Tuesday, July 17, 2007

SHINING JESUS' LIGHT IN HSBC!
Jiphy Jose
Jiphy Jose talks about how one can shine the Light of Jesus in a Multinational Company Sceanario!
Landing the HSBC job
Well, just after my final semester of my Masters in Computer Management course in Jagdalpur, I came to Hyderabad to visit my friends. My brother wanted me to give some time for interviews which would help me later to find a software job in Bangalore - the city my brother worked then. So altogether it was not a bad idea, I felt. An advertisement in Deccan Chronicle, caught my eyes. It was for a walk-in interview for HSBC - one of the world's leading banks. Somehow by God's grace, I cleared all the rounds, and got my offer letter.

Initial challenges and discouragements faced
Initially it was very tough for me to adapt to night shifts which I was required to do at HSBC. Moreover, I was a slow learner. Perhaps, I was the one who took the maximum time to learn things in my tranch. Something I used to feel so depressed about. But I trusted in Jesus. With Him nothing is impossible.

Jesus helped me to overcome them
When all the other people in my team used to attain their goals given them, I used to be the worst performer. I used to feel so very sad and depressed. I work for a process that involved collecting money the American Customers of HSBC owed to the bank. I was required to be assertive and firm to collect the money. But I would surrender to my customers, without a fight. I surrendered my work to the Lord Jesus, and started with renewed dedication. Slowly I got better and better, A day came, when I was the best!

Awards and accolades galore
During the State of the Nation (as the awards ceremony in HSBC is called) I used to look at people getting the awards month after month. I used to think, "Will I get an award someday?" I remember telling my colleagues that I could never get an award, ever! But I was wrong! With Christ with me, getting an award was no big deal. The first award I got was for the "Star Call of the Month". That award became the first award of the many awards I would receive. In the month of July, for the first time I won the most coveted and most sought-after award of the entire process I was in - "The Superstar of the Month". The Assistant Vice President, remarked after I received the award that ever since he joined the company, he had always seen me get award. "Keep the good work, Jiphy!" he said to make my day. It was all by the grace of Jesus! When the Vice-President of my process came to me said, "Jiphy, by now, you must be having piles of certificates, right?" I was so happy. My line manager would boost me with the works, "You make me proud!"

Gospel according to Jiphy
Whenever I reach a particular height in my life, the very next thing that comes to my mind is this: "It's all because I have a big Lord and without him I am a zero, a big zero!" I tried to witness in all possible ways. Here's how: I try to do my work honestly and with full sincerity. My colleagues may never read the Gospel according to Mathew or Mark or Luke or John. But they would read the Gospel according to Jiphy - my life. So I was extra careful. I try to use my talents wherever I can, so that His name shall be glorified through me. I keep off things which are not pleasing to my Lord. There is no place in my life for smoking, drinking, partying, flirting - all so common in the corporate world - because the Holy One, Jesus, lives in me! I used to write or stick, bible quotes in work cubicle, which was read by my colleagues - many of whom did not know the Lord. There were instances when people used to take a print of what I had written and wanted to keep the same with them! At 8 pm, every working day, I am invariably there in what we call the "three minute fellowship" at the office terrace. Duke reads a couple of verses. And we then pray. We ask God for strength to excel in our work so that people would see our "good works" and glorify the Father in Heaven. It is a powerful time we look forward to each night we work. During my off days, I join the Jesus Youth who meet at St. Francis College. The spiritual food I get there makes me strong in the Lord, day by day. Now, I asked be part of the core team of this vibrant group.

(Jiphy Jose, works in HSBC’s Global Servicing Centre at Road Number 10, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, and is Duke’s colleague).

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