Christmas in a temple

A few days prior to Christmas I read in

my newspaper that a Mr Upadya (Upadhyay)

would be celebrating Christmas in his (Hindu)

Sai Baba temple and organizing a picnic for

orphans.

The Lord spoke to me and said this was a

good opportunity to share the love of Christ

with the disciples of the godman Sai Baba.

I decided to pay them a visit and gift them

Christian literature and CDs.

My Mom and sister we not very pleased with my

going alone, as strange things have happened to women

in temples and other religious places,

but I was determined to go

in the Lord 's name confident that His

hand was upon me.

While other church folk were busy preparing

our love feast and basking in the sun I slipped out quietly.

Not knowing where to find Mr Upadya

(no address was mentioned)

I went to the most popular Sai Baba temple of the city.

There I got Mr U 's address in an unfamiliar part of the city.

I hopped onto a rikshaw and asked him to take me

to Durga Park, a residential

area of rich and wealthy people.

Upon reaching the temple cum house of Mr U

I met the priest (picture below)

who told me that everyone was

away at a picnic with orphans.

I was quite disappointed and gave him

my packet of literature and Cds, leaving

a message for Mr Upadya.

But the priest insisted that I stay

a while.

He disappeared into the huge

palatial multi storey house.

(Below -the entrance)

Mr Upadya is a multi millionaire

bridge contractor (builder).

The priest brought me a plate

of refreshments and water and

told me about the Sai Baba and his

various charitable works.

Then the priest invited me to visit the temple.

Although there was hardly a soul stirring

in the huge house,

which made me nervous to follow him to the 2nd floor

of the house

I did not look back.

The temple hall festooned for Christmas

Here the disciples sit on the floor for devotions.


Sai Baba is worshiped as an avtar or
incarnation of god, Jesus also one of them.
He has many rich disciples in the West.
More than 25 years ago ,Tal Brooke the son of an American diplomat
became his disciple and started living
in his Ashram in south India.
A missionary couple witnessed to Tal
and started to fervently pray for him.
Tal who was amazed at the miraculous happenings
at the Ashram refused the thought of any other god.
But gradually his eyes were opened and he saw
the TRUTH.
You can read Tal Brooke 's story on his books,
'The Lord of the Air ' and
'Avtar of the Night '


In the early 80s while attending a revival meeting
I spotted Tal Brooke in the crowd and told my
family and friends about him.
I recognized him from his photograph.
At that time he was writing 'The Avtar of the Night '
He was living incognito with a mission group
( I can 't name them) and was much hunted by
Hindu radicals for exposing the guru.
His book had been banned in India.

We invited him to speak in our church
and he accepted our invitation, but was very nervous
of unknown people. We could understand
that because he had been given life threats.


So this was a great opportunity for me to
go to this place.
Hoping another Tal Brooke might arise
from here.
You can pray with me


A Christmas tree in the library

Overlooking the balcony.

This is Durga Park, a place for the affluent

to relax

The neighbouring houses.

Manicured gardens surrounded with high walls.

No poverty in sight.

Some people have these fenced gardens

outside their walls . They look pretty

and prevent people from damaging

their walls

A TV tower in the vicinity

Another large house.

Visiting the temple and sharing Christ with them by way

of literature and Cds made my Christmas meaningful.

To paraphrase the song-

" Go tell it in the temples

All over India and everywhere

Go tell it in the Ashrams

That Jesus Christ is Lord".

Philippians Chapter 2

5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

6Who, being in very nature God

did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,

7but made himself nothing,

taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

8And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself

and became obedient to death—

even death on a cross!

9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place

and gave him the name that is above every name,

10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.
(New Testament)
Glory to God in the highest.