I Know The Plans I Have For You

We often read stories of people who have lived long lives and have accomplished much through many years of ministry. But this is a story about a young man who grew up in an anti-Christian environment, knowing no Christians and having no type of Christian support system. After finding Christ through raw faith and sheer determination, he put his faith on the fast track, boldly moving as quickly as possible to follow God’s call and spread the gospel where it is most needed.

Meet Peter…. 28 years old – from South Asia. I recently met Peter on Facebook – a friend of a friend of a friend. After a few words in Messenger  -- “Hello”, “What country are you from?” --  I asked Peter to tell me his story. As he sent the story, piece by piece, iMessage by iMessage, I was increasingly moved by his inspiring faith and boldness. While many people in their late 20s are still trying to figure out what they want to do when they grow up, Peter is a surprisingly mature 28-year-old with a solid career path. I asked If he would tell me more of his story so I could write/edit and share it with others. Peter was very agreeable.

As an 18-year-old high-school student, Peter wasn’t exactly seeking an answer to life’s deepest questions, but Peter soon found the answer to a question he didn’t know he was asking. Peter discovered that God had an answer to his ‘heart questions.’

Born into a Hindu family in the predominately Hindu country, Peter was raised as a Hindu, with Hindu parents, in Hindu culture, with Hindu beliefs, and Hindu traditions. But God had another plan for his life. As a teenage high school student, Peter checked out a book from his school library about the religions in his country. He says “While reading that book over the next few days at my home, I had the opportunity to learn about Jesus Christ. I understood that Jesus came to save all mankind from sin and to sacrifice for us and give us eternal life.”

That information in that book gave Peter the desire to know more. He had enough knowledge of Jesus to be curious about Jesus’ offer of forgiveness and eternal life, but it would be several months before he could talk to anyone who could help him understand more. His Hindu family, Hindu society, and Hindu neighbors, all made it difficult for him to ask questions, or to find a church. He didn’t even know if there were any churches or Christians in the area of the country where he lived.  

After his final high school exams were finished, Peter had an opportunity to visit relatives in another village for a few days. When he arrived at their home he asked his nephew if there was a church in the village. The nephew told him “Yes, there is a church near the market in the village.”  Peter went to the market in the village and found the church. He talked to church leaders and got the answers to his questions, and it was there, in 2010 that this 19-year-old student trusted Jesus Christ to be his Lord and Savior.

In Peter's words, “A few days later I returned home. When I got home, my family was very afraid when they heard about my decision. I found it difficult to go to church because it was too far away. But I went anyway, and I started hiding in the church every Saturday. One day when my family found out that I was going to church, they beat me severely. My family and mother warned me that if they found out that I was at the church again, I could not stay at home. I would have to move out of my parent's home and live my own life.” 

Peter continues, “But I did not stop going to church. Because of that decision, I was kicked out of my house. I stayed at the house of a believer for a few days, but a short time later I heard about the opportunity to study the Bible for free nearly 2000 miles away. So, at the age of 20, leaving my family and everything behind, I moved to a neighboring country to study the Bible for two years.”

After two years of study, in 2014, Peter returned to his hometown with a great burden. Every day he studied the Word of God and taught in his village all he had learned from the Lord. As Peter preached the gospel he was ridiculed and hated by most people, but many believed – not just because of his words, but also because of his example and his humility. A few weeks after returning to his village, a Christian family provided a small room where Peter could live. Each time Peter preached, the number of believers continued to grow. At that point, Peter knew that he was supposed to serve the Lord for the rest of His life.

Peter says, “When I returned home, I faced many problems, but I immediately went to work for the Lord. In the beginning, I met sick people and prayed for them to be healed and shared about Jesus Christ with those who were healed. Many of the villagers often beat me, telling me to change my religion. They called me a foreigner, and a ‘cow-eater’ - because cows are worshiped as gods in my country. One day, after being beaten, I went to the village justice committee who found no fault in me or my actions.”

“I prayed a lot for my family to know Jesus. My prayers were answered in 2017. Over time, after they observed the humble nature I had learned from the Lord my whole family believed in Jesus Christ. During that time I also got married to a godly Christian woman, and we had a son a year after we were married.”

Peter is has planted two churches and is currently pastoring both of them. He is also discipling three leaders to be pastors. He has plans to start a third church and is trying to raise enough support to provide a suitable meeting place for the other two churches.

Peter’s churches also work for the benefit of the poor and backward classes in their communities. “Even though my country still has a type of caste system”, Peter says. “all of us who believe in Jesus Christ are of the same race. That is understood and in our churches. There is no discrimination on the issue of caste.”

Peter says. “I have been helping the poor people in the community. We help people by distributing food, sandals, and clothes. We were able to distribute food to many hungry people during the recent COVID pandemic lockdown, and two people accepted Christ as Savior during our distributions. I have also been teaching my church family a lot about ministry to the community, but because of their own poverty, they are unable to do much.”

“Currently, the biggest need in the community is for toilet construction, basic education, and clean water. The gospel is preaching the love of the Lord by giving food or other things to those in great distress. I'm thankful to God. Pray for me and my family as we are planning to support the leaders of my church. By God's grace, I'm in ministry and God is so good and He is using me in the community.”

It is amazing to see what God can do through a life that is fully committed to Him.  

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. And I will be found by you,” declares the Lord…”  

Jeremiah 29:11-14

Mike L serves on the GlobalGrace Board of Directors