UNIVERSITY JOB
After uncle, aunt and pastor left, the situation was same at Thiruvadavur. Dad didn’t communicate to anyone, looked very furious and was disappointed that his murder plan didn’t work out. Mom always sat in the kitchen calmly and Omar spent his days in a
nearby room. When dad was at home, there was pin drop silence, because talking would provoke his hostility. Dad's friends attempted to ease him. Sometimes after friends left he battered mom severely and she was like a torn rag. Her face and body became swollen and red. One time he held mom by her ears, lifted her high and threw her to a corner; she hit the wooden door post and fell flat; he sat on her chest and tried to strangle her. Suddenly she was filled with the Holy Spirit and tried to entangle herself from his grip with force; he was stunned, loosen grip, returned to his chair. She got up....anguish over came her and went to the kitchen staggering with tears in her eyes. She thanked God for protecting her from fatal danger.
Often dad spent the night in deep thinking and smoking either lying on his bed or sitting in the house patio or village munshief building across the road. He tried hard to entangle the knots in his family. He was like a furious beaten cobra after his failures. His nature is that he can't accept any defeat and he'll keep on trying till he succeeds. He used to tell his children before...."Don't live in a city where you don't have enemies: life is like swimming against waves; only live fish can go against water current and dead fish will go along with water current. If you look pitiful people will stamp you, only if you sting them they'll know that you are a scorpion; then they will treat you respectfully". Now he looked like a mad man preoccupied; mom and children's fear increased from day to day thinking that suddenly he might kill them all. They prayed for God's protection. Every day passed like this...during the day time mom and children didn't go out of the house. It was like house arrest.
After some days, dad demanded Omar to bring all his certificates saying that one of his friend promised to get him a job at Madurai University. Omar replied that his certificates were in Vadugapatti. Dad asked him to go the next morning and return the same night with the certificates as they are needed urgently. When dad went out, mom said, "Omar! I don't know what's happening..... it seems like a big change; if you get a job...atleast you can escape from this hell; still be careful...don't bring all the certificates, hide some of them". Omar agreed and went to Vadugapatti the next morning; on the way he visited sisters Christi, Radha and Sounder's family at Madurai. They listened with concern. Omar asked them to pray for the salvation of his dad and went on his way. At Vadugapatti he met pastor Stephen secretly. Certificates, bibles and song books were hidden in a friends place. Omar got his S.S.L.C., P.U.C., and B.Sc. mark certificates. He handed over all certificates except B.Sc., degree as he couldn't hide the other certificates from his dad. He locked them safely in a steel safety bureau which was four to five feet tall with many steel walls and many secret locks. Only dad had key and knew to open it. Days went by and he gave some excuses for the job at the university; afterwards he didn't talk about it. Mom and Omar were afraid to ask him about it. Later they understood it was a trick to get his certificates.
Here after he would not give back certificates; now Omar lost the certificates which were key for his future. To apply for any job he needed S.S.L.C. certificate.....now he can't look for a job and can't go for further studies. Dad succeeded in ruining his future completely. Mom stated with faith, "Omar! Your dad did this; God can create streams in desert; we can't do anything about it...but God knows everything". Omar sadly said, "What will I do without even a single certificate?".
Dad hired a servant to fetch water to the house; latter he stopped him and Omar had to fetch the water. Around ten o'clock in the morning he used to carry the water pot on his shoulder crossing the road and city office to fill the tanks. It was office of the revenue inspector, accountant etc., they were all dad's friends. People who visited those offices questioned dad, "What sir? Why are you imposing on your son...a university graduate...to carry the water pot?". Dad replied that too much education brought about this situation. He thought that this would bring Omar to his senses. Hearing these things mom was downhearted. Mom reminded, "Omar! God left His glory and came down to this earth for us. He was born in a manger. They mocked him. He kept the same path for us to follow. Jesus challenged us... If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow me (Matthew 16:24). This is our cross". Omar mentioned, "These sufferings are nothing when compared to God's suffering for us. Let's thank God for granting the privilege to suffer for Him". God gave them great joy. Bible proclaims, "The sufferings that we undergo now cannot be compared to the glory that is to come" (Rom 8: 18). God will give us a glorious crown in heaven for all the suffering that we endure now. Mom recalled, "Omar! Once I read in a book about some vision... that in communist countries those who suffered and died for the Lord ...when they entered heaven their wounds were shining like precious stones". Even in sufferings they rejoiced. They didn't have bibles, song books, no fellowship with other Christians and they couldn't pray openly... still their souls were communicating with the Lord. God offered them special grace. They felt His presence, power, peace and joy. They recognized Jesus more closer to them in those sufferings.