I am a house church leader in India. I am from a Hindu background. Before I met Christ, I led a very empty life. There was a lot of discouragement and no peace in my life. I used to worship idols to try to achieve peace. I used to drink, smoke cigarettes and do drugs. Still, I could not get peace. I was in a bad place in my life and surrounded myself with very bad company.

When some men came to preach in my village, I was not willing to hear. I would tear their books away. My people used to tell me that Christianity is a foreign religion. Because of this, I was not willing to know the truth.

Then some really bad things began happening in my life. The headmaster of a school was very brutally murdered in my village. After that, the trouble kept increasing.

At that time, I was staying in the home of a Christian family. They told me about Christ. They spoke to me with so much affection and love, and they prayed for me. One time, as they were praying for me, I saw a vision of the cross where Jesus Christ died for me.

I was in a very bad and sinful condition, living just like the dogs. It was worse than hell. This family prayed for me, and they told me, “It is only Jesus Christ who can save you from your sin.”

After that prayer, a peace came on my life. For three hours, I cried out to God, asking Him to forgive me. At that point, my life was saved. My nature was changed.

People from my village did not believe that I had really changed. The community started hating me. People rejected me and kicked me out from the village because I had become a Christian. They spit on me. Nobody liked me.

My parents even told me to choose between them or Christ. I told them, “I love you, but I cannot leave Jesus.” They told me to leave my home and family.

From that day onward, I am in Christ. Everybody left me alone, but Jesus never left me. I got a good job. I was not educated, but still I got a good job. I got work in an army canteen, and then I got a permanent job.

I served the Lord for three and a half years where I was, and then the Lord called me for the ministry. I committed my life for service. I left my job, and now I am working serving the Lord.

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By Ghirish*, a Yadav church planter in India

* Name changed for security purposes.