The three gifts

Sarahu Abinaya, born into a Hindu family, is now working as a ticket inspector for the "Southern Railway" in Chennai, India. Her life story comes in the category of 'God writes His history through people.'

My father died in an accident when I was three months old. My mother brought me up so lovingly that I never missed my father. It was great with her and I thought that this is the true life. She always gave me the very best and also with her family. I was the favourite child in the family. When I was sixteen, she died of cancer. I was so surprised and my life after her death changed completely. Her family had always showered me with love and affection but turned indifferent after my mother's death. Instead of taking care of me, my relatives tried to stir my compassion for them instead. For five long years I became a playball between them and my guardian.

My Time at College

In my college days, God had the wonderful plan to put me into a Christian organization right up until my bachelor's degree in IT. I met Jesus through my study companion Babitha. The three gifts she gave me changed my life completely.

The first gift was a card with a Bible verse. At that time I knew only His name - but Jesus Christ spoke with her about me. Her friendship was no coincidence but a small part of the great plan of God. In the last year of my studies, I suffered especially through my relatives and I wept even at college from morning to night. My wonderful study friend Aparanaa who sat next to me the whole time I was there, heard of all my worries. She also came from a Hindu family. In our third year, she met Jesus and was baptized. She kept on saying "Trust in Jesus, then you will find help!" I always resisted and told her: "Please do not try to convert me!" but she replied: "Let's see how long you mean that, because I believe that you will also come to know the Lord." For a long time I did not want to hear and my ears were closed to God – but He has the perfect time for everything.

Hard Times

The last semester before the university exams were very hard. My family had now completely left me in the lurch. I was terrified of dying, because one of my relatives had put a curse on me, so that I would also die of cancer like my mother. Except for the house, everything that my mother had kept for me, had been used up.

She had seen me as a Queen and now I had become as a slave. After her death I had to live with my guardian and leave the house. Only after four years was I able to recover it. It was rumored that many demons had lived there in the last few years. My relatives and my guardian cursed me and said that my house was bewitched. I could not live in it but would die.

Frightened I reverted to my Hindu beliefs and began to worship my house idols daily. I was asking for protection against these curses. Asking the idols for help, I became more and more frustrated, finding they were powerless. No one comforted me or said I should not be worried. I began to doubt whether there was any god at all. Not the idols, nor anyone heard my cry for help.

As Bible says in Psalm 115:11“...those who trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield”. and this LORD heard me and sent Babitha to me. A whole day she was with me and I could pour out my heart to her.

God spoke through her directly to my situation with the words: "Search the help not in man but in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who loves you so much. Only he can help you. Keep to His promises!" As she left, she gave me a Bible – my second gift.

One evening I was crying again, I called to the God of the Bible: "If you are the true God, then speak to me through your word! Give me strength and deliver me from this misery!

I needed something positive and have had enough of all these curses!" I started in the fifth Book of Moses, Deuteronomy, chapter 26 to read: "You will now come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess. He will take you to settle there." When I read that, I had to think of my mother’s house. In my Tamil Bible it even speaks of an 'independent nation'! I also read that we Christians are to share our wealth with the needy. I understood this, but perhaps not as it was meant, so I prayed and asked of God. He heard me and sent me again to Babitha.

She invited me to go with her to church. At first I radically refused, but then after awhile I promised to come at least once.

Free at last!

In this service, the pastor preached precisely on the topic "Give to the needy" and so answered quite precisely the question I had asked God. I listened absorbed to his sermon and began to go every week to church, so that I could hear the Word of God I understood more and more and was at last free of my burdens: the curses of my relatives and my guardian, that I should die in my house with cancer. God bought me free out of this slavery through His grace – just as He freed His first chosen, the people of Israel from Egypt: "The Lord himself will fight for you. Remains very quiet!" (Exodus 14:14) This verse became in my life a reality. So was the New Life Church my third gift? In October 2014 I was baptized and Aparnaa, my study colleague’s prophecy was fulfilled. Today we pray together in the same church!

My work in the railways.

Just after that,? I started work for the “Southern Railways”. I got a job as a ticket inspector. Even during my training period, God led me wonderfully to meet many Christian railway men and women. The head of the training centre, Mr Vijaya Sekaran told me about regular prayer meetings we have during our lunch breaks. After my training, on December 24. 2014, I could begin my work in Chennai. On the very same day, I visited the prayer meeting. The retired stationmaster, who organized it, introduced me to the guest speaker Mr ArulRaj, who is also the IRM representative from RailHope India. He put a microphone in my hand and asked me to begin the meeting with a song.

So on one hand, I had my diploma and on the other a microphone to praise my LORD JESUS. Since then I visit the prayer meeting every week. It was also Mr ArulRaj who brought me to the IRM Conference in GMroslar in the summer of 2016.

In the following November, I was thrown from the train by a violent passenger when I asked to inspect his ticket. It was a wonder that I only sustained relatively small injuries.

I thank God that He wonderfully guides my way forward, taking me even until eternity with Him.

Translation: Daniel Saarbourg/Bob Harper