The phone rang last night from India. Not good news, ”Joy is no more.” This is the Indian expression of death.
Satish “JOY” Meshramkar succumbed to a massive heart attack at 5 am India time. Joy was the General Director of Prakash and second in authority to Loren.
Apparently, he got up to awaken the ten orphan kids for school. Joy and Meenu, his wife, stepped up to the plate as house parents when the former house parents simply left, while the kids were at school. This orphanage is the ministry of one of Prakash’s former students.
Anyway, Joy, fell in the hallway and hit his head. One of the young girls heard the noise and screamed and woke the rest of the house. Joy’s 25-year-old son Joash tried to revive him, but to no avail. He got some neighbors to help put Joy into the car and took him to the hospital. The hospital refused to take him, Saying he is dead. So Joash took him to Mure Hospital, a Christian hospital where Joy was on the Board of Directors. They took the body in ONLY to pronounce him dead by a doctor and then sent the body home.
THE NEXT PICTURES MAY BE DISTURBING
In India the body is laid out in the living room and people come by to give their condolences and view the body. There will be Bhajaans (a singing of Indian hymns with tubla drums.) Our Prakash cooks provided meals for the family and friends.
Bodies are to be buried within the day of death according to Indian law. But due to the fact that Joy’s brother could not get there in time they were given a variance and had to put the body in a refrigerated glass box. Viewing could continue till the funeral.
The funereal will be tomorrow at 10 am India time. The procession will start at the home and go to the cemetery. The service will take place there.
Joy is survived by his wife of 29 years, Meenu. His daughter Mahima 28, son Joash 25 and his father Samuel, also a younger brother and sister.
Joy was the first employee that Loren interviewed for a position at Prakash. The two of them have done ministry together for 25 years. We mourn our brother in the Lord.
I will update with pictures of the funeral when I receive them. Please keep this family and Prakash’s future in your prayers.
