Last month our national leadership team was visiting one of our mission stations in one of the most anti-Christian states of India. Because of the sensitive nature of this, we can’t mention the name of the state. Believers in this state have been experiencing a lot of anti-Christian activities and persecution for the past few years. Many of our ministry brothers working in the state have been threatened, beaten up, and harassed. Some of them have even been falsely accused and put in prison. In spite of all this, God has enabled our missionary brothers to carry the message of the Gospel to the unreached tribal villages who, until now, have never had a chance to hear the Gospel. Over the last few years, the church has grown tremendously in what was once a tribal area.
On their visit, they were really blessed to see how God is moving in the lives of the people in that spiritually darkened area. They had great joy in baptizing many people in different mission stations, and joining the new believers in worshiping the Lord and in fellowship. One Sunday morning, they traveled to a remote village. On the previous night, after the meeting, some of our people warned them not to go to that area, because recently the Hindu radicals had attacked some of our churches in that area. In addition, they are preventing our native brothers from going to home prayer meetings, and stopping our house church leaders from visiting believers in their homes. Despite the warning, our state coordinator felt that it was time for our national leaders to go and stand with the new believers and strengthen their faith. They agreed, and were on their way to the village for the Sunday meeting.
Seeds Planted, Seeds Sprouting
It was a two hour drive on a bumpy, unpaved village road. As they drove, they passed through hundreds of villages. Five years ago, they traveled the same road, and at that time they asked one of our native church leaders, “are there any Christians in these villages?” The local church leader replied “these villages don’t have a single Christian, and most of them have never heard the Gospel.” For the past five years, we have focused on reaching this area. Several outreach teams have been sent here, and several times our teams have visited this area and conducted public Gospel meetings. Traveling the same road this year, our national leaders asked our local, native leader, who was again traveling with them, the same question “are there any Christians in these villages?” This time, he answered “just a few years ago there was not even a single Christian in this area, but now a good number of villages have regular weekly prayer meetings. Most of the villages have one or more families who attend a house church service in a nearby village.” As they traveled, they thanked God for all He has done, in drawing hundreds of people to Himself!
It Only Takes One Seed
It all began with one woman named Sandya (not her real name). Some of our leaders have known her for 20 years. In 1998, a 22-year-old woman was brought to a small meeting in a remote village by her parents and a relative. During the meeting she became violent, attacking her parents and making loud noises. It was a memorable night. Because of her loud, violent actions, hundreds of village people gathered outside the meeting, curious as to what was happening. Our pastors and a small group of believers who were present gathered around her, laid hands on her, and prayed for her. In front of hundreds of unbelievers, God’s power fell on her, and in His mercy He delivered her from the evil spirits that had been tormenting her. Then they continued the meeting, during which she sat quietly and attentively the entire time. All the villagers who had been drawn by the commotion also sat and heard the Gospel, possibly for the first time. When they gave the altar call, the young woman was the first one to respond, followed by many of the villagers. Later our pastors came to know that she had been brought to that meeting from another remote village, six hours away, because the family said there was not a single Christian or church in their home area.
The Seed Multiplies
Later she was married to one of our missionaries Gagan (again, not his real name), and they moved to this unreached area. They started to reach the villages with the message of the Gospel. They faced lots of hardship and persecution, but our God kept them safe and used them for His glory. Through their hard work and with the support of our partners, hundreds of people have come to know the Lord, and are now being discipled within a local house church. In this area alone, they have trained up more than 49 men and women through our leadership training program to lead the local house churches.
Seed Time Leads to Harvest
As our national and state leaders approached the remote village the sky was cloudy, but their spirits were bright with anticipation. They were led to the side of the village where, filling a rice field, they saw more than 500 people, standing and worshiping the Lord Jesus under a large tent suspended by a metal framework. A team of young native brothers and sisters were leading worship in their native language. When they saw our team approaching the field, the people gave a great shout of “Hallelujah!” They received a heroic welcome as they joined their worship service. All the songs were in the native tribal language, and although our mission leaders did not understand the meaning, still they joined them in worshipping the One True God, Our Lord Almighty! They said their hearts were filled with joy, knowing these were the same people who worshiped evil spirits and stone-carved idols for generations. Now they have come to the marvelous light of the Gospel, worshiping the Living God in Spirit and in Truth.
After worship it was time for a testimony. A man between 45 and 50 years old stood and shared. “My wife was mentally ill for eight years. We have taken her to every hospital that would treat her. Most of the time we have had to put chains on her or lock her in a room. For the past 8 years our lives were a living hell. My four children suffered a lot physically, mentally and financially. My oldest daughter tried to commit suicide three months ago. Since then, doctors have diagnosed all my children as suffering from deep depression. They advised us to send my wife to a mental sanitarium, and keep her away from my children. But I didn’t want to send her. I longed for another solution.
Two months ago my son, who is 12 years old, came and told me that his friend’s family goes to a prayer meeting every week. He said that many people come there and they pray for them and get delivered. The following Sunday I brought my wife here, along with my four children. We brought her in with her hands and legs chained, and we found a place to sit in the back. My son saw his friend, but other than that, we didn’t recognize anyone. During worship my wife made a lot of noise so a few women came and laid their hands on my wife and prayed for her in a very small voice.” (Sandya and some other sisters in the church)
The man continued. “My wife became quiet and fell on the ground. Worship continued, and after ten minutes she opened her eyes and looked at us. I realized she was no longer the woman we brought in chains! I saw my loving and caring wife whom I married, and who lived with me eight years ago. The Lord Jesus has shown compassion on me and my children and healed and delivered my wife from every mental disorder! After the service that day, Pastor Gagan and Sandya asked us to unchain her, and we did. For the last two months our lives have been normal! Our Lord has wiped away our tears, the joy of the Lord has filled our heart, and laughter has filled our home!”
He then asked his wife and children to stand in front of the people. They stood, a young woman and her four young children who were liberated from deep depression, into the abundant life that our Lord Jesus has promised to us. I can assure you that everyone who sat there in the tent has a similar testimony to share, how they were delivered, or liberated from the bondage of sin. Our leaders were so blessed to be there and see the wonderful work of the Lord.
Help Us Shine the Light
Will you help us continue shining the Light of the Gospel in the darkest places of India? Psalm 119:105 says ‘Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.’ You can share in the blessings! To find out how to contact us, and to read more inspiring and exciting testimonies of what God is doing among the unreached people groups of India, click the links on the right, and keep reading!
With your help, the Gospel will be proclaimed, and you will be blessed, along with thousands of others!
Proclaiming the Gospel…
…until He comes,