Since I was a young girl, my parents have had family friends who were more like family to us. There was one couple in particular who I thought of as my own uncle and aunt. I referred to them as Appachen and Ammachi.

Having a background that hails from South India, I realized that public displays of affection were uncommon in our culture. But how Appachen and Ammachi related to one another as husband and wife broke the mold for me. 

I watched how this sweet couple walked alongside each other. They had affectionate nicknames for each other. Appachen and Ammachi were involved in various facets of the church and they supported each other. In fact, they did just about everything together including regularly showing hospitality to people. Ammachi was bubbly and boisterous while Appachen was a gentle giant – together they possessed great strength in the Lord. 

Although this sweet couple did not have children of their own, they parented many with their godly counsel, words of correction, sense of humor, and oodles of love. 

In fact, I was privileged to be a recipient of such and I will always be grateful. Even after Appachen and Ammachi retired and moved to India and then, to Florida, their presence in my life was tangible. (The pic shows them on the left. They had traveled back to NY weeks before my wedding.)

When I think of Appachen and Ammachi, I am reminded of the godly couple Aquila and Priscilla in the Bible. The book of Acts tells us how they diligently worked together as tentmakers. Aquilas and Priscilla were also beloved friends of the Apostle Paul and labored with him to win souls for the kingdom of God.  As if that wasn’t enough, both of them were loving teachers to Apollos, who wanted to evangelize, but had limited knowledge about salvation through the Cross.

When Aquila and Priscilla are mentioned in Scripture, they are always mentioned together. They appeared to be inseparable. 

That’s exactly how Appachen and Ammachi were, too. After Ammachi passed away, Appachen could often be seen on his phone gazing at photos of her and remarking about her beauty. Just months after her promotion to heaven, Appachen went to be with the Lord last week. “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants.” (Psalm 116:15)

Each of these couples was a reflection of the love that Christ has for us, the Church. They used their God-given gifts to be a blessing to those around them. As a result, they have made an eternal difference for the sake of the gospel and their legacy will live on for generations. 

Dear Friend, I pray that the lives of these couples encourage you today.
~Joyce