An American decided to write a book about famous churches around the World.
So he bought a plane ticket and took a trip to China. On his first day he was inside a church taking photographs, he noticed a golden telephone mounted on the wall with a sign that read “$10,000 per call”
The American, being intrigued, asked a priest who was strolling by, what the telephone was used for. The priest replied that it was a direct line to Heaven and that for $10,000 you could talk to God. The American thanked the priest and went along his way.
Next stop was in Japan. There, at a very large cathedral, he saw similar golden telephone with the same sign under it. He wondered if this was the same kind of telephone he saw in China and asked a nearby nun what its purpose was. She told him that it was a direct line to heaven and that for $10,000 he Could talk to God.”O.K., thank you,” said the American.
He then traveled to Pakistan , Sri Lanka , Russia , Germany and France. In every church he saw similar golden telephone with the same “$10,000 Per call” sign under it.
Then the American decided to travel to India to see if Indians had a similar phone. He arrived at the Indian State of Kerala, <3 where Shantha and me too travelled over the last week <3 , and in the first church he entered, there was the same golden telephone, but this time the sign under it read “2 cents per call / One Rupee per call.” 🙂
The American was surprised so he asked the priest about the sign. “Father, I’ve traveled all over the world and I’ve seen similar golden Telephone in many churches. I’m told that it is a direct line to Heaven, and in all the places the price was $10,000 per call. Why is it so cheap here?”….The priest smiled and answered, “You’re in Kerala now, Son – it’s a Local Call. This is God’s own country.” 😀 😀 🙂 🙂 🙂
** Here are some pictures of the two churches that we visited during our brief Kerala/Tiruvalla visit last week.
(1) St. George Forane Church, Edathua Palli, & the tomb of Kerala Assisi Puthenparambil Thommachan, the founder of Franciscan 3rd order for the laymen.
(2) St.John’s Metropolitan Cathedral/Malankara Catholic Archdiocese of Tiruvalla. At the cemetery within this campus are the tombs Shantha’s brother Sunny Thomas and brother-in-law Krishnan Christopher.
## 😀 😀 No golden phones in any of these churches as we can speak to God heart to heart free of cost from anywhere including these beautiful churches. 😀 😀
Thanks be to God for all HIS gifts and blessings!
