Jeevankumar, his wife, Koklia, and their teen son, Pushpakumar, live in south-central Sri Lanka. Belief in Hindu gods defines the region, and most people are ardent followers. However, the religious family lived in total contrast to what the gods offered. “My life was a mess. Almost every day, I had arguments with my wife. I was frustrated and left home and went to the capital Colombo in search of a job,” he explains.
“I wasted all my earnings on alcohol and stopped talking to my wife. Meanwhile, she left our son with her parents and went abroad searching for greener pastures. She suffered frequent bouts of chest pain, and the hardship of working away from home was too much for both of us, and we returned home after four years,” he shares.
Fortunately, a friend intervened after learning of their troubles. “He counseled and invited us to church. The word that the pastor shared from the Bible touched my heart. My wife was initially reluctant to come to church, but we started going to church weekly. The pastor prayed for her healing and gave her a Bible League Bible study booklet. He said that God would do a miracle and heal her and asked us to believe in Jesus and repent from our sins.”
The story of Bartimaeus touched the couple. “The church earnestly prayed for my wife’s healing, and we continued to study the Bible. The study booklet taught us about healthy family relationships. It helped us to make changes in our relationship with one another,” he attests. “God helped us, and we don’t fight each other anymore. We confessed our sins and accepted Jesus into our lives. Jesus brought peace into our family. Praise the Lord.”
Still, the family faced opposition from others for accepting Jesus. “My father-in-law would come home and shout at us for abandoning our old faith,” Jeevankumar shares. “It has been tough for us to put up with our relatives. They are angry with us for giving up all the religious rituals. Pray that they will come to know the Lord. My wife and I want to thank you for giving us Bibles and booklets. I thank God for His love and favor in our lives. God bless you all.”
