I was visiting a small village in India called Amloha Village.  It has around 600 residents and is said to be haunted.  Just a few years back, it is believed, a curse was placed on the village.  They believed they infuriated a god.  Every Thursday for months, a seemingly healthy resident would die in broad daylight. The victim would literally drop dead where he was standing.

Suddenly this small village was gaining world wide attention.  The phrase “Things that go bump in the light of day” was used to refer to this village.  Due to all this fairly recent (unwanted) attention, American travel agencies began creating haunted cruises and tours, including Amloha in the program.

Now this was not like what you might see in Cancun, Mexico, not by a long shot.  This village is still extremely poor, the “streets” are dirt, as well as, the “yards”….which are basically all the same, as the children run and play all over the place.  The only “cars” you see are golf carts.  There are bikes and many mules with wagons.

The village felt safe, as crime among this small group was basically unheard of for 2 reasons.

*They were such a small group, they were like family.

*The gods frowned on murder and would curse the village.

If a villager suspected someone was going to commit a crime — murder, theft, anything at all; the witness was to report to the chief.  The suspect would then be brought before the chief and the residents were required to be there as well.  The suspect was then made to confess his crimes or his thought of committing crimes.  If he did not, he would be put to death.

However, if he confessed, he would be placed in a cellar like bunker in the ground.  It was all dirt–floors, walls and ceiling.  The suspect would be made to stay in the cellar for 90 days. He would have food and fresh water everyday. There would be no socialization.  No sunlight.  The victim would not step foot out of the cellar until the 90 days were up.

This gives you a bit of background on this village.  Now for the reason I have decided to include this with my Project 365, Post a Day:

I was out and about checking out tiny shacks which had been converted into shops, simply by placing a sign on the door and having someone yell for you attention as you walked by.  I stopped at a shop which caught my eye.  It had a trinkets that were very different from the other shops.  An elderly woman who look to be about 175 years old quietly sat in the very hot sun in front of her shack/home/store.

When I approached her store, she looked at me a gave me a toothless smile.  Something drew me to her.  She was mysterious and there was something about her that seemed familiar.  It was like I knew her, as if we had seen each other before.

She said, “Honey, if you do not mind, I’d like to ask you a few questions.  When I am satisfied, I have enough information, I will choose the perfect item for you.”

I was thinking this was a clever gimmick to get me to buy something but I agreed with a smile, as I did like her so.

She asked for my favorite color: yellow

She asked if I had any hobbies or ambitions: writing

How many children:  2

And that was all!  I expected several more, I was thinking perhaps she was going to tell me my fortune.  However, when she said that was all, I was puzzled.

Without saying anything else, she want over to a small cabinet, which displayed some beautiful and very unusual things.  She chose something which looked like an egg.

Very carefully she handed it to me, saying it was very fragile.  I studied it for a moment, sure enough, it was an egg!

She went on to say the egg represents life.  It is Mother Earth, it is woman, it is birth, it is death, it is heaven, and it is hell.  It all depends on our choices within our life as to the outcome of heaven or hell.

She said she chose this for a very important reason.  She said I am ill.  There is something very vile growing inside me.  Within about a month, I would know what it is.  She was unable to “see” what the illness was.  She said to keep the egg in a safe place, but a place where I could see it everyday.  She told me to hold the egg and rub the shell on my cheeks, at least once a day everyday.  I was to begin this routine tonight when I get to my room, and every night all from now on and all through my illness.  I am not to stop until I have been given a clean bill of health.  She said when she looked at me, she could see past my eyes.  She can not do this with everyone.  Only those with kindness, and with something life threatening about to happen.

I purchased the egg. The asking price, only $3.00, and hear I thought she might be after a large sum of money.   I looked into her eyes and knew she was and hungry.  I gave her more than the $3.00, but I do not believe in revealing how much.  I feel this would be bragging and I do not like that.  I believe you give out of love, not expecting or wanting anything in return, including praise.

I didn’t believe her story, but I truly liked her.  I can’t explain the connection I felt to her.  I still feel it today, and wonder if she is still there and running her little shop.  I examined the egg a bit more when I got to my room.  It is the size of a goose egg.  It has been drained with the shell completely intact.  Someone painted beautiful praying hands on one side of it.  When I touch it, I immediately think of the old woman.  I packed it away with other keepsakes.

When I got home, I put the egg in my bedroom on my nightstand.  I did not do as she instructed, touching the egg everyday, but I did see it.

A few weeks later, I was diagnosed with cancer.  Maybe it is a curse.  Maybe had I held the egg everyday, I would not have got it?  I do hold it everyday now,  and I immediately think of the old woman.

Perhaps, I would not have got cancer had I done as instructed?  Maybe she was an Angel sent from God?  God was testing me, and I failed?  Is it too late now?  I pick up the egg everyday now while praying.  Is it too late?

Dear God, do not let it be so.