DISASTER THROUGH SCHOLARSHIP
Fathima was studying B.A at Madurai Meenakshi Amman college, Mytheen ...B.Com at Thiruppattur Arumugam Pillai Seethai Ammal college, Shahjahan...P.U.C at Madurai American college and Saleem at Vadugapatti high school. To educate them mom needed more than Rs.400 every month for their boarding and personal expenses. Since mom didn't have income from clinic they were in poverty stricken state; she had to sell jewelry and utensils..few she put to pawn brokers in order to send money to children at university. Whereas she didn't even eat properly or went without food in order to save money for children. Every month seemed like a century...still God didn't leave them. Seeing these the neighbors were surprised and asked her how she is able to send so many children to college whereas they are finding it difficult to send even one child to university. Mom encouraged them to pray saying, "Only with my Jesus! I can't do it on my own. He said....ask and it shall be given unto you...seek and you shall find, and knock and it shall be opened unto you (Matt 7:7). If you pray to Jesus, He'll give you....tell Him what you want". Friends accepted the fact it was with God's help she could educate so many children.
Even before they became Christians children received scholarship for university programs on the basis they belonged to Islam. When they became Christians dad refused to sign scholarship application forms...so they were not able to get scholarship. By God's grace, with the help of a family friend, Rasuthevar, they took forms to revenue officers, got their signatures and made arrangements to secure scholarship continuously.Â
One day a Revenue Inspector came home and told, "We received a complaint that your children illegally received scholarship". She replied, "We didn't tell any lies to get scholarship...who lodged the complaint?". According to the complaint, children are not Mr. Thangam's and she is not his wife any more; he asked if it was true. Mom explained, "We neither changed our religion nor our names.....nothing is changed in their certificates. We have Jesus Christ as our personal savior in our hearts; it doesn't mean we have to change religion, its just a change of heart. My husband didn't like this, so he gave us bunch of troubles" and exposed family situation. Officer on hearing the story said, "Do not worry for anything and I will write what you told....in my report". Miraculously children continued to receive scholarships and God helped officers to realize true situation.
The next year also one officer came to interview her for the same complaint and God helped mom to find mercy in the eyes of officer; again they received scholarship. On the third year one officer interviewed her, "We received complaints again. If you don't mind, can I ask you something?. According to the complaint, you have illegal affairs with youngsters in the church and if we go to Vadugapatti church on Sunday morning we ourselves can find out about it". She was shocked and didn't know what to say....felt like a sharp knife piercing her heart; she put down her head with shame, grief gripped her and head started to spin. Tears rolled down her cheeks.
Civil servant who came with officer exclaimed if her husband really told this about his wife since he knew them very well. Officer consoled her and went away. God helped them to get scholarship again. Afterwards dad didn't complain, mom and children thanked God whole-heartedly. Mom told every one about this miracle. Mom said, "There is no end for His mercies. Bible says...thousand shall fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come nigh you. Because he has set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he has known My Name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation. (Psalms 91: 7, 14-16). Just as God promised in His word He delivered us from the snares our enemies".