Finally I have what I was looking for ...!


"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

My name is Tek Bahadur Khatri and while I was in Bible College, my colleagues called me ‘Tekson’.  I was born and brought up in Nepali Hindu family in Chamba, Himachal Pradesh. In my very childhood, my parents were passed away and another couple who worked with my parents in a corporation, brought up me. My step parents used to tell me that because of my bad horoscope I had killed my parents. Whenever I heard it, it had grieved me most. There are neighbours who used to encourage me for observing fast in order to get divine help to get rid from my sorrow. I began to observe fasting and to visit temples; and began to read religious books. But still I had been struggling with my emptiness.

In 1997, even after completing 10th std. with first division, I could not study further. I began to work in company as supervisor and started to earn. I fell into a bad company and started to drink alcohol. In 1999, a Christian friend invited me to attend an advance Christmas program in Kullu. I went there just for enjoyment. During Nov. – Dec. 1999, there was a daily headline in news that Pakistani terrorists had hijacked the airplane in Kathmandu, and they had carried to Kandahar.  I saw in the program, where Christian men and women were praying with tears. Actually I was laughing at them thinking that Christians had become mad. But it compelled me to realize that these Christian men and women had not seen those people who were kidnapped with the airplane, but yet they were praying for their release. I began to think that I go to temple and always I pray for myself. I never prayed for others, even they were known to me. After the worship, the evangelist distributed a piece of paper to each one of us. I opened it and read John 3:16, but I couldn’t understand it. Later a believer read the verse for me and explained it for me; and placed a copy of NT in my hand. I read the whole John 3 chapter after coming back to my room. I read the conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus where Jesus speaks about the born again.  During my school, I read a myth about the North polar star – Dhruv Tara. This story is this way: There was a king, whose wife died after giving birth a son. This king married another woman. She also gave birth a son. The king loved more the son who was born from his second wife. One day the son born from second wife was playing with the king and the son who was born from king’s first wife also watching them to play. And this boy came to king and asked him to play with him. But king’s second wife denied him saying, “If you want to play with the king and with my son, you must be born from my womb again.” After hearing this, the boy began to ponder about the born again. He began to ask sages of how to born again, but no one could tell him. One day Maharishi Naradmuni met to him, as the asked the question, the sage encouraged him to please Narayan Bhagwan to get the secret of how to born again. This boy went in thick forest and devoted his life to please Narayan Bhagwan. After so many years Narayan Bhagwan appeared to him and gave him an offer to ask for any wish. But this boy asked Narayan Bhagwan to tell him the secret of how to born again. Bhagwan Narayana spoke the impossibility of born again, but offer an unmovable place in the North in the sky, and told that you would known as Dhruv Tara.  In olden days, when there was no compass, people used to see the position of Dhurv Tara to voyage. As I was reading John 3 chapter and pondering the conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus, I reminded the story of Dhruv Tara, where Narayan Bhagwan expressed his own inability to grant born again, while Jesus offers the way to born again here. I started to read the NT. As I realized the need of forgiveness from my sin, I prayed God asking forgiveness and for born again. On 16th January, 2000, I confessed my sins and accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and saviour. After 10 months, I baptised in Manali Masihi Mandali.  The joy God had filled my heart on that day was an inexpressible experience!

I was working in Larji project as supervisor. Due to busy in the work, I couldn’t attend the fellowship regularly. I had desire to serve the Lord and take the Gospel to my people. But I could not decide to go for the ministry. Mean while I was shifted to Garsa and began to work there. On 16 July 2003, there was cloud burst and a great destruction occurred. I ran at dark night and climbed the mountain to save myself. At dawn, I came down and saw the corpses of little children and man under the trees and stones. I was shocked and terrified by seeing all these things. A gentle voice I sensed in my heart that saying, “Tek, think if you would have died in last night, where would you be now?” I could not sleep at night. I had gone through many nights without sleep. I was unrest and longed for peace. I remembered the day I had unspeakable peace while I prayed on knee and accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my Saviour and Lord.  I wanted to attend again the fellowship, but I felt shy to go for fellowship.  During those difficult times, I met to Mr. Ratna Rai, who was serving the Lord at Salah, nearby Sainj; and he encouraged me to grow spiritually. As I shared my burden, he encouraged me to go for theological study in order to equip myself for the ministry. Mr. Ratna Rai sent me for training in 2004 on the recommendation of Christ Church, Kullu (IEM). By HIS grace, I completed 3 years course successfully and returned to Christ Church and began to serve the Lord as an evangelist. In 2010, God opened the door to serve the Lord through Indian Evangelical Mission. At present, I am serving the Lord in Assam along with my family.

I am so thankful to those who prayed and have been praying for me. I am not able to name them one by one, who have invested their lives for me. May the Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ bless them and reward their deeds!


All glory to God alone!
 

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