Because of him I am alive today

It's me Kevin Shrestha born to Mr. Kiran Shrestha and Mrs. Bimala Shrestha as the only son on 11^th of Magh, 2053/ 24^th January, 1997 at Tahachal-13 situated at Kathmandu in Nepal with Newari background and generation. I was grown up in a medium joint family in a religious background. However, my family was under two major religious groups- Hinduism (plus Buddhism) and Christianity. I had hence deep faith in existence and power of God since my childhood. I was a Hindu rather. However, I grew in an environment of both Hinduism and Christianity since my early childhood.

I used to see Hindu epical movies like Vishnu Purana, Ramayan, and Mahabharat. When I watched and understood these movies then I felt that the god-incarnates shown in these epics are rather not pure but had human nature though they had done many good works for the goodwill of humankind. I found these god-incarnates committing cheats and involving in war and violence plus they possess many weaknesses. I then thought that Hindu gods do not possess all the qualities required to be God. I even felt that they were either product of natural and cosmological forces or powerful or noble human heroes.

I used to involve in rites and rituals practiced in Hinduism. I used to worship idols of gods and goddesses in my childhood. My grandmother had deep faith in Buddha and Sai Baba too. I used to listen to Hinduism chants or songs of devotion. I used to draw their pictures whenever I was free of my study and works. I used to participate in cultural rite and rituals without knowing any specific meanings. However, I was more interested in magic, spells, evil powers and demonic practices rather than considering and paying interest towards divine powers. I had no feeling of sin and transgressions, no regretting and no habit of forgiving during my childhood since I had no such experience at all.

In my childhood life, Jesus had only a place of good moral teacher and a healer. Though I used to read tracks on gospel, I had no impacts. His Virgin birth, resurrection, etc. had not impacted my mind. However, how I became keen to know about him more has one interesting event. I want to share you about one event that stunned me. When I was staying in my maternal uncle's house during long vacation, I went with my grandmother to devotion of Sai baba and I found the people glorifying Jesus Christ along with other gods! I saw a picture of Hindu deity Krishna in which he had shown his mighty form (Virat Swaroop) to Arjun. In the picture, I saw heads of different worshipped gods along with Jesus! I understood what that picture meant. It was relaying message that all gods are one and they all are in different forms or say manifestation of One Supreme God. I didn’t keep much interest in Him due to influence of Hinduism but I never protested against him rather. Rather thinking all gods are one and same, my mind focused on Jesus Christ… When I returned my home, I commented about him to my uncle saying, "Now I also knew that Jesus is also bhagawan."Surprisingly, my uncle replied that He is not a Bhagawan but Lord. Then it developed my interest in Jesus since that day.

I used to think Christmas as a joyful celebration with Christmas tree, Santa Clause, etc. I also liked this religion as the people really care children and give them gifts to make them happy. I use to go to church and see the system of worshiping and devotion, and it was different from that of Hinduism. Many members of a church who were friends of my uncle used to pray for my health and me. However, I was still Hindu but I never paid my attention to Buddhism being an atheistic religion though I learned about this religion and teachings of Buddha from my own family since my uncle was once Buddhist with experiences of meditation. I never experienced about the uniqueness of Christ. I was rather Vishnu devotee since my childhood.

Many people or friends today ask me why I had forsaken Hindu religion and as a response, I answer It's all happened because I found true hope of life in Jesus Christ and because of him I am alive today. One of the reasons, my parents and rest of the members had to believe in Christ is due to my heart problem.

Due to my unknown serious heart problem, I had to involve in different rituals of Hinduism but the gurus or the learned ones used to ask offerings and unnecessary burdens just for its solution or to redeem from suffering. Since childhood, I had to cope with many difficulties regarding my health. I couldn’t run long distances, I couldn’t play sports and games, and I couldn’t learn martial arts and heavy exercises, and some other additional difficulties. This problem was a great matter of risk in my life as it really caused me to become passive, and it usually led me to become unconscious. It is, the reason, I was unlike others. All the teachers cared me and loved me. I was rather good at study and all knew about my problem. My family then sent me to Bangalore, India with my father, uncle and few other relatives on a month of Poush, 2060 B.S. where I got great opportunity to meet Sai Baba but we saw him very weak and old. He was there just to preach which I didn’t care rather but according to my uncle, he did show few miracles before the mass. Even in India, after having met with Sai Baba, I got no hope of my new life about treatment of my disease.

When my health problem began to suppress my life, my family admitted me to Gangalal Hridaya Rog hospital, Baansbaari. When my father got great problem in managing economical support then my father thought to seek help from a Hindu Spirits to save my life. However, he got no hope from them as they replied that they could not help until money offered and they emphasized that even they are weaker before devil and demons. Then my father took the final decision to abandon Hinduism forever as he realized that none of the Hindu gods cares humans and they are useless as well as powerless. He was really hurt and wept for my case. The last option left before him was only one “Jesus Christ”. Then he told uncles and members of church that he had now kept my case in Christ, which was his final decision. After his decision, he also hoped for my new life in Christ.

All members of a church then prayed for my successful operation. I also prayed for myself daily at a hospital. I still remember how life was difficult to spend at a hospital but I really got good friends there and I used to involve with many patients. Many doctors and nurses were familiar with me. I was periodically attacked by several health hazards like fever, cold, etc. which postponed my specified date of operation but I kept on praying. I had to go to a dentist to have my teeth treated. I had to bear difficulty during E.C.G., vaccination, etc. Truly, these were painful and I never expected these things to happen in my life.

When I rested at my home, many teachers came to visit me as well as my friends. However, I lost my study but I got new life. I just told my few teachers and friends, who even my parents, did not tell at very beginning…"It was Jesus Christ who saved me." My parents explained about my condition from very beginning but I just shared them my conclusion. This statement is only one, which I share with people who follow other religions with no intention to offend their faith. Later, my mother also accepted Christ and my father along with my sister-in-law.

After accepting him, I forsook developing my interest in evil powers, writing horror stories and began repenting for my sins. After accepting him, I knew what sin is, why forgiveness is necessary, why Christ had to come in our world and what is the meaning of life. In Christ, we learn that we all are sinners no matter how good we live and we need Christ to be saved. In Christianity, we have a feeling of God's grace and love. We experience him from the heart. I try to give hope of life to those who really don’t feel what life is. What makes us different from others is that we share and we care without expectation from them. This is all due to effective teaching of Christ that we must love others (our neighborhoods) as we love ourselves. Today we run after mortal things in our life just to get short time satisfaction, happiness and luxury while living here but Christ came to grant eternal life, peace and happiness to us.

Kevin Shrestha, BE Civil student, Ktm valley CBS