Life from Alcohol to Christ!
Our driver, named Umma, by God’s grace, was also saved and came to believe in Jesus Christ. He drove the team from place to place. While we were in Odisha, his heart was deeply touched and moved by the faith and devotion of the believers. On the evening of the 17th of May, 2018 the team was speaking at a church outreach event in a remote village. It was the same one mentioned above in Bhagya Rag’s testimony that is undeveloped without electricity or lights. The team was presenting in English and then the English was being translated to Orriya. The driver is from Andhra Pradesh and doesn’t speak either language. Even though he couldn’t understand the words or the message, God moved his heart as he watched the devotion of the believers worshipping the Lord. He saw them pouring their hearts out to God and praising Him with all of their strength. He was thinking they are so poor and undeveloped, but he saw such joy in them as they were worshipping the Lord. He could feel the presence of God while they were worshipping. After the service when the team returned to the hotel from the service, he was rooming with Director Jeevan. He shared with Jeevan how he felt and how his heart was moved. He asked for Jeevan to please buy him a Bible. Jeevan promised to buy one for him once they returned to a city.
On the night of the 21st, we held a village outreach meeting in Mulumetta village. He was there from the beginning to the end of the service. After the Word of God was shared, he came forward himself to give his testimony. He told the people that he used to drink four bottles of alcohol every day. He explained he would drink them even while he was driving. The owner had warned him so many times not to drink while he was driving. He was too addicted to it to stop. Every time when he got paid he would spend all of the money on alcohol. He did not take any home to support his parents. Jeevan hired him on the 12th to pick up the team and be the driver. Jeevan asked him if he had been drinking. He said no, but in his heart he knew that he was drinking and felt very afraid. From that day until the day he shared his testimony, he had not had a drink of alcohol. His friends would call him at night inviting him to come drink with them. He told them no and did not go with them. They were surprised he refused to go with them and they knew he was driving around Christians. They confronted him and asked if he was converting to a different religion. He told them no and that he was observing their words and actions. As he stood and shared this testimony, he also stated how God had changed his heart. He wants to completely give up alcohol. He said before he knew he could not live without alcohol, but now he knew without God he could not live. He knew he could not give up alcohol on his own, but he knew by God’s grace that God would enable him to leave alcohol. Director Jeevan presented him with a Bible and clothes. The clothes were to help encourage him to begin his new life in Christ. The team also blessed him with clothes. Please uphold our new brother in your prayers.