Chapter 10

Dear friend @ dear Jim

What happened since was what Baby would never have thought of in her dreams. I, a Hindu by name Velayudhan Nair, converted to Christianity with the name James. This is a new birth to me. Thus we could overcome the greatest obstacle of our lives.

Baby did not have any role in this conversion. She had never hinted that she would marry me if I converted to Christianity, never spoken a single word to attract me to that religion or never tried to influence me to be a Christian in any way. Perhaps, my contact with my Christian friends may have had some influence in this. Most of my friends were Christians. I was invited to their homes for Easter and Christmas. They showed special interest in inviting and entertaining their Hindu friend on such special occasions. As an avid eater, I never showed any slackness in tasting the good food served by their mothers. I have felt that Christians are excellent hosts who will never get tired of treating their guests. I have experienced their tremendous love through such liberal hospitality several times; nobody has ever enquired of the caste or community of the guest. There have never been any notice anywhere that a non-Christian is not allowed to enter a church. Jesus, the good shepherd, has not come to the world seeking the Christians. He had preached in this world for the salvation of the sinners and never asked for their religion or caste. The Christians had gathered under a religion or a particular church only after Christ left this world. In short, Christianity is a religion which has open doors for anybody to enter into any time.

For the same reasons, I did not have any hesitation in accepting such a religion. Conversion to Christianity was not a new thing to happen in Kerala, very particularly for those who were eager for a Christian marriage. It is not easy for a Christian to become a Hindu as compared to a Hindu converting to Christianity. Any number can walk into that citadel, but not a single person can get out of the stronghold of organized religion. The number which has come out breaking the shackles is very few.

It was my friendship with Roy (Mani) and his father that influenced me to think of baptism. Both knew me perfectly well including my love affair with Baby and all the hurdles we had to surmount. That was how I decided to become a Christian and lead a new life.

Mani's father was my spiritual guide. I also called him Appachan. When I could get closer contact with the Christian way of life, I did not find anything strange with it. This link helped me a lot in my metamorphosis into a Christian.

I started my new life on March 3, 1979 with the new name James V. Abraham. I got 22 baptised at the C.S.I. Christ Church at Palayam and stayed with my father, mother and siblings in the rented house at Marappalam.

Baby came on leave in June that year. She called me 'Dear Jim' for the first time inst of addressing me 'Dear friend.' She had realised that a backtracking now was not at all possible. That's why she came taking some firm decisions. She discussed the matter with her family frankly. As they could not oppose our relationship in any way, we arrived at the decision of getting married at a religious function.

Though I had become James, in order to conduct the marriage ceremony in the church, we needed special permission form the bishop. So we went to Kottayam and returned with the required permission from the bishop. Then, there was no delay. We got married on June 25 1979. Like a soldier who waged a heroic war and won, I stood like a victorious general. My face was radiant, like the sun's rays peeping in after days of prolonged rain.

It was time for Baby to return after the receptions arranged by friends and relatives. The two-month vacation sped like two weeks. Baby boarded the aeroplane leaving me alone here. I thought married life after a very long wait would be blissful and heavenly. Just when our life started blossoming in unison, there was the parting. The pain was tremendous, though I knew that the parted ways would join together in the near future.