“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”  Proverbs 1:7. I would like to glorify the wonderful name of our LORD by sharing my testimony with you.  It will be a blessing for you to know how God raised me from the dead, lifted me from the ash heap and seated me with Princes.

My name is Santosh Kumar.  I was born in a Hindu family at Munnar in Kerala. My mother was a devout Hindu who used to visit many temples.  But we never knew that there was a living God who always loved us and cared for us even though we never knew or worshipped HIM.   

I had a very unhappy childhood.  My father was a drunkard and he used to come home drunk and beat my mother, brothers and sisters.  My mother had to work very hard to bring the children up.  But in course of time she came into contact with some prayer groups and living Christians.  She found great relief and joy in their fellowship. Later she accepted Jesus as her personal Saviour and Lord.  Her faith in Jesus became very strong and she started leading many to the Lord.  But none of her children could accept her new faith.  We asked her to give up her faith and her new God.  But she was uncompromising about her faith and said that even if the whole world stood against her, she wouldn’t give up her Lord.  She continued to be very strong and active in her prayers and soul winning and multitudes of people came to the Lord through her.

I was the youngest of seven children.  All my brothers and sisters were very intelligent and brilliant in their studies.  But my case was entirely different.  I was the dullest of all.  It was unthinkable for me to pass even a small and simple test.  All the people began to treat me with contempt or I felt so.  Though I struggled as hard as I could, I failed in 10th standard twice.  I knew it was impossible for me to pass the examination.  This made me desperate and unhappy.  I developed a sense of inferiority and I tried to avoid all.  I began to think that I was a burden to my family and the society.  For the first time in my life I began to think of taking my own life.  At that time I was working in a medical shop.  No one could guess that I was obsessed with the idea of committing suicide.  I learnt about the medicines very quickly.  But nobody knew why I was showing so much interest in learning about the medicines.

One evening I took 106(one hundred and six) very powerful sleeping pills and without telling anyone I went into a thick jungle on a high mountain and consumed all of them. I had taken a mug of water with me.  At that time I was staying with the family of the medical shop people and I used to go to my house once a month or so.   They did not know that I was really missing.  So both the families did not look for me for three days.  On the third day someone happened to pass by and he saw me lying in the jungle near a public cemetery.  He informed my brothers.  They came running and rushed me to the nearby hospital.  But the doctors said that there was nothing they could do and that I was almost dead.  There was no sign of blood pressure, body temperature or pulse.  My brothers informed all our dear ones and started making preparations for my burial.  Hearing this my mother rushed to the hospital crying.   It was a time when her faith was very strong in the Lord.  When the doctors said that there was no hope for her son, she started calling out to the Lord.  She prayed, “Jesus, You raised Lazarus from the dead.  Can’t You save my child?”  Suddenly she heard a voice clearly speaking to her, “Don’t weep, your child will live.”  Suddenly she knew Jesus had spoken to her.  She  believed that Jesus had always been faithful to her and that He would fulfill His promise.  She wiped her tears and kept praising and thanking the Lord all the time.

While I was in the hospital bed, I saw many visions of hell. I saw a huge, fearsome beast walking towards me. The earth shook as he moved.  I knew he would drag me to hell. I wanted to call out for help, but no voice came out.   He kept coming towards my bed and I watched him helplessly. Suddenly I saw a great fire descend from heaven and burn this beast from head to foot.  He stood there, unable to move.  At last he fell down and lay before my eyes like a huge mountain of  black coal.  I saw many other visions of  hell but at that time I did not  understand what they meant because I had never read the Bible.  My mother was praying all the time.  For the next three days nothing happened.  But she did not  give up her hope. On the fourth day my condition began to change.  The temperature of my body began to rise, blood pressure rose steadily and breathing became normal.  I began to recover  unbelievably fast.  On the seventh  day surprising all the doctors who treated me and challenging medical science Jesus brought me back to life from the gates of hell.  I walked out of  the hospital in perfect health.  My mother was happy because Jesus had fulfilled His promise to her.  But I still had no faith in her God.  I felt  rather frustrated and unhappy because all I wanted was to die and my attempt had fallen through.  I had no idea what future would hold.  Being a very dull person, I had nothing better to expect than doing some odd jobs.   I preferred to keep aloof from all.  At that time my brothers and sisters compelled me to write  the 10th  standard examination.  But the very thought of it gave me a shudder.  I knew I would never get through the examination. But the pressure was so strong that I had to yield to their request.  Thus I  appeared for the examination for the third time.  I was lucky this time.  I passed the examination, but had very low marks.

One day my mother asked me if I liked to go for further studies.  The  idea seemed funny to me because it was out of the question for a person like me to go to college.  Moreover it was impossible to get admission in a regular college.  Later I changed my mind and joined a private college.  There were about 20 students in the class.  I was reluctant to mix with them because I felt that I was far inferior to them. I believed that I would never get through the exams.  But I began to notice some unbelievable change in my life. I was able to understand what the teachers taught.  I began to get good marks in all the tests and exams.  Most often I stood first in my class.  All the teachers and friends began to encourage and appreciate me.  At first I found it hard to believe it.  Everyone began to treat me with love and care.  This was something I could never dream of.  I had no idea what was happening to me.  I could sense a great power guiding me and working thorough me especially in the matter of studies.  When the results of the final exams came, I stood first in the district.  Everything seemed like a dream. I thought that they had made some mistake by entering the wrong marks in my mark sheet.  I took many more years to realize that my mother’s God had already started doing miracles in my life.

As I had very good marks, I was able to join the regular college.  Until then I was very bad at English.  But I began to love English.  I could speak and write English well.  So I decided to take English for my further studies.  At college also I noticed the same change.  Most often I got the highest marks in the class.  My professors and friends treated me with great admiration and appreciation. Gradually I realized that some unknown power was working in my life.  For the first time in my life I believed in my mother’s prayers.  I felt sure that her God was guiding and helping me all the while even when I did not love Him or believe in Him.  I realized how ungrateful I had been to Him.  I accepted Him into my life as my  Lord and Saviour.  I surrendered my life completely to Him. I began to read the Bible and started living according to the scriptures.  God began to shower His blessings in every area of my life.  He honoured and exalted me everywhere.   I completed B.A, M.A. and B.Ed (training for teachers) with high marks.  I got the first prize for English poetry writing at state level.  I got the first rank at state level in the test and interview conducted  for the selection of English lecturers. While working as a lecturer at a technical higher secondary school, I applied for the post of English teachers in schools in Oman.  There I had to  appear for test and interview at national level.  God helped there too. I was able to do excellently in their tests and interview.  Today I am working as English teacher in Oman. In March 2006, I got an  award for the outstanding English teachers.  God blesses me in everything I do.  Glory to the Lord Jesus Christ.

I have surrendered my life completely to the Lord.  I spend all my free time for the glory and honour of our Lord.   Today Jesus is my best friend.  I am not ashamed to proclaim His wonderful name wherever I am.  He is using me for His glory.  Many people and families have come to the Lord.  I share the Good News with others whenever I get a chance.  I have committed myself to serving the Lord most honestly until I die.  I wasted many years in my ignorance.  But I will remain faithful to the Lord until I breathe my last.  Neither trouble nor hardship nor persecution nor famine nor nakedness nor danger nor sword will separate me from the love of Christ.  I wish to be a good soldier of Jesus and win the Crown of Life that instore for me

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(Santhosh kumar's mother with her grandson)

Dear reader, are you a worshipper of the living GOD who created us and the entire universe?  Jesus is the only true living GOD who came into the world to save everyone of us.  He alone can save us from eternal damnation.    Jesus  is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  No one comes to the Father except through Him. (John 14:6).    He is not the God of Christians alone.  He didn’t come to found a religion.  He is the Creator of the mankind.  He came to save every one of us.  If you haven’t accepted Jesus into your life, please don’t delay because tomorrow is not ours.  If you believe in Him He will wash you as white as snow with the precious blood which He shed on the cross of Calvary for every one of us. He will deliver you from the snares of hell and make you an heir to the kingdom of heaven.  There is an emptiness in every human being which the Creator alone can fill.  Jesus alone can give us everlasting joy and peace in abundance.  Jesus truly loves you and is waiting to accept you as His own child.  He bore all our sins and sicknesses on the cross.  Invite Him into your heart today itself.  May God bless you.