LCMS World Mission Blog

“Sheila” was baptized on Oct. 18, 2009. Her life story is a testimony that God is faithful to answer those who call upon Him in faith, whatever their level of Bible knowledge happens to be.

Sheila shares, “I was born in South India into an orthodox Hindu family. In the morning, we had to worship Hindu gods before we left the house. I know now that it was all idol worship because it involved the fear that if you did wrong, the gods would punish you. It was always a matter of trying to please these gods. It was also manipulative: ‘If you do this for me, I will do that for you,’ were the kind of prayers offered. It was like getting the attention of your god, and giving something so that you would get something in return. But, in the end, they were only duties we were forced to perform.

“As a child, I never knew the concept of salvation or of a Savior. But later on in school, I met Christians who demonstrated to me true faith and confidence in prayer. I had a few personal experiences with prayer. One of my teachers prayed for me when I had surgery and I observed Christians on the national cricket team as they prayed. I had a small Bible, which one of my friends left for me. I used to hold that Bible when I prayed to Jesus. I was really on my own spiritually—there was nobody to tell me what a Christian is, or how to pray. All I know is that when I prayed to Jesus in faith, things began to happen. I saw answers, God’s answers.

“To begin with, I consider my coming to this country [the United States] a miracle. And once I was here, I saw many miracles by which God pointed me to the true way and connected me with Christians who could really help. One Indian friend introduced me to a Hindu convert to Christianity, who in turn introduced me to Missionary Cynthia Khan. The very next Sunday, she brought me to the church where they spoke in Hindi. The Khans took me into their own home when my employer told me he couldn’t pay for my housing. Whenever I had a question about the Bible, it was answered in the devotion book or the Bible reading the family did.

“I once asked why it was necessary for Jesus to have been baptized. Four days later, that very question was answered in ‘Portals of Prayer’—the reason for Jesus being baptized was that He took our sins on Himself. Another miracle was that of my mother. I had never talked with my parents about conversion to Christianity. Yet one day, out of the blue, my mother called and said, ‘It’s okay if you convert and become a Christian.’ I don’t know why she said that, but I consider that the Holy Spirit was speaking through her.

“In all these circumstances, I see that it has been the Living God who was guiding me. Yet, only a year ago, I would never have dreamed of my being baptized as a Christian. But now, knowing the True God, I am living the life He promised I would have. It is only faith in the Triune God that saves you. You have to believe in Him more than your parents, or the gods that they serve. Jesus can do what no one else can do; He washed our sins by the blood He shed for us. As a Christian, we have to believe in God’s Holy Word. We should not treat these words from the Bible as something inconsequential, but rather, we should firmly believe that what Christ has done for us will take us to heaven. I am forever grateful for what my brothers and sisters at POBLO have done, for their love, concern, and patience. And I am thankful to my God, because He is the Living God. With Him, all things are possible.”

• Learn more about People of the Book Lutheran Outreach.