Feature Story

INDIA--FIRST-PERSON (Adele Ensor*): A Rajput Hindu man learns the beauty of the Bible during a train ride across Rajasthan.

EDITORS' NOTE: Adele Ensor* serves as a Southern Baptist representative of the Gospel in India. On a recent train ride across Rajasthan state, she had opportunity to share Good News with a Hindu Rajput literature major and a Muslim family as well. About 40 million Hindu Rajputs live in India. The Rajputs, a high-caste people, used to lead as kings and warriors in India.

I couldn't get a reserved seat, so I boarded unreserved, which means very crowded seating arrangements. When it was just about time for the train to come, a huge monsoon downpour began. This put the train behind by an hour. While waiting, a very nice young man joined me, and we struck up a conversation. He is an English literature major, a Hindu Rajput lad named Pankaj. He was very polite and protective, caring for me as an "auntie." We talked easily about books, poetry, life in India, life in America.

Finally, the train came, and Pankaj asked to sit by me. A Muslim group of five ladies and three men joined us. They were traveling to a town about two hours into our six-hour trip. Muhammad started chatting with Pankaj, and I tried to follow the conversation. Along the way, we all ordered chai (Indian milk tea), and someone made a toast to unity and peace. The date was July 13, just two days after the blasts in Mumbai.

"Everyone prospers when Hindus and Muslims lived together in peace," someone in the group said. "Also Christians," I added.

This somehow started Muhammad and Pankaj discussing - in Hindi - the differences between Catholics and Protestants. Actually, I have heard conversations like this several times before, and I love them; they give me such a natural door to share the Gospel. I asked them - in English - if I could explain the differences, and they were happy for me to do so.

I explained that in Catholicism, authority centers on church traditions and the priestly system of pope and bishops as intermediaries between God and man. This would be similar, I said, to the Muslims' relationship to the Quran, the Hadith (Islam's written traditions) and the teachings of imams and mullahs. Whereas in Protestantism, the Bible is the ultimate authority, and Christ has provided man with direct access to God. This gave me a perfect opportunity to share the Gospel. I started by using the Quranic passage of Imran 3:42-54, which refers to Jesus as the Word and Spirit of God, as a bridge to the Bible. Finally, I compared the Muslim sacrifices performed during Eid with God's provision of the perfect sacrifice in Christ. In the power of the Holy Spirit, a Christian was explaining this through a Hindu to a Muslim.

Muhammad's destination came too early, but he gave me contact information and asked me to come and share more with him and his family.

After they left, Pankaj asked me if I believe that Jesus is God. Again, a door to share the Gospel opened. Pankaj stated that he had been influenced to reject Christianity, but that he really knew nothing about it. We were able to discuss many barriers that keep Hindus from accepting the Gospel. To be Rajput is, quite simply, to be Hindu, he said.

Pankaj told me that he loved poetry and asked what my favorite book is. I told him that the Bible is my favorite book. I also told him it has fantastic poetry that I thought he would like. I had a new Bible with me, and I asked him if I might give this Bible to him. There on a train in Rajasthan, we began to read various psalms together. I shared with him how much I love to read, but how for the life of me, I cannot re-read books. The Bible, however, I have read over and over again for 40 years, and still I have never been dissatisfied with its riches. I explained Hebrews 4:12 (NIV) which says, "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." I shared with Pankaj that Gandhi had said that the Sermon on the Mount was the greatest piece of literature ever written, and I marked the Sermon on the Mount for him in his new Bible.

As the train pulled into our station, Pankaj shared that he believed this Bible was the greatest gift he had ever been given. With tears in his eyes, he stated that he had no idea that the Bible was so beautiful. He said he would definitely read it through.

I wish with my whole heart that Pankaj would have made a decision to receive Christ and that I could have shared in his joy that night. Pankaj is searching for truth. I told Pankaj that night that I believe we were under God's protection and peace as we traveled in a very crowded train car. I told him that I believe God sent a rainstorm to arrange our meeting and that I had been privileged to be chosen to share the Word of God with him. Truly, God is about seeking and saving the lost. Pray that Pankaj will continue to search for Truth with all his heart and that a deep hunger for the Word will abide in his soul.

Isn't this like God? Although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given me: to share with the Rajputs the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make plain to Pankaj the Good News of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things (see Ephesians 3:8-9).


*Name changed for security reasons.