This month’s story is the story of how God revealed Himself to two young men born into an untouchable family. Their family was very poor, and was deeply involved in idol worship and various kinds of witchcraft practices.
Younger brother P* was also deeply religious, and he followed in the path of his parents. He was 14 years old when some young people came to his school and, with the permission of the teachers, gave a book to every student. The young people were from one of our outreach teams, and the book was the Gospel of John. He received a book, which he took home with him. He did not have time to read it, but his older brother R* saw the book and began to read it. He was really interested in this story about a man named Jesus. Before this, he and his family had never heard the name of Jesus in their lives.
Who is this Man Called Jesus?
R* was so touched by the book that he took it to the priest in the village Hindu temple. When he showed him the book, he asked “Who is this man called Jesus? Do you know about him?” The temple priest said “Jesus is the God of Christians. We don’t read about him or think about him. We need to concentrate on our own gods and goddesses.”
R* agreed with the temple priest and decided that he would not think about Jesus or read his book. But when he got back home he couldn’t resist, and started to read John’s Gospel again. He told his brother P* about the book, and he too was very much touched by the Gospel. They were both feeling desperate to know more about the man called Jesus. After almost six months of searching, they finally found themselves in a small house church, only four miles from their home.
Fellowship of Suffering
In this house church they received Jesus as their personal savior. As they began to attend the house church, and were drawn closer to the Lord, people in the village misled their parents, and turned them against them. Slowly their parents, friends, relatives, teachers and classmates all turned against them because of their new faith in Jesus. The two brothers went through much persecution for their faith. Their parents locked both of them in a room without food and water. Their parents said “Reject Jesus, go to the temple and bow down to our idol. Then we will give you food.”
The young men refused. They starved for many days. During this time, their parents and relatives beat them repeatedly. They were not allowed in the school, and forbidden to talk to their friends. It was hard on both of them but they endured the rejection, pain, agony, and humiliation with humility. P* said “We don’t know how we were able to endure this. It was truly the Lord Jesus who gave us the strength.” Finally, the villagers forced both brothers out of the village. At only 16 and 14 years old, R* and P* were outcasts. They made their way to the house church, and with the help of some other believers, they rejoined their school and continued their studies.
Power of the Resurrection
During their education, they led many young people to the Lord. They continued their studies in the local college, and they were a great blessing to their fellow students. They started prayer meetings in the college, where students could come and receive prayer for their problems. Our mission leaders have personally heard the testimonies of numerous young people who have been delivered, healed, and touched through the ministry of the prayer groups. Today these prayer groups have grown and spread into several other colleges. They have become instrumental in leading hundreds of young people to the Lord.
By God’s grace, both R* and P* completed their college studies and are now employed by the government as teachers. A few weeks ago, our team was invited by R* to a meeting in his village. He told us that his parents, the same ones who had persecuted them for many months for going to prayer meetings, the same ones who forced them out of the village, now wanted to be baptized! He asked us to come to his village and give them baptism.
The Harvest is Plentiful
A few weeks ago, we were in his village, where around 200-250 people gathered together in the courtyard of his house. During the meeting, we were amazed to hear beautiful Hindi hymns sung by the people with great respect and reverence to God; these same people who have praised idols for many generations. When we shared the Gospel with them and taught them the meaning and importance of baptism in their lives, ninety-two people came forward to receive baptism. These are the same villagers who drove out R* and P*, and persecuted them. Today, R* and P* are the only college graduates in their village. The villagers told us “These brothers are really a blessing to all of us in the village. They show us the way to salvation and eternal life. We want our children to be like them: caring, loving and responsible.”
Today in that village more that 200 people regularly meet to worship the Lord in Spirit and truth. The villagers even donated a piece of land for a church building, and we were honored to lay the foundation stone.
As we traveled back to the main highway, R* took us to a number of villages, where we met several well-educated young men who have come to know the Lord through the prayer groups in the colleges led by R* and P*.
After seeing all this, while driving away, our hearts were filled with joy and gratitude to God. Today we are experiencing the fulfillment of the prayer we prayed many years ago “Lord how will these people hear the Gospel and who will share the Gospel with these people?” Today we know who will share it! Yes, our God is raising up native indigenous young men and women in the villages to be an effective witness of the Gospel. Jesus said “I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18 KJV)
Sowing into the Harvest
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“I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
Matthew 16:18 KJV