Women in Focus: Magazine Development

Women in Focus Magazine
Project 2280907

The launch of the Women in Focus magazine in July 2005 has set the pace for evangelism and ministry among women.  After months of planning, the first release of this quarterly bilingual magazine was a resounding success, selling nearly 3000 copies on the very first night of its release.  The Indian leadership’s extended hands of support has been instrumental to the magazine’s continuity.

The Christmas edition of the magazine released in December 2005, has been equally effective with its inspiring line-up of feature articles and real-life stories.

As we continue working together to build a strong base for the magazine to be made available in the Indian market, what is needed at this point is supporting the frontline women to make this evangelistic tool an entirely indigenous venture, replete with adequate staffing in the magazine production department. Subsequent training sessions for writers and staff are also in the offing.   Providing such a strong foundation will serve to take the magazine to the next level where it will become a national force to reckon with, an evangelistic tool to reach women in their homes and through them touch the lives of entire families and the nation of India.

As much as it was a Christmas special edition, the December 2005 issue of the magazine was one that looked in retrospect at the tsunami that struck India and surrounding nations on December 26, 2004. Here are excerpts from ‘Tragedy by the Sea’ – the real life story of Bro. Choodamani Parameshwaran and his wife, featured in the December 2005 issue.

TRAGEDY BY THE SEA

Life always seemed to have the best to offer to me.  Born in a tiny tribal community, I was thoroughly blessed in every way all through my childhood.  My studies, my first job, my marriage to my wife, my children – I had the best of everything.  As a family, we were involved in serving college students and counseling families in and around the fishing villages of Nagapattinam.

December 2004 couldn’t have been more normal.  We had organized a program, ‘Dhool Christmas 2004’ for 400 college students form different colleges.  The event was a huge success.  On December 26, a Sunday, I woke up to my children’s voices wishing me ‘Happy Birthday’.  I was working as Junior Technician – Operations in ONGC and we lived very close to the sea.  Walking and playing on the beach was part of our daily routine.  That morning my kids and some of my relatives wanted to go to the beach.  Like on any other day, the sea was very calm and pleasant.

Against the background of the sea, we were frolicking and playing, having the time of our lives, when suddenly my five-year old son Kirubasan suddenly called out, “Daddy, daddy, look at the sea!” Turning around, I saw something unusual – the sea rise to a height of about 50 feet in less than a second.  We began running in fear.  My son was holding on to me as we ran but we couldn’t match the speed of the water rushing at us at 500 km per hour.  In seconds, it threw us and I found myself and my son bobbing up and down.  I heard my son cry, ‘Daddy, daddy!’ as he drowned.  The second wave threw us apart.  My son probably thought I was going to save him but I was helpless.  I found myself about 750 meters from the shore.  I tried my best to get hold of the palm trees but the waves didn’t let me.  I finally managed to get hold of a tree.  I saw a wall crumble nearby and I took a long, deep breath.  As the water level continued to rise, I climbed higher up the tree.  I survived.

Later, I went in search of my children and relatives.  I found Rakshanya (12), my oldest daughter’s body on the railway track.   I took her body and brought her home.  I found the bodies of three of my relatives.  While I was still searching, someone told me about the body of a little body lying 2 kilometers away.  I went there and found my son lying dead.

I returned to search for my other daughter and found the body of another relative.   After about three hours of searching I heard that a girl’s body was lying in a bush. I found the body of Karunya, my nine-year old daughter.  By then, there was a second tsunami wave.  My nephew and I hurriedly carried my daughter’s body and ran home.  We barely made it.

I spent the entire day looking for bodies of my family members.  I found seven out of ten.  By evening, fear gripped the city and about 75% of the people left the city.

We washed the bodies and dressed them up.  I sent my nephew to get a few wreaths but the shops weren’t open.  I couldn’t even put flowers on the graves of my children and other relatives.  We couldn’t find a single person to help us dig the grave or attend the funeral.  With a heavy heart, I dug the grave and placed the bodies of my children inside and covered it with sand.

I cannot explain the sense of loss and bereavement I felt.  For days together, the tears flowed unceasingly.  The one question I kept asking was, ‘Lord, why? Why my children? Why us?’  It was not until later when the Lord spoke to me, that I realized that nothing is out of His control and that He can bring good out of despair.  And that’s exactly what He is doing – using our experience to bring the message of hope to a world that is torn, lost and in despair.  The pain of the loss of my children and my loved ones is still there, but the hope that we will see them again is stronger.  Today, my wife and I are proud parents of fifteen children who lost their parents in the tsunami.  Evidence that God does work all things together for the good of those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose.

This is a beautiful poem that also appeared in our December 2005 “Women in Focus” Magazine.  It is especially poignant because it is written by a sixteen your old Indian teenager.  These young women are the hope of India.  Read the poem and you will see what I mean.

The Cradle and the Cross
Rhema S. Johnson
Age: 16

Christmas was just a few days away
And everyone was happy and gay
The whole town was decorated
There wasn’t a shade of gray
All the colors made me think it was May!

I also heard a shopkeeper say
“It seemed as if every family
Was willing to pay –
For a big, beautiful manger
Logged with hay”
It was heartwarming to see
My little town getting ready
To celebrate that wonderful day!

I walked through every street
Finding my way amidst the heavy sleet
In every house I saw but tradition
Celebrating Christmas generation after generation –
With cakes, candles, gifts and snow,
Trees, lights, carols and mistletoe.
I saw the carolers singing,
As they went door to door knocking.

Pictures and miniatures of the Savior
As a little baby lying in a manger -
Filled almost every place
Not to mention Santa’s plump little face!

To me all this was a celebration
Of a miraculous child born of a virgin
Until from the Holy Spirit, a revelation came –
When I saw something rare
Across a little fence
And it all began to make sense.

I saw a little white cottage
Surrounded by unusual blue flowers –
In front of the house
Was a scene of the Nativity
Beside it was another –
A scene of Calvary!

With the help of the Holy Spirit
I was able to see
The solution for this strange mystery
It’s rather simple you see –
We are too busy,
Decorating houses and getting ready
To celebrate Jesus –
Only as a baby

We fail to understand
That Jesus was born,
Not to lie happily
In a manger warm
But to eventually give up His life
To save the world from sin and strife

All the same, we should celebrate
The birth of our Savior
In a wonderful way
With glory and grandeur
Never forgetting that this baby
Grew up to be the Lamb
Who sacrificed his life to save
Humanity from Satan’s hands!

Remember that Christmas is –
Not just a birthday,
But a day,
That marks the redemption of humanity
From chains of bondage and insanity.

May this Christmas be filled with
Joy and happiness
And all that you could ask for
Along with the assurance
That your redemption has
Already been paid for!