One day, Barb and Tad Wulliman were on their way to a book-signing of an author they knew. With their friend, Andrea, they stopped for coffee at The Mall of Asia in Manila, one of the largest malls in the world. The mall was packed that day. They felt fortunate to spot a table for four occupied by one woman. In the crowded city of Manila, it is acceptable to ask to sit beside a stranger. Barb sat down by the woman while Andrea and Tad went to get the coffee.
Barb and Shashma,
the woman at the table, launched into conversation quickly when
Shashma’s coffee spilled. As the two women worked together at cleaning
up the coffee, they discovered that they shared something very
important. They were both committed Christians.
Though Shashma had
lived in the Philippines for many years, she was born in India and had
been a Hindu. She was eager to tell the story of how she became a
Christian. She and her family were on a mountain road when they noticed
their car’s radiator was dry. Raising the hood, they realized that
someone had forgotten to put the cap on the radiator. The mountain was
sparsely populated, and there was nowhere to get water.
Shashma’s
son, Ali, was the only Christian in the family at that time. When
Shashma asked Ali to pray to Jesus to send someone with water, Ali
replied, "You be the one to pray to Jesus."
Out of desperation, Shashma prayed to Jesus and asked that someone would come with water for the radiator.
Very
soon after Shashma’s prayer, she saw a man approaching. He wore a
purple robe and had a stick in his hand. He said, "I’m bringing you
water," and proceeded to fill the radiator. He tore off part of his
robe, and wrapped it around the radiator opening to secure it. Shashma
was very pleased and tried to give the man money to thank him for his
kindness.
He refused, saying, "I only did what you asked me to
do. You asked me to bring you water. I’m not going to take any money for
that. However, stop at the first gas station you come to on this road.
There you will find the radiator cap that you need."
Shashma’s
family continued on their way and stopped at the first gas station. Sure
enough! There was one radiator cap, only one. But it was the right size
for their vehicle! Shashma said she then realized that the man in the
purple robe was Jesus. That was the beginning of her trust in Jesus.
Since then, Shashma’s faith has grown as Jesus supplied what she needed.
Today, Ali is a full-time church worker in Nashville, Tennessee.
Shashma’s daughter is head of the communications department of a large
church in Manila.
Barb and Tad Wulliman have served in the Philippines since 1998, working in education and translation ministries.
