GREETINGS TO YOU IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST.

It is a privilege to share our testimony with you. 

I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly (congregation) I will praise You. (Psalm 22:22)

I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You. (Hebrews 2:12)

I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth From the great assembly. (Psalm 40:10)

My wife, Dan and I used to be idol worshipers, but Jesus saved us from our sins and changed our lives. We were lost and seeking purpose, but through accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we found true fulfillment and joy. He showed us the way to salvation and has been with us every step of our journey. We are forever grateful for His love and grace. Please read our testimony to learn more about how Jesus can transform lives and bring hope and joy to anyone who believes in Him.

OUR LIFE BEFORE CHRIST 

I was born and raised in a devout Hindu family in Sri Lanka. My parents, especially my mother, were deeply committed to their Hindu faith. They firmly believed in the concepts of reincarnation and astrology, which involve the cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth, as well as the influence of the nine planets at the time of a person’s birth. These nine planets, known as the Navagraha, are often worshiped in temples to seek protection from obstacles, misfortune, or bad luck in life. Astrologers and priests, who have studied the stars, analyze and calculate the position of the planets through a person’s horoscope to predict their future. In Hindu culture, parents invest considerable effort in finding a suitable match for their children, ensuring that their horoscopes align. It is believed that when the horoscopes match, the couple will enjoy a harmonious and prosperous life together.

During my late teens and early twenties, I went through a period of Shani Dosha, which caused my parents to worry about potential obstacles, delays, and hardships that could arise in my life due to Lord Shani Bhagawan. In an attempt to appease the deity and resolve the Shani Dosha, my parents sought the help of priests, who advised me to wear a black thread on my wrist. I was also instructed to light a sesame oil lamp in front of an idol of Lord Shani Bhagawan, make donations of items like black clothes and sesame seeds, and feed crows on Saturdays. These practices were believed to please and appease the deity, as crows are considered to be the vehicle of Lord Shani Bhagawan. I faithfully followed these practices for several years and even participated in the Thailabhishekham ceremony—an oil bath ritual for deities—twice in my early twenties, hoping to find relief from the supposed effects of the Shani Dosha.

In addition, I walked barefoot on burning coals with my mother for three consecutive years at the Punnaicholai Kaali Temple in my hometown of Batticaloa. On this special day, devotees and firewalkers often followed a strict vegetarian diet or fasted to show their devotion and receive blessings from our Hindu deities. Not only did I worship idols, but for about ten years, I also worshiped a man named Kengataranandaji, also known as Suvamiji. On Saturdays and festival days, my elder brother and I would make garlands and give them to our neighbors to decorate pictures of Kengataranandaji during his Bhajanai (devotional singing). Through these practices, we firmly believed that we would receive prosperity and blessings from our deities.

I studied at Methodist Central College in Batticaloa, the first missionary school founded by Rev. William Ault from Bromwich, Warwickshire, West Midlands, England, in 1814. Afterward, I continued my education at Eastern University, Trincomalee campus.

Rejected Jesus Christ in my Early Twenties

While I was in Sri Lanka, I had heard about Jesus Christ. My aunt (my mother’s elder sister) and uncle were Christians, and they would often sing loudly and pray in their home in Batticaloa. However, we were very proud to be Hindus. I remember an incident in Colombo during my early twenties, when I was repeatedly invited to a prayer meeting by Pastor Wesley Rajathurai, the father of my dear friend Pastor Edward Wesley, who now lives in Australia. I attended one prayer meeting at their house, and afterwards, they offered me a Bible. During the meeting, they played the guitar and sang songs loudly, but I hardly remember what happened during the meeting itself. I took the Bible home to avoid hurting their feelings, but I set it aside in my room without opening or reading a single page. To this day, I regret rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ in my early twenties.

In 2008, I married my beautiful wife, Dan, with the consent of both our parents. Dan was born and raised in a Buddhist family in Sri Lanka. Before and after our marriage, we would visit both Hindu and Buddhist temples together. However, after our marriage, Dan became more devoted to Hinduism, following the rituals and practices seriously. I remember there was a Christian church next to our flat in Colombo, where services were held in all three languages on Sundays, both in the morning and evening. Interestingly, on Sundays, we would always take the back gate of our flat just to avoid running into any Christian people.

HOW WE CAME TO KNOW CHRIST AND

OUR LIFE AFTER COMING TO KNOW CHRIST

In 2010, Dan and I immigrated to England. Upon arrival, we stayed with my elder brother’s friend, Pastor Melvin (who was not a pastor at the time but later became one), for a couple of weeks while we searched for permanent housing. During this time, on a Sunday, Pastor Melvin’s wife, our dear sister Christine, asked if we would like to join them for church or if we would prefer to stay at home. She reassured us that we didn’t have to worry about anything if we stayed home, as the country was very safe. However, we decided to attend church with them instead of staying home. We didn’t fully understand why we made that choice, but it wasn’t out of a love for Jesus or a desire to seek Him. In Sri Lanka, we had always tried to avoid Christians. Perhaps it was the Holy Spirit guiding us to make this decision. That decision changed our entire lives, and we can confidently say it was the best decision we have ever made.

From that moment, we began attending church every Sunday. Soon, we found ourselves truly enjoying the gatherings, and we began attending not only on Sundays but also Friday prayer meetings and Bible studies. As we attended, we began to understand and believe that Jesus died on the cross to forgive our sins and make a way for us to go to heaven. This was a new and revolutionary concept for me, as I had always been taught that strict adherence to religious duties and maintaining purity was the only way to earn God’s favor. But through this newfound understanding, I learned that I could do nothing to earn my place in heaven and that salvation is only possible through faith in Jesus.

Dan was diagnosed with thyroid issues at the age of 18, and both the doctors in Sri Lanka and the doctors in England advised her to take medication for the rest of her life. They also told her that she was less likely to get pregnant and that it could cause complications during pregnancy, increasing the chances of miscarriages. However, she put her faith in the Lord Jesus and chose to stop taking her medication. I expressed my concerns, warning her that not following her GP’s instructions could lead to serious health problems. I urged her to follow the doctor’s advice, but she refused. At that time, I was still worshiping both idols and Jesus, while she chose to put her trust in the Lord Jesus and worship Him alone. About three or four months later, she received a letter from her GP requesting a check-up, which she ignored. When another letter arrived, stating that if she did not see her GP, she may be removed from their care, she had no choice but to visit and have her thyroid checked. To my surprise—and even to the GP’s surprise—the tests showed no abnormalities. She was completely healed. Glory be to the Lord, our God Jesus, who was faithful to His word.

Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame (Romans 10:11) He is our great physician (Exodus 15:26) there is nothing too hard for him (Jeremiah 32:27) everything is possible with him, what man can't do He can, He is able (Matthew 19:26).

Some believe that God only heals through prayer and faith, but in reality, God can heal people in three different ways. Firstly, God can heal us naturally. He has designed our bodies with an immune system that allows us to heal naturally, regardless of our faith. For instance, even if we have no faith at all, cuts and wounds will eventually heal on their own. This is a manifestation of God’s healing power. Secondly, God can use doctors and medical aid as a means to heal people. This is another way in which God works through others to bring about healing. Lastly, God can heal people supernaturally, without the need for medical intervention, through faith and by His grace. This type of healing may seem challenging and mysterious, but it is a manifestation of God’s supernatural power. I have personally witnessed my wife, Dan, being healed in this way, through a supernatural miracle.

Soon after, I began to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and started opening my heart to Him. Once Jesus began to live in my heart, I couldn’t bow down to idols or visit temples anymore. Thank you, Lord, for opening the eyes of our hearts to see the truth.

Their idols are silver and gold, The work of men’s hands.They have mouths, but they do not speak; Eyes they have, but they do not see; They have ears, but they do not hear; Noses they have, but they do not smell;They have hands, but they do not handle; Feet they have, but they do not walk; Nor do they mutter through their throat. (Psalm 115:4-7) 

I informed my parents that we had accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and that we were going to be baptized. I am grateful that my parents have been supportive and accepting of our decision to follow Jesus Christ. Despite their own religious beliefs as Hindus, they have encouraged and embraced our faith journey with open hearts. I am truly blessed to have such understanding and loving parents.

In July 2011, Dan and I accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and personal Savior and were baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I can honestly say that giving our lives to Christ was the best decision we have ever made, and we can never thank or praise Him enough for ordaining the steps that led us to this decision. After living many years in darkness, we now see the true light through Jesus Christ and view life in a completely new way, with our Lord and Savior by our side.

We believe that God has chosen us specifically for His glory and to display His work.

'that the Lord has set apart the godly for Himself'. (Psalm 4:3)

However, months passed, and I was doing nothing to strengthen my relationship with God. I never prayed or read the Bible at home, and we were going through a tough time, facing many unexpected problems. We all want good things to happen in our lives, but when that doesn’t happen, we are tempted to ask God some questions, and I am no exception. But God has been so good; He did not want us to perish, and He had a great plan for our lives. On 14th February 2013, God spoke to us through the following two encouraging Bible verses (Dan was 14 weeks pregnant at that time)

(1) "Fear not, for I am  with you"  (Isaiah 41:10) 

(2) “For I know the plans I have for you” declares the Lord, “ Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

These two Bible verses gave us hope that, no matter what we were suffering, God sees our suffering, He is planning to deliver us, He has our best interests at heart, He has great things in store for us, and His plans are perfect in our lives, even when we mess things up.

We spent a lot of time in our lives waiting. It took us eight years to come out of that particular terrible situation, but we never lost hope. We trusted in God’s timing, and He made everything beautiful in His time.

We still face struggles, but we believe that there is always a solution to every problem if we put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is a benevolent God who is always there to guide and support us in every situation. His control over all circumstances gives us peace and reassurance that we are safe and secure in the hands of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I must say this: when God wants to accomplish something, He chooses specific individuals to carry out His work. While the work itself is ultimately God’s, He uses people as His instruments to bring it to fruition. In our lives, God used Pastor Melvin as an instrument in bringing us to know Him. Pastor Melvin would invite us to his house for dinner and talk to us about the things of the Lord and the good news until midnight. This definitely brought us into a closer and tighter bond with Him and His family. He has been our dear brother and mentor since we came to the United Kingdom.

One day, Pastor Melvin told us that he had a migraine and was in bed when my elder brother, Nishanth, reached out to him for help (with picking us up from the airport and providing us with a place to stay at his house). If he hadn’t been suffering from a migraine, he would have gone to church and wouldn’t have been able to answer my brother’s call. Looking back, we now believe that it was all part of God’s plan and purpose, even though we didn’t know Him at the time. He loved us and was working behind the scenes in our lives.

We are grateful for the grace of God, as it has instilled a sense of responsibility within us, knowing that our journey to the UK was guided by His divine intervention. We can now see the beauty and purpose behind His plan. We understand that it was not by chance or coincidence that we ended up here, but rather a part of a bigger plan unfolding in our lives. We trust that there is a greater purpose for us being here.

I am also thankful for the education I received at Methodist Central College, which was founded by the great missionary Rev. William Ault. Although I may not have fully appreciated it at the time, I now recognize that it was all part of God's plan. In fact, I was so inspired by Rev. Ault that I named my eldest son's middle name after him, as well as William Carey, another well-known missionary. The interesting thing is that God brought me to the same country and place where my missionary school founder, William Ault, was born - West Midlands in England. I am in awe of the way God works and am grateful for His guidance and blessings. All glory be to Him.

We are grateful that we are no longer reliant on astrology or auspicious timings to dictate our actions. Instead, we can wholeheartedly embrace our faith and live according to God’s will, trusting in Jesus to guide us in the right direction. We are thankful for the blessing of salvation and the comfort it brings to our lives. Our sons, Elisha and Isaac, serve as constant reminders of God’s faithfulness and grace. We strive to raise them to be kind, loving, and faithful individuals, just as God has been to us. All praise and glory be to the Lord our God, Jesus Christ.

Lastly, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who supported us during our difficult times, especially those who helped Dan during both of her pregnancies. While we may not be able to mention each individual by name, we are truly thankful for their contributions. We would also like to express our heartfelt thanks to Pastor Samuel Thompson and the church family for their love, support, and prayers.

Thank you for taking the time to read our testimony. We hope it has been helpful in strengthening your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Sharing our experiences and beliefs is a way for us to spread the message of love, hope, and redemption that we have found through our relationship with God. We pray that you are able to find the same peace and joy in your own spiritual journey.

In Christ,

Sanjeev Vivek”

In Christ,

Sanjeev Vivek.

If you are blessed by our testimony, please leave us a comment. We would love to hear from you