December 2012 • Vol. 8, No. 8

Transformed by the Word

The proprietor of a successful business, Nandak gave all the credit to his gods. There used to be little hope in Nandak’s life: his father had died when he was in the 10th grade, leaving Nandak’s mother alone to provide for her two sons.

Nandak dropped out of school and took upon himself the burden of providing for his mother and younger brother.

He got married and started a business selling furniture. This venture brought in enough money to meet all of the family’s needs. Attributing the success to their gods and goddesses, Nandak and his family worshiped them faithfully.

However, Nandak began spiraling down into a dark pit. He started spending time drinking with his friends. As this destructive habit grew worse, both Nandak’s wife and his mother pleaded with him to stop, but their words fell on deaf ears.

It was during this time that Prabhat, a Gospel for Asia-supported pastor, began taking a team of believers to share the Good News among unreached villages in the area. When Pastor Prabhat stopped by Nandak’s house, the young man wasn’t home. So Prabhat left a New Testament with Nandak’s wife and mother. When Nandak came home that evening, he noticed the Bible on the table. Not knowing what the book was about, however, he didn’t read it.

Sleepless Nights Cause Him to Read the Bible

A few days later, Nandak came down with a sickness that left him bedridden for days. Demons tormented him at night, robbing him completely of sleep. He went to a doctor and offered special sacrifices to the gods, but he didn’t get any better. Stuck in bed, Nandak picked up the New Testament left by Pastor Prabhat and began to read. The stories in the book of Matthew amazed him. Reading about the many healings of Jesus, Nandak was impressed by Jesus’ power, and he wanted Jesus to heal him too.

When news came that the pastor was back in his village, Nandak sent for him.

Pastor Prabhat was overjoyed to know that Nandak had been reading the Bible. He came and prayed for Nandak and challenged him to keep reading every day.

A Changed Life

This was not a problem for Nandak; he was learning so much. When he stopped worshiping the gods and goddesses of his traditional faith, the other villagers became upset. His mother and brother moved out, which saddened him. But Nandak noticed that the more he read the Bible, the better he felt. As Jesus began transforming his heart, he stopped drinking.

Within a month, people could see the positive changes in Nandak’s life. His wife decided to follow Jesus too. The couple invited Pastor Prabhat to their home to pray for them, and they also began hosting a weekly prayer meeting.

As the whole village heard about the prayer meetings and the power of Jesus to transform lives, people’s hearts began softening. Two more families decided to come pray, and they have since embraced the love of Jesus—along with Nandak’s mother and brother.

“I remember always trying to improve myself to earn love and respect from everyone around me,” Nandak says. “I started drinking alcohol. I thought I was so cool. But in reality, I was mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually unhealthy. I thought I was just partying and having fun, but I was really destroying myself.

I want to thank the Lord for the grace and mercy He showed in my life by sending His Word to my home through His servant.”

Thank you for sharing God’s Word with the people of South Asia! Through one New Testament, multiple families have found new life, and an entire unreached village has come to know about Jesus’ love.

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