A Day in the Life

The only way to truly experience South Asia is to go and meet the wonderful people and see their world.

INDIA - A Hindu’s search for truth leads him to choose Jesus

Yash*, a believer ministering among Yadavs in India

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.

— Yash*, a believer ministering among Yadavs in India

*Name changed for security purposes.