 Water is a precious commodity to the people
of India. But even more precious is the Living
Water that Jesus freely offers. |
India
Thirsting for truth
One hot, dusty day, Gospel Outreach worker
Kashmir Masih Gill knocked on a door in
search of a drink. Little did he know what would
happen next.
by Dorothy Watts Associate Secretary, Southern
Asia Division Kashmir Masih Gill started
out one morning to visit church members in the
village of Chak 20H, India, near the Pakistan
border.
The day was hot and dusty, and he was thirsty
because the water in his bottle had been used up.
About halfway to his destination, he stopped at a
village and looked for a hand pump to fill his
bottle. He could not find one, so he knocked on the
door of the nearest house.
The owner, Mr. Prem Singh, welcomed him into his
home and brought a cold glass of water. They sat and
talked in the shade.
"What is your work?" Prem Singh asked.
"I'm a Christian pastor living in Kesrisinghpur. We
believe that Jesus Christ is coming back to this
earth very soon to take His followers to heaven. We
also worship on the day commanded by Christ in
Scriptures: Saturday, the seventh day."
"I have heard a little of Jesus Christ," Prem Singh
responded. "All I have heard is good. I would like
to know more. Please come and visit me again when
you come this way. We can talk." Realizing that Prem
Singh was just as thirsty for God as he had been for
water, Kashmir Masih Gill determined to go back to
help his new friend find Living Water.
A week later, Kashmir Masih Gill visited the family
again, this time staying longer. As they became
better acquainted, Prem Singh told Kashmir Masih
Gill about a family problem.
"We
believe he is possessed by an evil spirit. The
doctors cannot help him. The holy men are not able
to help him." "We have been asking God to
give us peace, but instead our lives are getting
more miserable every day. One of my sons, Karamjeet,
who is 18 years of age, has been in bed sick for a
long time. We believe he is possessed by an evil
spirit. The doctors cannot help him. The holy men
are not able to help him. He only gets worse. I
don't know what to do," he said.
"Don't give up," Kashmir Masih Gill said. "If you
can have faith in the living God, then we will pray
for your son. The idols cannot help you. Only Jesus
Christ can help your son. Are you willing to turn to
Jesus for help?"
Prem Singh said he was willing, so they knelt and
prayed that Karamjeet would be healed in the name of
Jesus Christ, the true and living God. After prayer,
Kashmir Masih Gill invited Prem Singh to come to
church the next Saturday.
On Sabbath, Prem Singh and three other family
members attended church and listened to the Word of
God. The pastor invited the family to come to his
house for lunch. There they prayed again for
Karamjeet's healing.
Kashmir Masih Gill visited the family often and
continued to pray for the boy. One day he told
Karamjeet, "You do not have an evil spirit any more.
You are getting better every day. God will make you
completely well."
After three months of prayer, Karamjeet recovered
fully and began to help his father on the farm.
When evangelistic meetings were held in the village
of Chak 9G, Prem Singh, Karamjeet, and three other
family members were among the 32 who decided to
follow Jesus Christ.
This new congregation is now praying that God will
help them build a church in their village where they
can worship Him every Sabbath.
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