November 2002. The only year-end term, when clouds flushes all its moisture to mellow down the otherwise hot, hotter, hottest seasons of Chennai. Weather chill and refreshing, the roads dusty and logged, she felt warm, as sands aroma, when it rained spread around. Mellissa was just another ordinary, with mere wishes and dreams and loads of devotion in her Maker. Yet, both were just mere empty sentiments, for most of her actions seemed like a wayward. At twenty –one, work to her was more of a hobby than a career plan or earning a living. A telesales executive selling for AT&T, Sprint and T-mobile plans, each of her work day went by chanting the online phone script all day. West, East, Central or Pacific, all folks in US had one thing wish common – “No Solicitation calls!!!” Voicemails, Hang ups, Irate Shouts, Request for “do not call list” enrolls, were dull senseless tasks that filled each day. On a particular showery day, as Mellissa made it to carry out the futile tasks at work, she waited as that one exceptional distinctive call dialed by the IVR landed to an East Coast resident. Call went through, the pitch was raised and free hand phone jazz was tipped to be sold. But, the Voice from the other side came out Fuming, foul, irate and loud . Wanting to Hard-sell to meet the numbers of the day, tis telesales executive went on and on with the sales pitch only for the old New Yoker in her near 50’s to get enraged about the Memorized one-line pitch. The New Yorker did not hang up, nor did she request to be enrolled on a do not call list, but choose take out all her life’s anger on the call. She persistently fumed her words of anger and frustration over this solicitation call. Mellissa trying to be courteous listened as the lady continued with her resentment. Anger turned to irate, irate turned to fury, fury to resentment and resentment to tears!! Tears! Yes Tears! Here is why - The old Lady was in her late 50’s, independent enough to earn her living. “I do not have the money to run this day, how do you expect to sell further your rubbish plan” She lamented. “Sell to someone else, it may click, I would not be able to be of any use to you”, her words now sounded sadly deprived. Mellissa felt it was time to shrug away the stupid one-line sales pitch, and put on her natural self. The Old lady continued to lament more of her being caught within nets of debts and how much her life has turned to a ruin. She had no soul beside her for help and the debts have gone overhead that it was completely wild out of hand. “Mam, there is a Way out! There is a God of Impossibilities. He is Christ!” The old lady now smiled out her hopeless sigh, as Mellissa repeated the usual words of a preacher. “Whatever, be your problem and no matter what situation you are in please Pray! You will see the debts going fully away from your Life”, this time old lady was filled with mixed emotions of despair, dissatisfaction and tears. “He cares for you, Mam. Don’t Give up too easily! Just make that one prayer, you will see Miracles”, “Whatever!!” the old lady sighed again, as Melissa spoke about Christ’s providence for her need. The call filled with rage, Tears, Despair and empathy had to conclude with a Hopeless sigh and it concluded. Not knowing what else can be done, Mellissa whispered a silent prayer to Jesus Christ, for the poor helpless Old New Yorker.
Days passed, so did two years, with years more sins, job swaps and windmills of lifetime changes! December 2004, so far away from the nerd years of 2002, Mellisa once received a mail package, quickly followed up with phone call on her personal Phone number. Trying to re-collect, she enquired for more details of this American calling on her cell phone- for she never knew any American personally. She called out her “real name” and said “don’t you remember me? You made so much of a change with that sales call of yours!”. Little was this expected!! “How on earth did she trace a address and phone number of an ex-employee of an outsourcing firm, way far from her Country and with just a pseudo name??”, Mellisa gasped with surprise!! She was happy to hear from the Old lady though, coz she was the very last person (till 2004) that she has advocated Christ to. The Old American lady, all happy and excited, thanked Mellisa for her comforting words in the past. She went on to say how she accepted Christ and how He has helped her over time with the tangled debts. She did claim that she has not fully got out of the debts, but through the Grace of Christ, she has been able to smoothly mange two years. She was nearing her pay-off of all her loans! Her mail package contained a Christmas card, Thank you letter and contact details. Mellisa could not contain her gratitude towards God for helping this old lady. It felt more like a hard pinch, especially when life had sucked her into to the sinful ways of the world. But she promptly thanked Jesus Christ (now who was more of a strange God to Mellisa– for personal reasons) and moved on with life.
There is no trace or remembrance of the old Lady, not even her name!! Not sure if she is Alive or Dead! But the Truth Remains, The old lady in her 50’s (as best she could be identified) was saved that day through Christ. The job was useless and futile, but Mellisa could have been placed on that job on that day particularly to re-Instate Christ’s Providence for the old lady. Thanks to her for letting Mellisa know after years, otherwise, she would have never knew that her plain words worked to be saving instruments of redemption by Christ. Hope, Mellisa gets to meet the old New Yorker in Heaven someday J
Lesson: Boldly proclaim Christ to those in need. One can never imagine what fruits a plain word of Gospel could Yield. I’ve had testimonies as to how suicides were stopped, marriages were sustained, and addictions were set free, through those right words at the right time. So, as the Holy Spirit leads, boldly (and of course, appropriately) reassure His ray of hope.
No comments:
Post a Comment