Life Stories
Testimonies from CBS
“I am from a Hindu family. I heard about the CBS classes that were conducted at Zion Fort Church. This is the first time I have come to this CBS. I liked the songs with the actions very much. At first it was very difficult to learn the steps for the action songs but slowly I learnt them from the teachers. The teachers were very kind and took care of us very well. I was greatly blessed by attending the CBS. Through the CBS I have accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour and I trust him as my Lord”.
“By coming to CBS I came to know more about Jesus Christ. I learnt songs, Bible stories, Bibles verses and lessons. The teacher taught us well. I am in Senior Class one and in future I wish to become a good CBS teacher at my Church”.
“I was greatly blessed by the CBS classes. On the day of anointing I saw a vision. There was a large door and many people in white dress were walking in. I too went in and one white figure laid his hand on my head and said that my sins were forgiven and that I must not sin again. When I opened my eyes I felt that I received the Lord’s blessings and I was happy. Praise the Lord”.
“I began attending the CBS since 1995 when it started at Zion Fort Church. I was twelve years old then and I joined the beginner’s class. I liked it very much and I found it very useful. I have been coming to the CBS here every year. I even remember my first CBS teacher. Even though I was living ar away from the Church and my family objected for the first four years, I have managed to come. After that our family moved to a house very close to the Church. When I was studying in twelfth grade, the pastor wanted to make me a teacher but I refused. He said that many who finished tenth grade and eleventh grade have become CBS teachers, and wondered why should not I. I told him that I wanted to be selected as the best student before I can become a teacher at CBS. That year I was the best student and now for the last six years I have been serving as CBS teacher. Out of these six years, I was selected as Best Teacher for four years. Praises be to God!
For many years I watched families giving testimonies on the first day of the year and I used to be the only one standing there alone. I prayed to the Lord Jesus that one day my family too should come to Church to give testimony. Praise God, Jesus heard my prayer and this year my mother and father joined me”.
Stories from Patashala
The Lord’s Deliverance
David* stuffed his carry bag with the gospel according to John and different titles of literature provided by IBL. He had counted and picked them carefully placed them in his bag prayerfully, to hand it over to some needy souls, hoping that it will transform their lives. He is heading to Begur*, a village in Tamil Nadu where over a thousand people live.
People of Begur belong to different religious groups- Hindus, Muslims and a few of them Christians. They also form different communities and caste groups including some native tribes and fishermen. Many of them are farmers and some work at construction sites.
David got training through IBL Patashala (ID NO. 2804) and adopted Begur village for his practical ministry. We trekked through every path on the village and shared the Good News from door to door. There were a few Christians but no proper worship centre in the village for many years. David put in a lot of effort and eventually could start a prayer cell in one of the believer’s home. Some new believers regularly started attending the fellowship and worshiping the Lord there. In spite difficult situations and discouraging experiences, he is encouraged to work boldly for the Lord.
During his visits David met a woman named Chamundeswari, whose husband was in North India serving the Indian Army. She asked him to pray for her husband who is facing great difficulties in his job especially during the election period. Daniel prayed with her for her husband that day. At one of his visits a few days later, she came and shared a testimony about her husband. One day he and two his associates were deployed on a vigilance duty. There was a bomb blast and her husband was miraculously saved with minor injuries while his two colleagues were killed on the spot. Chamundeswari believed that it was the prayer that saved her husband and event proved that Jesus Christ is the only living God who answers sincere prayers. She and her husband have decided to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and they are getting ready to witness Him publicly as a confession of their faith and experience of salvation.
Healing of Body and Soul
Kumbini* is a village near Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu. About 3500 people live in this village. The people groups here are Adi Dravidar (native tribe), Vanniyar, Pillai Kuravar,Naidu, Mudaliyar and Chettiyar. Weaving Cotton, fireworks and agriculture are their common occupation. People practice different religions- Hinduism, Islam and some Christianity.
IBL Patashala alumni Raju* (ID NO. 2801) had started a worship center in Kumbini where about 80 to 110 people are attending the fellowship. His wife is also trained through the Patashala. Both of them work very hard in their field spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and reaching every home with the Gospel literature and tracts.
Once during his house visits Raju met a family. The four member family had two grown-up sons. The eldest was suffering from a big tumor on his left leg for a long time. He consulted different doctors for treatment and spent a lot of money in vain. The doctors gave up on him and his condition grew worse.
Raju shared the Word of God with him and prayed for the boy and continued praying for him for many days. The Lord began to work in the family and granted complete healing for the boy. They as a family attend the church regularly and participate in all the fellowship meetings without fail. They are so thankful to the Lord for His wonderful act of healing. This family belongs to a staunch Hindu community called “Vanniyar. Pray that the Lord will protect them from all possible oppositions from their own community.
Stories from Adult Literacy programme
Deliverance form Superstitions
People of Perumpatti* village in Tamil Nadu never consulted a doctor or went to a hospital whenever they fell sick. The local magician was popular among them as they were quite comfortable with witchcraft and their superstitions. The magician’s pooja and rituals made sure that they always got back to him for help.
At the Adult Literacy training programme, the animators also taught them of health and hygiene and why they should go to a doctor or a hospital when sick. The literacy worker reports of people’s improved literacy and their new practice of seeking proper medical help in need.
* Names preserved