it when my mom gave me, and after that, I felt something strong in my heart, and I decided to go to Church again.”
The two sisters studied the Bible and started keeping worship services and even participated in preaching the Gospel.
2.
A sister, who always had a bright smile though she could not come to Church often, looked grim recently. When a member visited her early in the morning, she still had a grim face and did not feel well. The member gave the Methi Puri and held her hands.
“I hope you could feel Mother’s love and cheer up.”
The sister received the Methi Puri with gratitude. After studying the Bible that day, she burst into tears.
“I was having hard times that I felt like dying these days.”
Surprised of what she said, the member comforted her for a while, telling her that was why Mother came down to the earth and that She loves her so much. Then, she said that she felt comfortable as if she was comforted by Mother, and also resolved never to forget Mother, who loves her.
3.
We heard that a sister whom we were about to visit was in the hospital because her daughter was hospitalized. When we went there, the daughter had a high fever that she could not eat anything. But when she saw the Methi Puri we had brought from Zion, she opened the package at once and ate it. Seeing this, her dad’s eyes widened in surprise as his daughter, who had refused her favorite foods such as sweets and chocolates, enjoyed the Methi Puri.
“Actually, I wanted to ask if you could bring some cooked rice from Zion. As she loves to eat it in Zion, I thought it could help her recover soon.”
Hearing that, we gave thanks and glory to God, who knows the hearts of His children. This made her husband have a good impression of the Church of God. We believe that he will be led into the arms of God before long.
What I learned through some fragrances of Zion is that God is pleased with our sharing love no matter how small, and grants us great blessings, and that Mother’s love is surely great. If I had studied only through the Bible, I wouldn’t have realized it, but She came down to the earth to set us examples. Practicing Her examples, I feel Her endless love all the more.
Although my love is still like that of a child, I think I can help Mother at least by soothing my spiritually younger brothers and sisters and wiping their tears. Still, many members are waiting and longing for Mother’s love. I am anxious to deliver Mother’s love diligently. Today too, I make Methi Puri with all my heart, giving thanks to God for choosing this weak child as a female pastoral staff member and as a tool for preaching to all people in the world.