A Close Shave

“To Thee they cried out, and were delivered; in Thee they trusted, and were not disappointed.” Psalm 22:5, NAS.

As a new follower of Jesus, my Hindu family was convinced that I had abandoned my heritage. In an attempt to bring me back to my “senses,” I was being taken from my home in Singapore to India to participate in a Hindu ritual in the city of Madurai. They would take me to a temple and shave my head. I didn’t want to do it, but my parents insisted. I prayed to God that as I honored my parents, He would make a way for me to honor Him at the same time. During my stay in India I saw God miraculously answer that prayer many times over.

At the airport my father’s boss had come to see us off. As we chatted he asked me, “Are you a Christian?” I said yes. My parents glared at me. The manager tried to soften the situation. He said, “It is okay for the boy to be a Christian. He is almost 18 and will be making his own choices soon.”

My father angrily replied, “He is Hindu. He was born Hindu, and he will die Hindu.” Shortly after that we boarded the plane for India. As I got on that plane, I was grateful to know that many Christians were praying for me. When we landed it was raining heavily. The transport we had for the three hour ride to our home village had no windows at the back. As we bounced down the road, the rain pounded the roof. I prayed.

When we arrived at the family house where I had spent five years of my childhood, the rain had not let up. Inside, the house was filled with bugs and frogs. It was the coldest night that I could remember in my life. I was to sleep in a windowless room filled with idols. As I tried to sleep, I heard eerie voices telling me to quit my faith or kill myself. I committed myself to God, and He granted me a deep, undisturbed sleep for the rest of the night.

The next day I continued to hear the voices telling me to quit. That only strengthened my resolve to stand firm. We visited a former colleague of my father. He recounted how a church nearby had been destroyed by the Asian Tsunami of 2004. He said all the Christians had died, which proved that they were praying to the wrong God. All I could think of was that those people were in heaven.

One area had many shrines. My parents considered the place sacred and wanted to take me there. I prayed for God to close the door so I wouldn’t have to go, and my parents would not be exposed. God answered. The local men told my father that he would have to pay $500 to enter because he was a foreigner. He refused to pay, and they refused to let us in!

We traveled on to another temple. I prayed again to be delivered. Again, God answered. When we arrived, we discovered that the temple had recently been looted. It was closed because all the idols were gone. At yet another temple we missed the operating hours of the ferry! My parents were not happy. I was ecstatic.

The time drew near for my participation in Madurai. We traveled by plane to Tamil Nadu. The flight was turbulent, and I thought for a moment that we would not make it, but again God protected us. After landing I met an uncle and learned that my parents had arranged for my marriage to his daughter. I felt overwhelmed and cried out to God. Only time will tell what His answer will be, but He gave me peace for the moment. As I drove through the town I saw the cross on top of several church buildings. That really encouraged me.

The temple to which my parents took me was in the middle of the wilderness. I pleaded with my parents, but they forced me to go through with the ritual. My head was shaved with a razor. I was stripped and physically forced to bow before stone idols. I felt so humiliated. Rage welled up in me at my parents. Yet even in my anger and shame I sensed the Holy Spirit reminding me how much Christ had forgiven me, and I forgave my parents.

God showed His kindness to me by covering my shame. In only two days my hair had completely grown back. A few days later I returned to Singapore. Once I got home shame and doubt hit me again. I thought I had offended God. My friend’s father, who is a Christian pastor, encouraged me and assured me that God was not unhappy.

As I think back on my short time in Christ, I am amazed how much Jesus has seen me through. I am confident that in time He will bring my entire family to saving faith. May my testimony be an encouragement to many who are considering whether or not to follow Jesus. He has been faithful to me.

Pray that:

God will grant boldness and protection to His young followers in unreached areas of the Pacific Rim.

This young man’s entire family will come to faith.

God will raise this young man to be a leader in a Singaporean Indian church.

Several Indian churches will be established in Singapore, Malaysia, and India.

Pacific Rim is a region of the International Mission Board, SBC.