I was born in a Hindu village in India. It was my desire from childhood to know who is my god. I used to follow all kinds of Hindu rituals, rules and regulations. This is how I began searching for God.

At first, I wanted to know the real and true god, but I used to think, “Who is that true god?” On Thursday in my village, we would worship the banana tree. We would pour water on the roots of the banana tree as a religious practice.We used to perform puja (Hindu worship practices). We used to wrap the tree in clothes. Then we would take our religious book and read under the banana tree.

After all this, still I could not find the true god. Soon my body looked the same as that of Job, who after having all kinds of wounds on his body, nobody recognized him.

One day, a sadhu (a Hindu ascetic) came to me and said that one day I would be a very big man with a very good figure. That sadhu gave me some instructions. He gave me something and instructed me to soak it into milk and pour it out in the sun.

For one month, I practiced what the sadhu said. Continually I poured the water on the banana roots. Then one day I saw a temple, and an evil spirit told me to go inside and worship. So, I went inside and worshiped there for three hours along with many other people.

For one year continually, I would go to the temple and worship every day for three hours. Every morning I would take a bath and then go to worship the idol in the temple. Then in the evening after work, again I would take a bath and go to worship.

One day I met a man who was totally blind. Because of his blindness, the man could not even walk properly, but that man had the Gospel of Christ. He told me about Jesus.

Lots of people were surrounding him. When I got to where I could see, there was this blind man. He was preaching about Christ and telling about the idols. He was saying that they have eyes but cannot see, ears but cannot hear, and mouths but cannot speak. Then after this, all the people left. I stood alone with this man.

I questioned the blind man. “Your hair is so long. Your legs are so weak. Your clothes are so dirty. You have not taken a bath in many days. How can you speak such good words from your mouth? Tell me, where did you learn these words?”

Then this man told me about Jesus Christ and the church. He told me to visit the church. On the first Sunday I went to church, I saw some people singing and praising the Lord. Also, they were preaching. I took a keen interest to visit the church again.

I used to go to the temple on Thursdays to worship and then to the church on Sundays. I decided that I would go to each place to see where I would worship. Whichever one could give me full satisfaction in my heart, then that god I would accept.

One night I had a dream. The idol came and told me that I should not go to church. Another day I had a dream, a vision in which I saw a fire. In the midst of this fire, I saw Jesus Christ and I saw His hand.

Then I finally decided that I would go to church. I would pray to God. I would continue in my faith. I began to pray to God, and then God gave me His word. I took water baptism, and now I am serving the Lord.

In the village that I have come from, I want to return and tell Christ to them where nobody knows. Please pray that many people will come to know Christ through me.

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By Yash*, a believer ministering among Yadavs in India

*Name changed for security purposes