40 Landed in the American Land

1998                          

It was first week of June, 1998. I received the airplane tickets from an American company Newark, State of Delaware. Ever since, we were busy: visiting relatives, buying items, packing and ready to travel.

With lots of anticipations we landed at John F Kennedy Airport, New York on 12^th June 1998 at the noon hours. From there, we were supposed to fly to Philadelphia and therefore waited at the domestic terminal. Things looked bizarre and we felt that we were nonentity.

          “Several flights services are cancelled and flight to Philadelphia is delayed by few hours due to bad weather,” airlines authority announced. I could not tune to the American accent and therefore I did not understand it accurately. External noise was more than the promulgation and it was not audible and had to pay more attention to guess the announcements.

My wife stayed cool. She thought that I was following everything. Eight hours passed. It was 8 o’ clock night. Both were very hungry. “We are in a lost world,” I felt, did not reveal, but. Huge crowd was there at the inquiry counter. We could not go nearby to the counter and were waiting in the queue for several hours. There was no official announcement about Philadelphia flight for few hours.

I lost my patience and said to my wife, “Please listen to the airlines carefully.”  She nodded and chuckled, but, she was not in a position to take over that job. I showed my anger. She took it in a lighter way and showed her maturity. Time was about 10 o’ clock night.  And at last, we managed to reach the counter. By then, we found that all flights to Philadelphia were called off for that day. On inquiry, the Airlines authority told, “A shuttle is arranged and it takes about three hours to reach Philadelphia; please rush and accommodate in that.”

We rushed to the shuttle around half past ten. It started in another 5 minutes to Philadelphia. On the way, there was a quarrel inside the passengers. They exchanged the filthy and unparliamentary words among them. They made our travel ghastly. We did not have a chance to eat anything for the whole day.

“USA is a developed country but is no way better than my India,” I concluded. It was a momentary reflection based on the first experience. But, I learnt several best practices from the American land later. We reached at Philadelphia airport around 3 o’clock in the early hours. CEO of the Corporate was waiting for a long time at the airport. I spoke to him while I was working as a consultant to Swiss Bank, Basil, Switzerland once. He was far nicer, received and greeted us with warm heart. He took us to Melrose Garden Apartments Newark, State of Delaware in his car; spoke to us in mother Tongue, Tamil, friendly and he put us in a comfort zone.

 A gentleman named Basil Antony from Cape Comorin, India was on ‘bench’ in that Corporate. He demonstrated us to operate some of the basic things on the same night itself: electric gas stove, micro ovens, AC system, electric cooker etc. We cooked, ate and rested.

“When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God”(Leviticus 19:33-34)

06 Education

1985.

I was grown to 18 and admitted at St Xaviers College Palayam Kottai. I chose Chemistry as major subject and became top scorer.  The college days were very interesting and I earned good friends. God blessed my studies abundantly. It was His Grace and His plan on me.

Post to the science graduation, I got admission in B.Tech Instrumentation Engineering at Madras Institute of Technology (MIT) the only institution gave a hope to Science graduates to become Engineers. Dr Abdul Kalam, the eminent Scientist who served as the 11th President of India, was my Alumni.

  

Government of India merit scholarship covered my educational fee during graduation at MIT. Canara Bank respected my merit in B.Sc graduation and sanctioned an amount of Rs fifteen thousand as educational loan with moderate interest rate and that covered the remaining expenses.

In the summer holidays, I went and worked as a daily wager with my father in the brick kiln. I never revealed my holidays’ entertainment to any of my friends inside the campus.

I got a high score in Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE-91), and my post graduation expenses were sufficiently covered through GATE stipend.

But, I was not loyal to my nation! The Government gave splendor support to bring me to do higher education. But, as soon as the completion of my post graduation, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) hired me as a software analyst trainee.

And soon I entered into a materialistic world, focused only on work and gave less importance to the human relations and stayed away from spiritual world. Environment and situations changed my life style very fast. Corporate transferred me from place to place for their business achievements as per their plan whether I liked it or not but everything complied with the appointment terms and conditions. Still, I was under God’s direct sight because I was selected for His work. 

When I was a child I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love (I Corinthians 13: 11-13)

30 First Covenant

1998. 

“Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the LORD.”(Proverbs 19:14). I was 29 years old, a free man, an agnostic but not atheist. I said that there wasn’t enough evidence to believe either way about God. But He is the mighty Lord!

 It was last week of Dec 1997. I visited my home town Marthandam, famous for honey and cashew nut processing; a place for rubber and hand-embroidered motifs; most fertile land of Tamil Nadu; full of greenery; a river adjoining and a major trade centre across National Highway in South India.

 

I was there in the village named Thickurichy searching a soul mate. On my visit, I came to know that there was a girl near my village who was also searching a heart. She was grand-daughter of Mrs. Esther.  On hearing the information, I rushed to Esther grandma’s place. It was 10 o’ clock night. I stood in front of their home and knocked at the gate and called, “hello, hello, grandma,” and I heard a huge dog barking. I wanted to show that I was brave man thinking that the girl was inside.

Mr David, son of Esther grandma, an air force man came out with a big appearance pulling a chained dog in his hand. I showed my teeth in fear. He saw me and both of us showed natural prominent teeth. He gave green signal to see her niece, the girl, but in the next day morning. My inner heart started beating fast and longed to see the girl immediately. He asked me to come in the next day morning in a traditional way. 

Very next day early hours!  I urged my relatives and brought the family members together. My father, brothers and cousins! We went and saw the girl. Upon seeing her, my heart was the happiest. She gave one broad toothy smile and I fell inside the net.  The sight was like a chemical reaction and we both transformed.  I spoke to myself, “I have found the treasure and saw the reflection of moon in her.”

  One week later. The girl came to Chennai to see me. Her father accompanied with her. I was working as a Software Engineer in Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).  Her visit was a sign that I won the match. But, she thought that she won the match. Her father verified and assured that I was a staff in Tata Consultancy Services. And the office environment impressed them because the receptionist gave positive things about me.   

I took them to hotel Saravana Bhavan, Radha Krishnana Salai for a coffee and I did not spend much more than 15 minutes showing them that I was busy. I set my eyes on her. Four eyes met! Her facial expression pulled in and both attracted each other, exerted equal and opposite poles of magnet, interpreted the language of life, a spontaneous kinship. Then on she illuminated me and I was floating. I visualized her as my better half, liked to make a pledge. I urged his family members to go for betrothal and we betrothed.

"Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what [a]fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?” 2 Corinthians 6:14–15

35 Second Covenant

 1998                                                    

Our marriage was instituted and ordained on 15th April, 1998 at CSI Church, Marthandam. We committed completely to each other. United and built together. Lovemaking blended. It reached its state of heights. An eternity in relationship attained its ideal point. “Burning the feather alone breaks the bonds between us,” we felt. 

I had a H1 visa at that moment and decided to work in the USA. Therefore, I resigned my job from TCS. My wife informed our travel plan to her friends proudly. Her passionate mother, a Government hospital staff nurse broadcasted the news to the entire population in and around of her domicile. Her father, a retired Kadhicraft staff conveyed the journey to his relatives. 

I urged my father-in-law to get a passport to my wife. “Apply for a visa first and he will apply for the passport later,” he responded. “Passport is a mandatory document to stamp the visa and hence passport first and visa second,” I conveyed and convinced him.  At last, he agreed and permitted to apply a passport half-heartedly.

Regional Passport Office, Trichy, liked us to fly together and therefore issued a passport in an urgent basis. The news spread out in and around. Soon the villagers’ started talking about our travel and it became the talk of the village.

One week later. My wife appeared before the American Consulate for the Visa. The Consulate rejected her Visa. “Do you go alone leaving me in India?” she cried out. I did not give any answer. I noted her turned pale facial look. Therefore, I decided to cancel the travel without any second thought. I gaped on her as lovey-dovey. I was not willing to travel alone due to the holy bonding and affinity with her; and was unable to fly on my own, in fact. Therefore, I looked out a job immediately in India. “Joining both hands and hearts of us enjoy the soaring love of the eagle,” we realized.

However, I reviewed the reason for the visa rejection and made her to appear for Consulate interview - second time. I instructed her, “You have to carry essential documents and demonstrate to the officer that you are my wife.” “Hmm... that is the truth,” she responded casually. “But, you have to prove it to the Consulate through evidences. They do not look at you and decide based on your appearance. You must convince them with the facts in hand,” I elaborated.

“What evidences? What facts?” she questioned innocently. “Carry the marriage certificate, wedding albums etc.,” I listed and lectured. “Never provide any false or irrelevant information to the visa officer,” I warned. She responded saying “okay, okay,” and gave a big smile and nodded her head. She gained the confidence from my long lecture. “She will get the visa,” I believed. “With confidence and belief one can do anything,” I determined. 

May 22^nd morning! We both went to Cathedral Church, Dr. RadhaKrishan Salai, Chennai, close to American Consulate. She prayed there for few minutes. Then, she appeared before the Consulate. There was no enquiry. She got the dependent visa. A more joyous day!

"But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.'  'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one.  Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." (Mark 10:6-9)

08 My First Speech

1981.

I grew up in a small village. After school hours, I was helping to my father who used to climb Palmyra trees in the night time. On weekends, I worked as a daily wager. There was no electricity at my home and there wasn't any need to open the books at nights. Therefore there were no tensions like the children of this generation have. We were Lucky!

I was twelve years old then and was in seventh standard. There were nine pupils in my class: seven boys and two girls. One girl wasn’t set to seventh and she turned down the other girl. It left only seven boys alone in the eighth grade. We were Unlucky!

I was the school pupil leader then. It was St Gabriel’s Roman Catholic Middle School Thickurichy is located in the hill area, surrounded by the shady trees on the bank of the cool Kulithurai River. Students studied under the trees. The boys carried a black board to the spot and used the solar light and wind as natural utilities.

  

Seven names of my class mates: a helpful Paul Raj and a smart Paul Raj the second; a tall soft Valsalam the third and a fast Justin the fourth; a brisk Christu Raj the fifth and the sixth a brilliant Jayakumar and myself Jebamony Mathias the last the author of this memoir.  

On the way to the school, at least thirty children from every corner of the houses joined in my hang, aged between five and twelve, and we moved as a herd. I was on the front and my younger brother Doss on my left; and my cousin Arul on my right - two protectors. All thirty children voted for me and I was elected School people leader in my School. The total strength of the School was not more than Seventy Five.

The Tamil Nadu Government gave a limited amount of wheat upma in the afternoon as part of the noon meal scheme. Otherwise most of us could not have continued in the schools.

I made my first speech on the stage when I was in the eighth standard. My teacher, Ratna Bai, a Tamil bandit asked me to participate in the elocution competition.  I can’t say ‘No’ to her. The task given had turned out as an adventure to me. She prepared a very simple organized script. And I memorized it in a less time on the same day. But, I had to wait another fifteen days for the competition. And I became nervous on every single night and was awaiting to meet the challenge.

In the midst, my elder brother, a very knowledgeable History man, introduced an English quote in the speech. Pronouncing English words were very prestigious and I too felt it as an honor and therefore by-heart the quotation more than hundred times. I was murmuring with those words while walking, bathing and eating. The quotation echoed wherever I went: market places, lakes, hills and so on.

I rehearsed it several times and was ready to deliver the speech within a time of two minutes overall. The speech sections include: opening paragraph, theme, concluding paragraph, and a closing line.

It was 14^th Nov! The time had come! My turn came at four in the evening. As soon as the Jury called my name, I walked to the stage in a roused mode, and stood near him majestically. The bell rang up. I let out the words in a high tone with all my energy, and began to pelt the English words. In a hurry, I pronounced the quotation as “Nehru is born of the poon” and thereby I missed the leading s in the word spoon and then struggled subsequently seeking the right word to continue. The Jury noted my inappropriate pronunciation and incomplete presentation and improper posture. The Tamil bandit showed her faded face sitting at the front row. She embarrassed me!

  

However, the crowd was anxious to hear my foreign language (English). They thought that I was rocking with vocabularies. Having seen the expectation of the audience, I resumed and tried the quotation saying, “Nehru is born of the spoon of the India,” and then stammered again, failed again to continue. After that I sounded out the same quotation very fast, in different rhythms, in a different body gesture for several times like a cinema actor generally performs in a typical Tamil comedy movies.

The audience did not realize my incompetency (today we see it in reality of the skill of leaders) but instead the innocent public thought that I was rocking and more applause therefore!!! But, truly, I was stretching my arms unusually because of my restlessness on the stage and therefore was babbling in an excitement. At last, I concluded the speech as “Nehru is born of the spoon of the silver of the spoon of India.” That was my own English!!!  

Finally, I received a special prize for my confidence and braveness for my participation. That had turned me out as a regular participator in the elocution competitions and later on and I won several prizes.

The right quote that I had to pronounce was “Nehru is born in silver spoon in his mouth.”

I could speak and write English on these days. It is the unmerited favour and mercy given by my Lord. He saves us through His grace and not according to our work. “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline,” and I believe the Word which strengthens me every day. 

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. (Psalm 127:3)

                                            - Jebamony Mathias

04 God's First Call, Chosen NOT!

1981.

I was thirteen years old then and was attending the Roman Catholic mass. Though I had the fear of God, it was a worldly fear because I did not have complete Faith in Jesus Christ after seeing our local Church functioning by the elders with money and muscle power.

Looking at my outer discipline the Catechist of the Church recommended me to go for priestly studies. I nodded my head and therefore the parish priest wrote my testimony in a tablet, and kept it inside a cover, sealed it, and gave it to me to submit to the Seminary Superior. I tempted to see the testimony content and therefore on the way home I removed the seal, read it, put it back, and shaped it up as if the seal was not at all touched. The  matter inside was, “I was characterized as a lamb given by Jesus.” On reading the words I got the fear because I knew my inner dirtiness. I was not worthy for those words!

Anyway, I went to the seminary on the called out day. The priest interviewed me. He tested my integrity, very particular about the sealed letter and I failed in the interview for the major mistake I did in opening the cover and hiding the truth before the priests. They treated me in a humble way and asked me to return to them after passing out my 10th standard stating that I was not prepared to take up God’s call at that instant. I turned agitated and asked irrelevant questions to them!

God predetermined me. He called me. But, I failed in the integrity test. It was my option! Several are called out but a few are chosen.  As we read an incident in the Book of Judges that just three hundred men were chosen out of the 32 thousands called out to take-on the midianites under Gideon - God’s raised up deliverer.

Beloved! If God is calling us, we also have to make change in our personal life as stated in Ephesians 4:1 “to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”  God blessed every one of us with heavenly blessing and we read it in the verse, “just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” Eph 1:3 and “All things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” (Rom 8:28)

02 From Author’s Archaic

When I write every word, I prayed that the undertaken work should not go in vain. This memoir is written honestly and frankly. The information is 99 per cent accurate.

I do not have courage to present this gift, up until I counselled people who are diagnosed with terminal diseases. I have partially understood their emotions how they get along with the world. They make me to brush up on my history and I am making this discovery.

Even though I fell sick several instances and collapsed at times while recalling and penning down the experiences, Jesus Christ strengthened me and He did not allow me to give up the writings despite I need to work hard to meet the incredible post-operative medical expenses - a normal person could afford and cannot sustain otherwise. 

Most of the material was inked during commutation. I depended largely on my memory to write the memoirs because I have not maintained any diary or notes. It is very difficult for me to focus where to begin this discovery. Should it be from infant or child or adolescent or adult? I am still not clear.  Even to this day! Situations make me to journey through crest and trough. Ups and downs! It is very hard to describe. Tearing and bleeding happened, but, Spirit of Jesus is strengthening me to face the world’s challenges. 

Unexpected events have had happened at times. They were redirected in a meaningful way and therefore a meaningful life. Circumstances have buffeted me from one situation to another. The outcome is this gift.

 The book must reach to the deserved. The book is neither about the history of illness nor some incidents. It’s all about how God lead us when things happen in an unexpected way and we are not to fear and not to fail over, but to walk with Him.  This work is a commitment and not a longing and therefore I will continue to write up until it is being recognized. The commitment is ‘not to be served and but to serve.’ I am a witness to my Lord’s miracles, signs and wonders. I have missionary ambitions and therefore the journey continues reaching the destination.

                                                                                 - Jebamony Mathias               

03 Post to Kidney Transplant - Back to Life

Jebamony Mathias is an Instrumentation Engineer. He was born in Thickurichy village with eight siblings. His father was a daily wager and mother, a home maker. He underwent his B.Sc graduation at St Xavier’s College, Palayam Kottai, India in 1988. Madras Institute of Technology (MIT), Chennai, India awarded B.Tech and M.E degrees in Instrumentation Engineering in 1991 and 1993 respectively. He completed M.A Christian Studies from Madras University in 2017. 

Tata Consultancy Services India hired him as a software Engineer in Feb 1993. In 2001, he was with Standard & Poors Credit Rating division, New York, USA. By then, he was suffering from dreary kidney disease. As a result, he nearly died. His wife was seven months pregnant then. They landed in India on emergency in Dec 2001. God blessed them with a baby girl named Nivetha on 9^th Feb 2002.

His younger sister offered one of her kidney and he underwent Kidney Transplantation on 15^th May 2002 at Apollo hospital Chennai. He is distilled with a second life, a renewed hope. He helps to orphanages, sponsors the hill tribe children, visits the missionary fields and stand as a witness in churches as a missionary. He attempts to reunite the separated couples, counsels the deserved; mentors the needed; and encourages people to pursue their dreams.

He is the Chief Technology Officer in a growing Corporate and building career to the young Engineers and giving business solutions to Business Managers. He is a role model for those fighting the dreaded disease. He reminisces, put away the memories of life; expressing out his experience in writing. He looks out neither an unparalleled career nor a highest civilian award, but, to serve the poor and teach the Gospels.

The book is an experience of some of the storms in his life and how he gets along with. It’s about how he is on the way back to life. In his early thirties, he had everything – education, money, wife, job, home, successful career. But, in later thirties, he lost everything for a while. ‘Life is empty,’ he says. Everyone come to this world in empty hands and everyone will leave this world in empty hands. "In the end, when it's over, all that matter is what we've done," he quotes.

This book has 4 divisions: his youth days in India, his stint in the USA, his survival back in India and his joyous journey as a missionary. He looks for a spiritual transcendence. He is interested to work for the hill tribes’ education.

He may be reached at jebamonyma@gmail.com