In My Mother's Name

“In My Mother’s Name”
In the winter season of 2008, Khunti SDA Senior Secondary School was blessed with donations from people in the U.S. to purchase a new generator and new underground wiring for the entire campus. Myself, Principal J. Kujur and the Principal’s Aide Mr. Sujeet Chand chose a generator that fit the needs of the school and fit the budget we had. The next step was to find an electrical contractor. Now this may seem to be any easy process, but not here in India. There is a lot of competition for business and some businessmen are not exactly honest. We had visited a couple of electricians and gotten some quotes that were very high. Then we went to another electrical shop where we were introduced to a man I will call “Mr. Khan” for reasons that will become clear later in this story. Now, “Mr. Khan” is a self employed Electrical Contractor who occasionally does work for this shop we had gone to. For those of you who are self-employed, you know just how hard it can be to make a living. “Mr. Khan” is no exception to this rule. "Mr. Khan" and his family are Muslim.

We sat down with “Mr. Khan” to work out a contract in which he would provide his workers to complete the re-wiring of the entire school campus for the generator. "Mr. Khan" was told that the money for the wiring was from people in the U.S. who wanted to help Khunti SDA School. “Mr. Khan” also listened to what Tonya and I have been doing for the last two years and he said, “If you can leave America to help our people, than I must do something to help your school”. “Mr. Khan” told us that he would provide materials at his cost and would not charge any labor costs.

About one week into the job, “Mr. Khan” showed up Khunti SDA School with his son, who is 10 years old. I spent about 30 minutes talking to “Mr. Khan’s” son as he wanted to hear about how Tonya and I came to India. “Mr. Khan’s” son speaks good English, but his father does not. After meeting “Mr. Khan’s” son, the son did not come back to the campus as he was in school in another city. I didn’t think much about this at the time as Tonya and I were very busy with projects here at the school.

Last night at about 7PM, I was talking with Sujeet and “Mr. Khan” about the progress of the wiring job. “The job should be finished be finished by early next week”, said “Mr. Khan” through Sujeet’s translation. “Mr. Khan” went on to say that when his son visited the campus several weeks ago; his son was very impressed with the work that Tonya and I have been doing here in India. Apparently, “Mr. Khan’s” son told all of his family, friends and neighbors about us. I told “Mr. Khan” that this was very nice, but that God was the one who should be getting the credit for the work, not us. “Mr. Khan” said that his son had also told “Mr. Khan’s” mother, who lives with them, about our school and the work Tonya and I have been doing here.

“Mr. Khan” said that even though he was not making any money on this project, he wanted to make another donation to the school. I was very curious and puzzled by this as “Mr. Khan” has probably lost money by taking this job. I asked “Mr. Khan” what type of donation he was thinking of making. “Mr. Khan” said that he would like to make the donation to the school “in my mother’s name”. This really aroused my curiosity and I could see that Sujeet, who had been translating the conversation, was clearly puzzled. “Mr. Khan” said that after his son had talked to his grandmother (“Mr. Khan’s mother) about the work “these two American’s have been doing”, “Mr. Khan’s” mother came to him. They talked at length about how they could help the school. “Mr. Khan” said that his mother wanted to provide the school with light bulb replacements for the bulbs that were either missing or burnt out. I told “Mr. Khan” that this was very nice and very much appreciated. What “Mr. Khan” said next left me stunned and speechless.

Sujeet was visibly taken aback by “Mr. Khan’s” last statement. Sujeet looked at me meekly and said “Mr. Khan is saying that he and his mother had originally decided to make a donation to their local Mosque where they worship, but they have instead decided to make the donation to our school and that is why “Mr. Khan” wants to make the donation in his mother’s name”.

I didn’t know what to say. I stood there stunned by the enormity of “Mr. Khan’s” words. This family was putting “another people” and another faith in front of their own; something I had rarely heard of others doing. I thought to myself, “Who does this??? Who goes out of their way to help another faith and people when they could just as easily help their own??”

In this day of an “us against them” mentality, I have never heard of anyone donating to a mosque instead of their own church. This simple act by “Mr. Khan’s” family changed how I view other people and their willingness to help others, regardless of nationality or faith. Let’s face it; we all have pre-conceived ideas and biases about other people and their faiths, whether those ideas or biases are large or small in nature. “Mr. Khan” and his family changed all that for me. I realize that there are religious zealots out there of all shapes and sizes, but “Mr. Khan” and his family are not among them.

I had Sujeet ask “Mr. Khan” if he realized just how much his last statement meant. Sujeet translated “Mr. Khan’s” answer to “no, he doesn’t understand what you are asking him of”. I told “Mr. Khan” that I was just bowled over by his family’s gesture and that I found it very rare for someone or their family or group to put another faith in front of their own when there was not a crisis involved. I told “Mr. Khan” that I was honored by his and his mother’s donation and that I was honored to know such a kind and loving family.

I left and went directly to our house and told Tonya about what had just happened. She was stunned as well. She said to me, “isn’t it amazing the people God put’s in your path to show you His love through others?? Isn’t it amazing that God showed “Mr. Khan” and his family that it isn’t always about faith, but about caring for one another?.” We then got on our knees and thanked God for “Mr. Khan” and his family and also thanked Him for bringing these people into our lives and into the life of this school. My hope in telling this story is that it will “shake us up” into thinking about how we care for one another by using God’s guidance. I know it has done this for Tonya and me.


Yours in Christ,Al & Tonya Neep
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