This is a brief memoir of my mother‘Saramma Verghese’ (85 years)

She was brought up with the strict discipline of the Syrian Christian tradition. Her mother Mrs. Sara was the first person (who came to know the Lord in their family) in her family to know the Lord.Along with her conversion, some wonderful things happened in their home.Her mother Sara’s father Mr. Ulahannan Kakkatuputhenpurayil was staying at Palakkuzha village. At that time there was no gospel preached or heard in that village.One day two evangelists visited the village and decided to do some open-air preaching, and they started singing some songs and was about to start preaching, all of a sudden an angry mob reached the spot and caught them and started beating.Their plan was to kill them and throw their bodies into the nearby river. One of the evangelists was Br. P H Peter lovingly called as “Peter Upadesi” (Now with the Lord), father of Evangelist George Peter of Chittoor.

Hearing the news Mr. Ulahannan, my mother’s grandfather ran to the place, he being the village leader, no one was brave enough to protest against him. By the time it was dark, fearing that the angry mob might attack them again he gave shelter to them at his home.

That night the servants of God shared their testimony and spoke to the family about Christ and the salvation they could gain by believing in Christ.  That was a turning point in their family and my mother’s mother accepted Christ as her personal savior.

Her faith was so strong and she started witnessing the truth to other members of her family.

Her husband Thomman expressed his displeasure and was dead against her new faith.

But among the five children, Saramma and her younger sister Mariamma accepted Christ as their personal savior. Later they decided to take baptism according to the Word of God.

The news spread throughout the village and it was shocking news to the relatives and the nominal orthodox Christian society.

The Orthodox Syrian Jacobite Church ex-communicated them and they were considered outcasts and were not allowed participating even in the funeral services of their relatives.

They faced severe persecution from inside the family as well as from outside.

Photograph with her sister, sister-in-law, children & Grand Children

Some of the prominent evangelists at that time in the brethren movement M/s. K V Simon, Lonappen Upadesi, Peter Upadesi, K. G. Kurian, E P Varghese, C T Mathai, A P Paily, Vattakattu Varkey Upadesi and a few other’s through their inspirational messages and classes strengthened them to be firm in their faith.

Though they faced many problems from their family members, whenever these brethren conduct gospel meetings and Bible classes in nearby places, they made it a point to attend those gatherings.

A few more Christians joined the faith and started a small gathering at Pothanicade near Parambencherry.

My mother’s brothers were dead against her faith (later years they all accepted Christ as their personal Savior) and they were not willing to take care of their parents so she decided to stay unmarried to look after the parents.

Meanwhile, her younger sister got married. The years went by and the parents were getting old. After their death, Saramma’s life and safety became a question, so they convinced her to get married.

A few years passed by and their firm faith in the Lord and the exemplary life they led in the Lord enabled her other family members too to come into the faith. Some of their children are in the service of the Lord.

The Lord was faithful to His daughter and gave her a partner who was a believer. Mr. P T Varghese from Kota, Chengannur, who was a God-fearing, humble, loving, and well-disciplined person.

Evangelist K P Stephen of Thiruvankulam and his wife (she can be seen in the above picture in white dress holding a bag) took initiative in this matter and they were united in holy matrimony.

At that time my father was working as a pattern maker in the carpentry section of the erstwhile Pampa River Sugar Factory – Now Travancore Sugars and Chemicals Ltd-.

My mother was an ideal wife to my father and a loving mother to all of us and an excellent homemaker like the woman in Proverb 31.

She was a mature woman, devoted wife, mother, honorable, humble, unselfish, and kind.  She was a caring and loving mother not only to us but also to the neighbors, especially to the fellow believers.

My mother was so keen to share whatever we had with others especially with those in the Lord’s service.

In spite of our tight financial budget, she always set apart her mite for this purpose and she made this as a practice until her death.

A loving father is remembered on this day called Father's Day. via #pvariel Share on X

Those days running a family of nine members was a great task. With my father’s meager salary it was difficult to make both ends meet. On my mother’s initiative, father bought a cow and started selling milk and manure to the neighboring people and earned a small income from that.

At that time we were staying in the company’s staff quarters. There was a high demand for our milk as it was not diluted.

My mother was so strict that she never diluted the milk with water for sale.

Apart from this, my father used to work in the evening hours after his eight hours of duty at the factory.

He made different types of wooden furniture with good quality wood. This too was in high demand because of carpentry skills and reasonable prices.

A Loving father is remembered on this day called Father’s Day. via pvariel.comA Loving father is remembered on this day called Father's Day. via pvariel.com Share on X

Through their dedicated life, all the children got educated and are settled in different parts of the world. By the grace of God, all are in the Christian faith.

Along with my father, she was an instrument in bringing them up in the fear of the Lord.

They continued steadfastly in the faith till their departure from this earth.

My parents set a good example for us to follow. We, their children are very happy to follow in their footprints.

Though, my mother was a silent doer of the Word of God we are sure that her reward in heaven will be much greater.

We thank God for being the children of these loving parents.

We are seven children, five brothers and two sisters – Rosamma John Secunderabad, P V Thomas Bangalore, Ammini Daniel Bangalore, P. T. John  Chennai, Philip Verghese Secunderabad, Paul Varghese Pulikeezhu, Shaji Varghese Palghat.

Sons and Daughters-in-law: Late John Philip Secunderabad, Glory Thomas Bangalore, M. V. Daniel Bangalore, Sally John Chennai, Annamma Philip Secunderabad, Nessy Paul Pulikeezhu, Annie Shaji Palghat.

Last updated on Published on Jun 16, 2019,