The Bulbul's way of feeding is strikingly different from other birds visiting the feeding station in our garden. They turn the meal time into a shared time of being present to each other with patience and turn taking. They take only small bites and make the meal time a time of becoming present to each other.
Let me use this fifth recollection of my association with Mr L.T.Jeyachandran at Nagpur in the late sixties to highlight how he communicated the larger meaning of becoming present to an ever present God. He brought into his talks and conversations a verse from the book of Genesis to reveal the mystery of the presence of God in God's creation: "And they heard the sound of the Lord walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden" (Gene.3:8). Jeya pictured to us an imagery of God as the One, who is silently present with us and seeking after us. Jeya presented to us Jesus as the good shepherd, watching over the sheep, as portrayed in the parable Jesus spoke about a shepherd looking out for one sheep that was lost out of the hundred. For me this message of God's accompanying presence was a new consciousness about who we are and whose we are!
I had a lonely feeling in my pre-clinical years as a medical student. It was the first time I travelled out of the state of Kerala. I was displaced to an unfamiliar place, culture, language and environment of learning. That made me feel lost and aimless. It was in that context, when I was gradually recovering to feel connected with my new setting the opportunity to attend meetings which Jeya addressed for students, initiated me into finding my refuge in God. The message of God's presence in every human soul was comforting and affirming.
Jeya was an example of effervescence with cordial and warm temperament which created within me an hunger to know more of this God because of whom Jeya was a radiant and reflective person. It was during that time, I came across a diploma course offered by the London Bible College, through the Hindustan Bible Institute at Chennai. It was a course structured for self study with notes sent out by the LBC and reading assignments from recommended books. The course required a local invigilator to conduct the written examination every two months. When I approached Jeya to be an invigilator, he was delighted by my interest to pursue a formal study of the Scripture. It offered an opportunity to have further personal contact with him, once in two weeks to have a question time with him based on the notes I had to learn from. It was during that regular meetings with him, I was further surprised to have a glimpse of his theological formation through self study.
It was during a conversation during a tutorial with him, I discovered that he had a strong urge to study theology at the Union Biblical Seminary located at Yeotmal at that time. He had his first posting in the Indian Engineering service at Bombay. He thought of discontinuing his service and join for theological training in 1965. But the last date for application was already over at that time. That was how he felt guided to stay on in his engineering service for 28 years before he took premature retirement after having been a chief engineer. He moved on to be actively involved in teaching and equipping young people in their formation to live godly lives since then.
Jeya emphasised competence and integrity as the hallmark of a person in any form of service. I liked the way he suggested to me to value this in the practice of medicine. He indicated that medical professionals had an opportunity to explore new horizons in health care, particularly to offer affordable treatment in the rural areas. It was from him I heard for the first time about Dr Ida Scudder, the founder of Christian Medical College, Vellore in 1900. The story of how an unwilling Ida to study medicine went on to study medicine and return to work, along with her father Dr John Scudder Jr. at Vellore inspired me.
It is this which fascinates me when I recall the years of Jeya at Nagpur. He was able to build relationships with students to influence them to consider a purpose beyond a career path for themselves. I remember how about six students from Nagpur after their undergraduate studies in medicine went to work in rural areas in north India, because of the missionary vocation that Jeya infused into us.
The fellowship group of students, that emerged through his pastoral care at Nagpur became a forum that students came to expectantly every Sunday morning. It was normal to have eighty or more students attend the Bible study that Jeya led by the third year of his presence. At the time when he was transferred out of Nagpur, a gloom had descended on all of us. His absence was felt and we relived memories by recalling the personal experiences of encouragement we received from him.
I return to the contacts and relationships with Jaya during his time at Nagpur. It was at a critical phase in my life, when he guided me to find a purpose for living and take delight in the study of medicine. I feel that, Jeya's prompting made all the difference for the rest of my life! Jeya became a path finder for some of us at Nagpur.
Now is the time to share our memories of his influence upon our lives to let him feel glad for the light he was able to lit in our lives to turn us Godward !
Anna and I remember Jeya and Esther and keep them in our thoughts . They live their lives serving and inspiring many !
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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