In our present residence, there are three flats of three BHK each. My family has been living in one of the flats here for over a dozen years now. The ground floor has been used for official and church-related services and my family resides just above it, on the first floor. I commute between home and work daily from the first floor to the ground floor and vice versa. In that way, traveling time to work has been saved. Besides, the house has been very useful for carrying out the Lord's services, not to mention my children's schooling where the school is just a walkable distance from home. Besides, the Lord's presence here has been very much enjoyed by all the members of my family since. Any thought of shifting will be immediately repudiated by my children, and so far, the Lord has never given me the go-ahead for any change of residence for whatever reason or purpose. So we are happily residing in the same residence for many years, following the Lord's leading.
However, one out of the two flats is occupied by many different families. Since we have moved in, seven different entities have come and gone. The last neighbor we had, just shifted a week ago. Before this neighbor moved in, we had been praying that whoever comes in might be our gospel contact. Once the family came in we prayed and began our first contact. In our very first contact, I proposed for a weekly home meeting which they later denied, informing me of their "not interested" in a "religious meeting." That really broke my heart. The reason being, we have prayed so much before they came and once they came, with much hope, we approached them as neighbors and preached the gospel of Jesus Christ. But they prefer to be good a neighbor rather than being a gospel neighbor. Perhaps, I expected too much. But we still continued to pray for their salvation one day.
Last month when I heard about their shifting out due to the ongoing pandemic that devastated my neighbor's all businesses for which he had no option but to leave for home, for now, I was a little disappointed. Because my burden for the gospel has not yet been released for the family. Though I invited them for the online gospel meeting he never attended nor even bother to reply. Once I invited him for a lovefeast, though he promised to join, but did not show up without informing at all. Since then I sensed that they were not interested in the gospel at all. But our prayers for the family have never ceased.
I had invited them again for one last meal together before they left but was never informed when they would leave and when my family could dine with them. Even when I asked him, I was told that it would be considered but was never confirmed. I would not force anyone to dine if they were not willing at all. I left the matter to them to decide, and I decided not to push the invitation further. Twice I have informed them and got no reply. So I reckoned that perhaps, the Lord has a better plan. The last month-end, my neighbor had shifted out. Though I could not bid adieu to them as I didn't even know when they actually left, still my heart prays for them for their salvation one day.
When my house owner requested me to check the vacated flat and sent him a picture of each room for the final handover, I complied with his request. To my surprise, as I checked the rooms, they were all in a mess. I guess they decided to clean it up later. But that the owner wanted me to send photos, I would not send messy photos that might affect my neighbor's relationship with the house owner as the final rent deposit settlement has to be made. Then I decided that that was my last opportunity to do a favor to them. I decide to clean up the entire house and give the best impression to the house owner.
The Lord knew my heart and my burden. When I was just thinking of cleaning up, a maid came to check if there was any work she could do, as seemed to have worked here in the flat before. Immediately I hired her to clean up all the rooms and paid her for her works. Besides, I also repaired the water leakage in two toilets at my own expense. The money that I could have used for a farewell meal which I could not utilize, I deemed it best to use in cleaning the house and gave the best impression to the house owner after my neighbor shifted out. That's what I actually did, and sent my house owner photos of all cleaned-up rooms after handover and takeover. In that way, I could help my neighbor and house owner, not allowing the matter to hamper their relationship while maintaining my relationship with both of them.
Besides, after they shifted, they had piled up bags of garbages for the garbage boy to pick up. But the garbage boy's job is to pick kitchen wastes only and not household waste. So for about a week, the discarded household items were lying on our front lawn. For this too, I hired some local labor to pick them up and discard them at the garbage dump. Finally, all clean-up works were done on behalf of my neighbor.
I was glad that I could do this as my helping hand to both my neighbor and owner. I could not offer anything nor a farewell meal, so at least I could spend some money on the clean-up works and gave a good impression to the homeowner. This little act of neighborly love will one day bear fruit. I hope to meet them again someday somewhere, at the Lord's timing, and that will be for the sharing of the love of the Lord Jesus Christ unto their salvation.
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