The cops were hunting for me, I did not know where to go and even if I go anywhere near my home or college, I would definitely be arrested. My life was in utter ruins now. You may wonder what happened! Here’s what happened.

My name is Vinoth, I come from a non-christian family and after my high school studies were over, I joined Presidency Arts College. This college was known for its gangsterism and everyone who studied there were somehow associated with political parties or they were thugs. The students even carried weapons to classrooms so that they could be ready when the opposite gang attacks. I did not turn up to be a saint among all this. I joined a gang and it was actively involved in fights and a lot of illegal stuff. On January 3rd, 2012 an opposite gang member had attacked one of my friends when he was alone. To avenge that we as a gang attacked them, I took up a wooden log and belted everyone who came my way. I was happy that we won the battle, but I did not know that sometimes winning could hurt a lot.

Isaiah 43:1 says “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine”
I have always known that I belong to Jesus and he has purposed me for Him. I inherited some of the Christian values from my mother who is a Christian but I did not have an opportunity to read the Bible or attend Church. Since my young age I secretly prayed for my family especially my dad who did not like the Christian influence over me. I made use of every opportunity to connect to Jesus by listening to sermons on television or through some external source. Until my school days I was able to experience the leading of God in my day today activities but after I joined college I felt disconnected from the Lord and felt a spiritual dryness in my life. By the grace of God I heard about the campus fellowship being conducted by URYM in our college and I started attending it regularly. I felt revived and began to learn more through the college fellowship. In 2019, I attended the leadership camp and it was there that God encountered me powerfully and I received the anointing of the Holy Spirit and felt empowered within me as I clearly understood my position in Christ. On March 9th, 2019 I surrendered my life completely to Jesus and took baptism. After the baptism service I returned back home and accompanied my mother to the hospital for a review as she had been diagnosed with lumps in the uterus and this problem was persistent for over 7 years and the doctors had advised her for surgical removal of her uterus. But on that day, the doctors examined her and informed us that all the lumps that were in the uterus have completely disappeared and there is no necessity for a surgery. This episode of supernatural healing for my mother on that particular day of my baptism stirred up my heart to trust in Him more and follow Him. I realized that, for God there are no degrees of difficulty and my faith was strengthened. I am assured that He who began the good work within me will continue it until it is finished.

It has been more than 6 years now, but I could not still forget the day I entered Tagore Dental College with head full of dreams. My name is Sathish. I come from a very normal middle class hindu family from the southern part of Tamil Nadu. Because of my family situation and the way I was brought up, I always wanted to study well and wanted to be a successful man in my life. Though there were lot of excitement when I entered my college it all faded so soon because of new challenges I faced. My challenge with coping up with English was very stressful adding up to all other challenges I was facing due to the new environment. Sooner I found solace in the addictions of lust (Pornography - avoided it to mention it in a graceful way). Day by day my addictions became aggressive and started to take over me. It drove me to the point that I cannot exist without indulge into it. Though I din like the way my life was progressing, on the other hand it started bringing me lot of friends. I became very popular among the guys in my college as I helped them find better way to indulge in the pleasures of the world.

Two rooms next to my hostel room was a weird silent guy named Hudson, who was sited most of the time with a book which I later discovered it to be the Bible. One fine day I was feeling bored. Not knowing what to do I ended up in Hudson's room. Frivolously I asked him to share some stories from the Bible that he was reading. He started to shared stories starting from Adam and Eve. Without no certain reason I started to like the stories. So I continued to visit his hostel rooms often to hear some stories. One day because of a small problem I used all abusive words to fight against him. But to my surprise he was so calm and did not retaliate. This was so amazing to me. So I continued to move closer with him. He, along with few of our classmates use to meet up for a time of prayer once in a week. I just thought I would go and see what they were doing. They were singing songs, reading small portions from Bible and someone would share few thought from the portion of Bible. Though I did not understood much I continued going to the weekly fellowship.

During the summer of my second year in college Huson who by the time has become my best friend came to me and said there is a Camp that is happening in Yelagiri Hills which is conducted by URYM. At the moment when I heard Yelagiri Hills I was very much excited as I thought I will have a very good vacation time there. The moment we came to the camp it was not way I expected it to be. People were praying all around the place. I could even see few people crying during the prayer. That was very funny to me. I could not understand why these people are crying. During the course of the camp there was one particular session when one of the person who was leading the session shared a small message and played a small video clip. In that video clip there was a man who was asked to deny Jesus. On refusing to do so he was shot to death. The scene was totally unbelievable for me. I was thinking, what on earth he decided to give up even his life for Jesus. Astonished; while I was still thinking about the video clip we stood up for a time of prayer. During the prayer I felt some supernatural thing was happening around me. I could feel someone very powerful was present in that room and he was all around me. That moment I felt like my life was crashing all over me. I certainly knew something was happening within me. Throughout the whole camp I could feel the creator of the whole earth, the God who created me touching and changing me. When I returned from the camp I knew with all certainty I was a changed man.

God has changed my life. My heart is changed, my desires became different. I started to read my Bible so passionately. There were days when I was searching for things that would satisfy the lustful desires of my flesh but now I was search for all opportunity to get alone with my Bible to read it. When I started reading the Bible, God started to change me inside out. I started to understand who God is. Though brought up in a family that is no way connected to Jesus, I started to see Jesus so clearly through the pages of scripture. Through the struggles and temptations that came all along, the written and revealed Word of God became my hiding place and a fortress. Now I am no longer a slave to fear of Sin and Death, with all my heart I know I am a child of God. Every moment I rejoice over what God has done in my life.

This journey is not over, I believe it has just began. If you could ask me what made me come so far in my walk with Jesus, I would chose to say it was the fellowship, praying friends and Godly mentors. Though I am a Doctor now, the thing that amazes me every moments of my life is the way God adopted be and placed me in a position to be His Son.