Blind...But Seeing
Aside from the fact that he wore dark glasses in the pulpit, Pastor Babba didn't appear different from any other preacher. Huskily built, he looked like a football player. Standing there dressed in a neat, brown suit, he spoke with ease and joy. But Pastor Babba is blind.
Born in a small country town, he was the youngest of 5 children, but the only child of his father's second wife. When he was a high school freshman, 5 of the 7 family members all got sick at the same time. Only Babba San and his mother were left to do the farm work and take care of the animals.
Babba's day began at 5 a.m. After the farmwork was finished, he had a 20-minute bicycle ride, a 20-minute train ride, and a 20-minute walk before he got to school. Then after school there were chores and studies until midnight.
In a few weeks the young lad noticed that his right eye was beginning to fail. A visit to a doctor disclosed tuberculosis and he was immediately hospitalized. One night he lay on his bed looking at the light when suddenly everything went black. Without any warning he lost the sight of both eyes because of tuberculosis-caused hemorrhaging at the base of the eye. Though some sight did return temporarily, he was soon totally blind.
It was 18 months before Baba's condition allowed him to go home, but now there seemed to be no meaning to life. He could no longer help on the farm. One day, after a drinking bout, his father made derogatory remarks about his blindness. That night young Baba took his father's military sword and went out into the barn. There he sat down to think a little before committing suicide.
Many red lights came flashing to the young boy's mind. He knew instinctively that if he took his life tonight, his mother would do the same the next night. He knew he meant a lot to her whose life was so difficult with his father who was from an old warrior family."
"What if there is life after death?" he wondered. He wasn't sure that there was, but anyway, he better not take a chance. After pondering the situation for some time, Babba made a rational decision: he could die anytime. He would go on living for now. And he would go back to the church that he had once visited and see what they had to say.
From the following Sunday one he never missed. Sometimes a friend would take him the 4 miles by bicycle and sometimes he would go by bus. Three months after starting to attend regularly, the local butcher who was a keen Christian, led him to the Lord. His life was completely changed for the better and he remained at home for the next 2 years.
During this time he developed a creative way to learn Bible verses. He made his way out to meet the children returning from school and ask a child to read to him from the New Testament. As he heard, he memorized. And the child got a piece of candy as a reward.
In time he was able to go to Bible school and during that study period he also learned the techniques of massage and acupuncture. Babba lived alone and did his own shopping and cooking. He desperately needed a wife. According to Oriental custom, the right girl was picked. Not only did her other qualities fit, but she had experience taking care of her blind mother!
The "middle man" approached Miss Takahashi about the possibility of marriage to Mr. Babba. She respectfully declined. This was understandable---after all he was blind! But what was her main reason? She felt she didn't measure up to his qualities!
The young lady did eventually accept his proposal and they were married and served faithfully together in service for the Lord Jesus. Jesus called people blind whose eyes were closed to eternal realities. It's better to be blind physically than to be blind spiritually.
Born in a small country town, he was the youngest of 5 children, but the only child of his father's second wife. When he was a high school freshman, 5 of the 7 family members all got sick at the same time. Only Babba San and his mother were left to do the farm work and take care of the animals.
Babba's day began at 5 a.m. After the farmwork was finished, he had a 20-minute bicycle ride, a 20-minute train ride, and a 20-minute walk before he got to school. Then after school there were chores and studies until midnight.
In a few weeks the young lad noticed that his right eye was beginning to fail. A visit to a doctor disclosed tuberculosis and he was immediately hospitalized. One night he lay on his bed looking at the light when suddenly everything went black. Without any warning he lost the sight of both eyes because of tuberculosis-caused hemorrhaging at the base of the eye. Though some sight did return temporarily, he was soon totally blind.
It was 18 months before Baba's condition allowed him to go home, but now there seemed to be no meaning to life. He could no longer help on the farm. One day, after a drinking bout, his father made derogatory remarks about his blindness. That night young Baba took his father's military sword and went out into the barn. There he sat down to think a little before committing suicide.
Many red lights came flashing to the young boy's mind. He knew instinctively that if he took his life tonight, his mother would do the same the next night. He knew he meant a lot to her whose life was so difficult with his father who was from an old warrior family."
"What if there is life after death?" he wondered. He wasn't sure that there was, but anyway, he better not take a chance. After pondering the situation for some time, Babba made a rational decision: he could die anytime. He would go on living for now. And he would go back to the church that he had once visited and see what they had to say.
From the following Sunday one he never missed. Sometimes a friend would take him the 4 miles by bicycle and sometimes he would go by bus. Three months after starting to attend regularly, the local butcher who was a keen Christian, led him to the Lord. His life was completely changed for the better and he remained at home for the next 2 years.
During this time he developed a creative way to learn Bible verses. He made his way out to meet the children returning from school and ask a child to read to him from the New Testament. As he heard, he memorized. And the child got a piece of candy as a reward.
In time he was able to go to Bible school and during that study period he also learned the techniques of massage and acupuncture. Babba lived alone and did his own shopping and cooking. He desperately needed a wife. According to Oriental custom, the right girl was picked. Not only did her other qualities fit, but she had experience taking care of her blind mother!
The "middle man" approached Miss Takahashi about the possibility of marriage to Mr. Babba. She respectfully declined. This was understandable---after all he was blind! But what was her main reason? She felt she didn't measure up to his qualities!
The young lady did eventually accept his proposal and they were married and served faithfully together in service for the Lord Jesus. Jesus called people blind whose eyes were closed to eternal realities. It's better to be blind physically than to be blind spiritually.
posted by Lila @ 12:33 PM
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