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Ishika

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me.

It was a peaceful afternoon I sat comfortably on my bed, reading my last verse for the evening. I'd recently been listening to a little devotional on the YouVersion Bible app that highlighted this verse.

My mind swarmed with all sorts of questions and scenarios, trying to foresee how in fact all things could be attained with Christ, but sometimes, I came up short.
I knew it wasn't on his behalf though. It was all me.

My parents had been hardcore Hindus since before any of my siblings and I were born, raised and taught in the practices. It was only right for them to raise us the same way. It was easier for Sachee to accept their ways without questions, conforming to their roles and traditions straightway.
I, on the other hand, had always been the one to ask questions.

Mama, why do we pray to a statue?

Papa, why can't I eat pork? All my friends are doing it!

As a young child, the glorious view of a plain wall would be my scenery as I got countless timeouts for such absurd questions and remarks. In our house, you never question the ways taught by generations before us. You just conform.

I hated it.

So much so that one night I'd ran off, planning to run away from home after school one day when I couldn't take it anymore. There were a couple of my favorite worn jeans in my backpack with some t-shirts. My plan was to take the bus to the nearest town and once I did that, I'd figure the rest out later.

It was super idiotic and dangerous of me.

Thankfully, the good Lord must've been watching over me before then because before I could make it to the bus station, there was an old wooden building on the end of a street corner just before that.

It's brown doors were open, held there by two cement blocks. Cars were sparsely parked around the lot, and a couple people trailed in one behind the other with the biggest smiles on their faces. Interest piqued, I followed after them, needing to know what was so good it made all those people hug each other and wave expectedly.

Loud, whiny organ music increased in volume the closer I got, and once inside, I could see people dressed in their best, all singing along with a man that led them up front.
Young me was curious. As I listened to the lyrics, I tried to figure out who the man they talked about washing sins away, and what a sin actually was. My tiny mind could not comprehend everything then, for I was merely a babe.

I'd never forget when a rather portly lady named Susan came up to me and invited me to sit by her. She didn't say much else till the man that led them in singing began to read from this book they called The Bible. Words I'd never heard before and heroic people from the stories he told all grasped my attention, but I was still so very confused.

Susan, probably seeing my expression, took me to the back of the building that I now knew was a church, and asked if I knew who or what he was talking about. When I shook my head no, she began to tell me about the man who died on the cross for my sins; she began to tell me about Jesus.

Years later, I still pray and thank God for Susan even though I never saw her again after that day. After I told her my plan, she kindly shut it down and nudged me on home. I listened to her, but still snuck out to the church every other weekend to hear more about this Savior.

"Hey, you coming for dinner?" Tara called to me as she shoved her feet in her adidas sneakers.

I checked the time on my phone which read seven 'o clock. Rye would not be out of practice for another hour or so, so I decided to tag along.
"Wait for me!"

Tara and I walked leisurely towards the large building that held the indoor cafe. Crowds of students loitered around having dinner and chatting it up with their buddies. We were lucky enough to find an empty spot after we ordered our food.
She got the chicken Alfredo while I chose a tofu scramble dish.
It was surprisingly delicious for cafeteria food.

Tara and I chomped away at our meals, talking about all the upcoming events our school was having. There was this Grace Concert that I wanted to go to, and was in the middle of pleading with her.

"Please oh please Tara! Just this once I promise. And then I'll... make you breakfast in bed one morning!" I tried to use anything I could. She wasn't really the one for Christian music but I'd hope she made an exception for her friend.

"Come on Ishika, you know I don't like that stuff. Besides, I've got a date that weekend," she winks mischievously at me.

I make a sour face at her, hating that she couldn't come with me but understanding her position. I wouldn't force her to do anything she didn't want to.

"Anyways, I was thinking maybe we could-"

"Ishika! Hey!"

Someone called my name out from the crowd. It took a couple seconds of searching before my eyes landed on Kennedy, who was in sweats and a Nike hoodie. Her hair was pulled up into a bun on top of her head, and even though she was dressed down, the designer purse gave her away instantly.

"Kennedy hey!" I wave her over. It takes her a minute to push past the mass of people who, when realizing who she was, tried to ask for her autograph or take a picture with her. Poor Kennedy; I bet that kind of thing gets exhausting.

After awhile she makes it over with Ben, who I now see was trailing slowly behind, wanting to give her space I assumed.

As soon as she gets to our table, she throws her arms around me in an embrace while I return it.

"What're you up to?" Her eyes scan the rest of the dinner I devoured earlier. "Still haven't given up tofu, I see."

"Course not!" I giggle. "Besides, my roomy here eats enough meat for the both of us, am I right Tara?"

My eyes dart to the girl in front of me, only to catch her staring daggers at my childhood best friend. Kennedy, who was now made aware of the extra person, returned the favor, staring her down with equal intensity.

It was all uncomfortable for several silent seconds before I speak up. "Do you two.... know each other?"

"Oh we've met." Tara's voice sounds disgusted.

Looking back and forth between the both of them was starting to give me a headache, so I decided to de-escalate the situation before it even started.

"Well um, Tara and I will be on our way. I'll catch up with you later though Ken?"

She rolls her eyes, sighing in defeat. "Sure, I guess."

"Great! I'll text you."

It literally took a great deal of strength to pry Tara from the table and back to our room before she could unleash all hell.