I grew up in Assam which is one of the north eastern states of India. I understand Telugu since my mother’s family is from Andhra Pradesh but I can better communicate in Hindi. I came to Singapore to work in one of the shipyards with only one motive to earn money and become rich. Ever since I came here, I got involved with bad company and acquired bad habits that ruined my life. I became a drunkard and wasted most of my income on alcohol. I didn’t know where I was going in my life.
On 25 Dec 2011, one of my dormitory in-mates invited me to Cornerstone Telugu Fellowship. I went to the Christmas service that day and felt good. However, I didn’t continue to go to church again even though my friend invited me a few times. I was just living and enjoying my own life and was a slave to alcohol. After six months, my life became even worse and I was getting frustrated with myself. I didn’t know what to do and where to go to get rid of my bad habits. During this time, my friend again invited me to church and I just went with a casual attitude to the service. The message preached that night impacted my thoughts and something happened in me that birthed a desire in my heart to know God. Since I understood better in Hindi, I was introduced to a Hindi-speaking cell group. I started going to cell group on Saturdays and attending worship service on Sundays. As I hear the words from the Bible every week, my life began to change and all my bad habits including drinking were gone. I grew more conscious about my sinful life and started praying for forgiveness from God. There was unexplainable joy and peace that came into my heart. I’ve never had such experience before. My thoughts, words and deeds changed completely. My only desire now is to know God and obey Him. I want to be close to God and become a disciple of Jesus Christ.
God did an amazing miracle in my mother’s life recently. On 11 Nov 2002, as I was going back to my dormitory after the church service, I called home and came to know that my mother’s health was in a critical condition. She is a diabetic patient and was hospitalized for a several days. I didn’t know anything about it until I called my grandmother that night. My grandmother told me that I should immediately rush back to India if I want to see my mother for the last time. My mother was going to die. I was very sad and cried that night, not knowing what to do. I sent a message to my cell leader to pray for my mother. I didn’t call home again until 2 nights later, and I was surprised to hear my mother’s voice over the phone. She said, “On Sunday night, I had a dream and saw you beside a tall man who was wearing bright and shiny white clothes. Both of you came to me and gave me something bitter and to eat, which I did. When I woke up the next morning, I was totally healed. My body feels so refreshed and light as if something was lifted off me.”
As I heard that, I had tears of joy and shared with my mother about my new faith in Christ Jesus and how He has changed my life around. I also told her that it’s Jesus who had healed her. She was very open to my sharing and encouraged me to continue to walk in the way of Christ. My faith became even stronger since then and I want to follow Jesus all my life.
Submitted by Naga Bhushan
Cornerstone Telugu Fellowship
