The Story of Anthony. .

In the year 1986, I attended some meetings at Thane Assembly in Bombay. There I met a dear brother Allan Wilcock, who came from Bicester (near Oxford), in England. He was visiting India, and as he had no arranged program, it was suggested to him that he join me as I was traveling to the Northern states of Gujerat, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, for meetings. This dear brother is now with His Lord in Glory, but I did enjoy his fellowship.

We were in the town of Jaipur, where we had been having meetings, and were about to leave for Alwar. We loaded our luggage into a cycle ricksha, & walked to the station while our luggage traveled in style. Once we reached the railway station, we took a shortcut, but the ricksha waller had to take a longer route.

While waiting for the luggage to come I was approached by a beggar, who promptly began to beg for money. As was my habit, I ignored this man, and when the luggage came, I gave the Ricksha puller his money and also gave him a Hindi Gideon’s New Testament, which I had obtained from the place where we stayed. The Ricksha Puller’s name was Rasheed, and he was a Muslim boy. He promised to read the New Testament, I pray that God may bless his word to that man’s salvation, and also the salvation of his wife and family. It was truly "Bread cast upon Waters", and I expect to "Find it after many days". Eccl. 11:1.

While I was writing Rasheed’s name in the N.T., the beggar asked in clear English, "Do you have one for me?" I replied "surely I have one for you, if you will promise to read it", to which he replied, "O surely I will read it". So I produced another and wrote "Anthony", in the front of it, then gave it to him. As he received it he said, "It is very easy to give the Word of God, but very hard to live by it". It was then I woke up, here was a very poor beggar, speaking to me in clear English! And he was saying things that would normally only come from a Christian Believer. I told him that it was not only hard to live by that word, but impossible, unless we live in the strength of Christ’s resurrection life.

I then asked him, "Are you a Christian believer?" and he replied "Yes". Again I asked him, "You are a born again, Christian believer?" and once more he said clearly, "Yes". I then said to him, "Then why are you begging from men? David said "Once I was young, and now I am old, and I have never seen the righteous forsaken, or his seed begging bread". If you are a child of God, then your Heavenly Father, is my Heavenly Father, He has promised to supply our needs. When you beg from men, you dis-honour Him, you say by your very actions, " I have a Heavenly Father, but He does not care for me!" Poor fellow, how my words stung him! He bowed his head in shame and exclaimed, "O I have failed the Lord so badly".

As I write these words, it makes me weep. I was well dressed , I had never known what it was to be hungry. I did not know what this poor brother of mine had passed through. How could I be so bold and unfeeling to speak to this poor brother as I did? May God forgive me!

We then took our luggage, and went in on to the platform, and Anthony followed. While we talked, Anthony looked on, with such an expression of sadness on his face. The poor brother was wearing a flimsy cloth around his waist, (known as a lungi). He was wearing a navy coloured jumper that was several sizes too big for him, obviously the fruit of his begging, and probably given to him by some kind hearted person. Over this he wore another lungi, as a kind of shawl, to try to keep out the cold, because it was very cold at night.

I then began to ask him, "What is your name?" and he replied, "Anthony". This told me that he was from Roman Catholic background, (St. Anthony being the ‘patron saint of children’). I then questioned him as to whether he was trying to fool me when he said that he was a born again believer, and as to how he had failed the Lord. He assured me that he did not drink, smoke, gamble or take drugs, and seemed horrified at the very suggestion. He then replied, "It is mental with me", but I could not understand what he meant. By this time a small crowd had begun to gather. One man asked whether I knew Anthony, hinting that I was being deceived. I told that man that I had never met Anthony until 20 minutes earlier. However I also told him that Anthony claimed to be a Christian believer, and that if he was, then he was my brother, and that I must do something to try and help him.(I was able to distribute 5 Gideons New Testaments amongst those that stood around.) I then took Anthony to another part of the platform, and told him that I wished to help him, but first I must talk with him and ask him many questions. I asked him if he was willing to come to Alwar if I bought him a ticket. He was quite willing to come, so a ticket was purchased, the train came, he got into the unreserved compartment, and brother Allan and I got into the first class. When the train reached Alwar, we were met by brother T. J. Joseph, and another brother, who had come with their van to meet us.

I then told bro. Joseph that I had met a beggar, and that I wished to try to help him, and asked if it would be OK to bring him to brother’s house. I explained that I had no wish to embarrass him, and that if it was a problem, then I could take Anthony to a hotel to stay. Initially it was quite s shock to Bro. Joseph, but after a few minutes thought, he said that it would be quite OK to take him there. May God bless him! So I went back along the train looking for Anthony, and found him standing on the station waiting for me. I then put my arm across his shoulders and we walked together along the platform. We must have looked quite a sight, a tall huge foreigner, and a little dark bearded beggar, so poorly clad, walking together along the Alwar railway platform!

We reached bro. Joseph’s place in his van, and bro. Allan and I went inside for breakfast while Anthony sat outside on the verandah. While we talked with bro. Joseph, the other brother went out and spoke with Anthony. When he returned he was amazed, telling us that Anthony was a remarkable person; that he could speak several Indian languages fluently, and that he had traveled all over India. We sat down to breakfast, and Anthony enjoyed the first real meal that he had for some time, perhaps for weeks. After the meal I sent him to a barber to have a shave and a haircut. I then took him to a tailor, chose some suitable cloth, and Anthony was measured for some pants and a shirt. I then took him to a shop and we bought a nice long sleeved pullover. When later that day Anthony put on these clothes he looked a different person altogether.

The following night, Anthony gave his testimony, such a story as would bring tears from a stone, (as the Irish would say). He began by singing a song in Hindi, that he had written himself, and he accompanied himself by tapping on the pulpit, as though it was a drum. He had a very sweet singing voice also.

Anthony was born in Goa, to Roman Catholic parents. When he was still a baby, the Indians decided to take Goa back from the Portugese. (At that time Goa was a Portugese enclave). The war only lasted a couple of days, as the tiny Portugese battalion was no match for the might of the Indian army. When this happened, Anthony’s father decided that they would now be second class citizens, "Christians", while India was a Hindu nation. He thought it best for them to leave their native Goa, and become refugees, so they went to Ahmedabad, in Gujerat State, where they scrounged some materials, and built themselves a roadside shack. Anthony’s father did not enjoy good health, and the trauma of their war experience brought on a heart condition, from which he died soon after.

His death left Anthony’s mother a young widow with a baby son but she refused to give up. By one means or another, she earned enough to support herself and her son for many years. When he was old enough, she put Anthony in school, until he was 9 or 10 years old, then she took him from school, and put him with a person so that he could learn a trade. The trade was making light fittings, chandeliers etc. and Anthony did quite well at it. He would work during the day, and attend school at night, during which time he studied to the tenth standard and passed his exams also.

Then tragedy struck once more, and it came in the form of racial riots between the Hindus and the Muslims. Many people lost their lives, and large areas of slum dwellings were burnt down. One day Anthony returned home to find that their poor home and possessions were in ashes, and his dear mother had been burned alive.

To use his own words, "When I saw this, I had no more hope in my life, and my mind cracked". For a short time he was placed in a mental institution, but as there was no one to bribe the officials, he was soon turned out to wander like a dog on the streets. (I have seen many such people in India). He had a little intelligence remaining, and said to himself, "I don’t want to live I want to die. It is no use my working any more, then let me beg. If I can get 2 or 3 chapatis, (a round flat unleavened cake kind of thing), each day that is all I need". So he went to Ahmedabad railway station, where he begged each day. He would sleep on the bench seats on the platforms, but as he ate anything, and everything, he soon became ill with dysentery, and for weeks passed nothing but blood. He no longer had much strength, and he was literally dieing on the railway platform.

Whilst lying there one day a young man came to him, and gave him an invitation to some Gospel-healing meetings that were being held in a park in another part of the city. There used to be a group of young people from different Western Countries, that formed themselves into an evangelistic team, and equipped with tents, and vehicles etc. would go from place to place holding Gospel meetings. They were a neo-Pentecostal group, and prayed for the sick as well as preaching the Gospel.

Anthony asked some questions, such as what would he hear at the meetings etc. He was told that he would hear about Jesus Christ. To which he replied, "Jesus Christ!, what can you tell me about Him? I am a Roman Catholic, I have known about Him all my life, but He has never done anything for me!" The young man then asked him, that if he knew about Jesus Christ, why was he lying there dieing on the platform. He suggested that he should come, and that he may hear things that he had never heard before. After the young man departed, Anthony used what little mind that remained to think about the invitation. He reasoned that if he went, they may give him some food, perhaps they might pray for him. Though the only prayers that he had ever heard were the formal ones offered in the Roman Catholic Church, to Mary, Saints and others, and those prayers had never done anything for him. So with what little strength he had left he dragged himself slowly across the city to where the meetings were being held.

When he reached the place, Anthony found that the people were mostly young like himself, and knowing English, he could converse with them. They did not treat him roughly, or cruelly like many others did. They seemed to be kind, but his poor mind was dreadfully confused, and he was sick. He listened to the message that night, but it meant nothing to him, his poor mind was sick, as well as his body. But at the end, after appealing to any that wished to receive Christ to come forward. They appealed to any that were sick and wanted to be healed to come forward also.

Anthony was really sick, and had experienced much pain and weakness. Though his poor mind was also sick, he had enough sense remaining to know that he would like to be healed, so he went forward also. Several prayed for him, with such prayers as he had never heard before. These people spoke to God as though they knew Him, and God did hear and answer their prayers. Anthony was healed, the bleeding ceased, the pain was gone, his appetite returned, and wonder of wonders, his poor mind was healed also, he could now think straight. As these people seemed kind, and did not chase him away, he decided to stay the night there. They even gave him food the next day, and seemed to welcome him as one of themselves.

He listened to the message the following night, and now that his mind was clear, he could follow what the preacher was saying. However his thoughts were clouded with Roman Catholic thinking. He had been taught that there was only one Church, and that was the Roman Catholic Church. There was no salvation except through that Church, and that to obtain forgiveness of ones sins, one must go to the ‘holy father’ and confess. He would prescribe the appropriate penance that the sinner must do to obtain pardon and peace. After the meeting one of the team came to him and asked why he did not confess his sins and receive Christ as Savior. Anthony was under conviction, and replied, "Yes I will, I must go to the ‘holy father." The team member then asked him, "Why will you go to the holy father, he cannot help you. It is Christ who died for you, He only can forgive your sins, why not confess to Him, and receive Him as your Savior now/" This thought had never occurred to Anthony before, and he did repent and receive Christ as his own Savior. Such joy as he had never known in his whole sad life, now filled his soul. He was now a child of God, he now had a living Savior, and a loving Heavenly Father, that he could trust and turn to at any time. He never went back to the railway station or to the begging.

Anthony remained with those people, they gave him a Bible and encouraged him to read it. They taught him many things about the Bible, and that he should be baptized by immersion, thereby publicly confessing his faith in the Lord Jesus. He learned quickly, and soon was baptized and joined that team. As he was healthy now, and having regular meals his strength began to return, and he found great joy in telling others about his wonderful Savior. When the team left that place, he went with them, and during the next couple of years went to several States. He learned to trust his Heavenly Father to supply his needs day by day. He went to jails, hospitals and other places, giving away Christian Scriptures, and literature, and witnessing for the Lord Jesus. To him this was the very greatest life, but he had one regret, ‘if only he had known sooner’, ‘if only his dear mother had heard!’

These were wonderful years, but storm clouds were brewing. The team felt they needed a ‘headquarters’ in India, so it was decided that they would buy a property for that purpose. However some of the Indian members on the team wanted to enrich themselves, and schemed and planned to get their hands on that property. Some of the senior supporters of the organization came from foreign countries to look into what was happening, and when they discovered the corruption that was at work, they decided to break up the whole team. They sent those from foreign lands home again, and the Indian workers they just sacked or turned loose.

To Anthony all this was very sad. He had never owned anything but the clothes he wore, and he never wished to own anything. He had lived a sad but simple life, and had never had any materialistic ambitions. It was no trouble to him to reject the world and its things that glitter. But now because of the selfishness and greed of others, he was cast loose on the world once again. So after praying about the matter, he decided to take up his trade once again. He went to Faridabad, and purchased some tools and supplies, then returned to Madras, where he built himself a roadside shack, and began to make chandeliers once again. Once he had finished one, he would hawke it around the city until he sold it, then he would make another.

While thus engaged he was once met by a reporter from the Doodarshan, (the Indian State Television Organization). This reporter was fascinated by Anthony’s story, and by the fact that Anthony was able to speak many languages, so he decided to do a television program on him. On this program he sang some songs that he had written, and gave his testimony. He was doing quite well, however greater trouble was coming. He had built his shack in a low-lying place, and in the path of a watercourse, and in November of that year the floods came to Madras. The floods swept away all his meager possessions, tools, supplies etc. and left him with only the clothes that he was wearing, and Rs.800/- in his pocket. This was a great blow to him, but he decided to start again. So he bought a ticket on the Tamil Nadu Express, and returned to Delhi, from where he would go to Faridabad. He enjoyed the train trip, with a ‘bed’ to sleep on, however the train stopped at Hazerat Nizamudin, just outside of Delhi at 3AM in the mornirng, and from there proceeded very slowly to Delhi. A gang of thieves, (dacoits), entered the carriage where Anthony was sleeping. These men were armed, and they proceeded to loot everybody, to steal everything. They stole Anthony’s clothes, money, everything, leaving him only in his underwear. They even stole his New Testament, but when they saw what it was they threw it back to him. At a certain place a lorry was waiting, there they pulled the chain that operated the emergency brake on the train, bundled the stolen goods on to the waiting lorry, and escaped in the darkness. Anthony’s mind cracked once again, this was just too much! What could he do now? The only thing left for him was to beg. He begged on Delhi station, where he collected three rupees, With this money he bought two lungis from a Muslim used clothing stall. (He was wearing these when I met him). He had decided that as Jaipur was a tourist center, he would go there and beg. He must have traveled without a ticket on the train to Jaipur, and probably begged as the train was in motion.

At Jaipur he had a miserable time. Because he was mental, nobody would allow him to go near a tap to drink, and if he did succeed in getting a drink, then nobody else would go near that tap, lest they be defiled. Because it was a tourist place, the railway authorities did not want the platforms to be over-run with beggars and thus spoil the public image, so when a train was expected the beggars were driven outside. Anthony had reached Jaipur four days before I met him, and he had just been driven from the station when I met him outside. What a remarkable example of the accurateness of God’s timing! What a wonderful God we serve, who did not protect His child from trouble, but brought him through it all, in such a wonderful way! Though He has billions to provide for, and a huge world to sustain, yet He kept his eye on that poor orphan from Goa.

When Anthony told his story, there was not a dry eye in that meeting, the hearts of all had been touched. Bro. Wilcock and I had to go on to Delhi, where I was to speak to an Assembly workers conference. Anthony remained at Jaipur, and Bro. Joseph gave him a job as a singing teacher in his school. This was because of his nice voice, and his knowledge of Hindi, (the language of the area.) I gave him some money, and arranged for him to come to Delhi on Easter Monday, when we would go together to Dehra Dun, and other places. Anthony proved to be faithful, and he was waiting for us when we went to the station to take the train to Dehra Dun.

He had a colour photo with him of another Roman Catholic boy whom he had led to the Lord while at Alwar, and he regarded him as his own son in the faith, and brother in the Lord. He came with me to many places, and gave his testimony many times. As he told of God’s faithfulness amidst all his troubles, it never failed to touch the hearts of his hearers.

When we were at Herbertpur Christian Hospital, we stayed in the guest rooms there. When retiring on the first night, Anthony was going to get into the bed fully clothed. I gently explained to him that we do not do that, as it might spoil our clothes, (to say nothing of the beautiful white sheets.) It was only then that I began to realize that he had never slept in a bed before, and that he had always slept in his clothes, wherever he was.

I proved this dear brother to be absolutely faithful, and fully reliable. We went to a place called Kulhal, where we stayed with brother A.P.Ram and his family. The children took Anthony to their hearts, just as if he was their own brother. One morning as they were going to school, the little ones came and gave him a hug and a kiss, and said "Goodbye brother Anthony". Soon afterwards I saw him weeping and asked him what was wrong. He replied that he had never known love like this in his whole life, and that it was overwhelming, too much for him.

We parted soon afterwards, he went back to Alwar, but he did not stay there for very long but took to the road again. Not now to beg, but to spread the precious gospel of Christ. I returned to Bombay, where I had meetings arranged, and soon afterwards to Australia, where I sat by the cot of our little grandson Robbie, day after day, until the Lord called him home to glory. (He died of cancer)

Anthony returned once more to Kulhal, to A.P Ram’s house. He had discarded his European clothes, & was wearing the garb of a Sadhu. (Holy Man). Perhaps he had read the story of Sadhu Sundar Singh, and wanted to be like him? He did not impose on the Ram family, but soon left to return to Punjab, where was the last place that I heard of him. I know that I shall meet him in glory,and there will rejoice to hear the rest of his life story.

Let me appeal to my readers, have you repented of your sins and trusted Christ as your Savior? If not please do so now, He will not only save you from the judgement due to you because of your sins, but will be a friend to you throughout life’s trials. John 5:24.

Perhaps a brother or sister of mine, will read this, and you are passing through very great trials. Perhaps in self-pity you have winged, "Why should this happen to me?" Think of Anthony, and the marvelous grace of God that brought him through all those trials with great spritual profit. Listen to the words of the Lord Jesus to His tried and tested ones, "My grace is sufficient for you!" 2Cor. 12:9.

Perhaps dear Anthony may read this himself, if so. God bless you dear brother, may it bring joy and comfort to your heart, that your story has been blessed of God to many, all over the world. I have written this from memory so please forgive any inaccuracies. Brother Allan Wilcock is now at home with the lord and has been for some years.

Chas.E. Wigg.