India CropHari had a troubled childhood in eastern India. His parents separated when he was very young. He regarded his elder brother as a fatherly figure.

His father’s absence manifested itself in many ways, leaving an indelible mark on his life. He bottled up his pain and anguish until depression took over. He would often weep, saying nobody loved him. Feeling alone and lonely made him question even the reason for life. “I wanted to end my life,” he cried.

During this traumatic experience, a pastor visited him and shared his testimony, hoping to provide some emotional support. He read, “But the Lord says, ‘Can a mother forget her baby? Can she forget the child who came from her body? Even if she can forget her children, I cannot forget you’” (Isaiah 49:15 ERV). That verse struck a chord in Hari’s troubled heart. It was as if God Himself was speaking to him.

“My tears wouldn’t stop, knowing I have a God who loves me. I felt a heavenly peace,” he says. “I continued going to the church. I recognized that Jesus is the Savior of the whole world. I was later baptized. I felt the call of God for ministry and have been serving Him. I am pastoring a church now.”

Hari completed Bible League’s Church Planter Training and serves as a pastor in one of the most hostile places in eastern India. Many villagers come to hear him speak the Word of God.

“The need for Bibles in our communities is huge. We have people suffering from broken relationships, debt, poverty, and people with suicidal tendencies,” he notes. “If they receive God’s Word, their lives will be changed. I want to reach every home and provide them with our materials and Bibles,” says the young pastor, who is determined to plant more churches among the tribals in the region.

Hari has been using the Church Planter Training materials to equip the church members. “Some new believers came to faith through these materials; now they are attending church service,” he says. “I teach them how to share the Gospel with the unsaved. They are people who worship many idols and goddesses. These Project Philip books are very helpful to our ministry here.”

He continues, “The ministry of Bible League has been vital to growing our church spiritually and in numbers. We are reaching people from diverse castes, ages, and religious groups. It would be helpful if Bible League could provide picture Bibles and books for our children. That will be a big help in reaching more people.”