(Editor’s Note: In our last issue, The Newsvine gave the testimony of Sister Suman Narayan. Now read the testimony of her husband, our new resident missionary to India and the Fiji Islands. He receives the mantle from our faithful Brother Uday Narayan who for many years undertook many journeys to the Fiji Islands and India spreading the gospel on behalf of our church. Now they will. Read and be inspired!)
PART II THE TESTIMONY OF BROTHER RAVIND NARAYAN
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A MODEST START
rother Ravind is the son of Brother Bhoop and Sister Uthura Narayan. He was born in October of 1969 on Waila, a rural community of Nausori on the main island of Fiji. His father was a farmer and a carpenter. Brother Bhoop would grow leafy vegetables such as bok choy as a cash crop on his leased land, as well as build and repair houses. He would grow different crops all year round. His mother was a homemaker. The Narayans had a modest income and lived a simple life. Sister Uthura’s stove was a set of bricks outside the home, heated over a fire. She grew her own herbs and cooked the food they cultivated as food was too expensive to buy in the market. Typical meals consisted of bananas, coconuts, and dalo which is like a yam. Ravind’s mother loved flowers and decorated their home with beautiful marigolds and hibiscus. She also stitched old clothing together to make things such as door mats. A devoted Hindu, Brother Bhoop read most of the Hindu religious books and filled his home with religious pictures and idols of brass and silver. He even made a room in his home dedicated for prayer which he filled with these religious artifacts. Brother Ravind was the oldest child. As houses were far apart, he spent his time at home either helping his parents or playing with his siblings. He remembers climbing tall coconut trees, “We had no choice,” he said. “There were times we had no food.” Coconuts were a source of nourishment for the poor. “To this day,” he said, “I am afraid of heights.” When he was young, the children would play in the trees, jumping from tree to tree. Remarkably, none were ever injured. School was over an hour’s walk one way, and Ravind would faithfully trod that distance by foot to the Methodist school he attended. Concerned about the compulsory scripture lessons they taught, Ravind consulted his father for his approval. He told Ravind, “Yes, Jesus is the god of the white people. We have our own gods. Our gods are more powerful. The Christian God is only 2,000 years old.” He cautioned his son about saying anything bad about the Christian god, so Ravind would obediently listen to the Bible teaching.
A WITNESS APPEARS Ravind remembers when he was about 14 years old. A woman from a local gospel church would occasionally come to their house to bring them flyers, tell them stories about Jesus, and invite them to church. Ravind showed interest as he was familiar with the verses because they had learned the same ones in school. She started bringing Ravind Bible lessons weekly for him to learn. She invited Ravind to come to her church that was three miles from their home. Ravind became anxious, certain that his father would object. Ravind’s father overheard the conversation
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Here with their parents are the Narayan children. Can you guess who are Ravind, Atish, and Prenesh? and asked “Is she wanting you to go to church?” Ravind was surprised when his father suggested that both Ravind and Atish could go. “But how will we go,” Ravind asked remembering the distance. The woman quickly volunteered to come by car and pick them up for church. The gospel church was in a rented hall. The adults had their services inside, and the children had their services outside on benches under a coconut tree. Ravind enjoyed himself as the songs they sang were the same ones he had learned in his school. When they arrived home, Brother Bhoop asked Ravind how he enjoyed going to church. When Ravind told his father that he liked it, his dad said, “You guys can go back again the following Sunday.” In fact, this time, Ravind’s father went to church as well. They all sat in the adult service in the hall. When the service was over, they noticed another church setting up for their 1:00 service. Brother Bhoop was curious and approached the men in charge.
AN ORDAINED TWIST OF FATE This is when God changed everything for the Narayan family. God had seen the hunger in Brother Bhoop’s heart as he spent hours praying in his special room dedicated to prayer. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled! Brother Bhoop approached one of the men, a preacher from the United States named Uday Narayan. Immediately Elder Uday Narayan asked Ravind’s father if he had been baptized. “No,” Brother Bhoop replied, “this is the first time we’ve come to church.” Sensing a hungry heart, Elder Narayan set up an appointment that Tuesday to come to Ravind’s house to talk. When he arrived, Brother Bhoop opened up his heart to the preacher. “I am a Hindu,” he said. “We worship many gods, and we are sick in our bodies.” He was frustrated because, although they had prayed to their gods and had even called on the witchdoctors for help, they were not cured. Ravind’s mother suffered from terrible migraine headaches, Atish had chronic sores on his feet, Ravind’s grandmother who lived with them had asthma, and Ravind was very ill with a heart condition. Ravind’s father had a bad habit of escaping life’s problems by smoking kava, which brings on a drowsiness. Elder Narayan explained that they had a sin problem that must be taken care of first. He told them they needed to repent of their sins, be baptized in
