Here is a collection of Testimonies from people living and serving on the Doulos from all over the world, I hope you enjoy!!!!
Thomas Kareti
One of the privileges of being on board is meeting people like Thomas Kareti.
Born under the Hindu name of Chenchaiah Kareti in a small village located in Southern India.
Religious Hindu background and family, worshiping and praying to 20 Gods regularly, the Hindu religion is made up of over 313 million gods, thats right, i wrote million!! Among those Gods were the idols for Creator, Holy God, protector, Health, Prosperity, Love, and Lust.
Like any other young child Thomas obeyed his parents who just so happened to be Very strict Hindu’s. His mother taught him to pray to these gods before school from a very early age. She sould bring him every Wednesday to temple to worship these idols and pray for salvation. To show his loyalty Thomas regularly shaved his head as a sacrifice. Once when his sister fell ill to sickness his family sacrificed their cow for healing the sickness, but nothing happened.
Later in Life when His father fell sick to paralysis, many God’s were prayed to. The family had to sell its land in order to pay for his fathers medical bills and replace lost income, There was also many additional sacrifices as a desperate plea to the Gods in order to settle his fathers healing.
Sadly Thomas father died in 98 even after all the sacrifices and things done to the Hindu Gods.
Feelings of Helplessness consumed Thomas after His fathers death, after doing everything he felt he could to protect his family, he realized that he wasn’t in control.
Discouraged at families situation, no hope, no encouragement.
After joining a fireworks company to earn money for his sisters dowry, He met a Christian brother named James who just so happened to be his manager.
- While working with James their relationship and trust grew and James always talked to Thomas about Jesus. At first Thomas was confused about this Jesus Guy he kept hearing about. He had never heard the name of Jesus before James shared with him and didn’t think much of it. Over a period of time however James showed Thomas unconditional love and accepted for who he was, something he had never felt before. Inviting him over for meals and coffee, buying him clothes and sacrificing his weekends to spend time with Thomas.
T The biggest difference that Thomas felt from those who follow Jesus rather than Hindu was their Love. They went out of their way to share and sacrifice time and money, happily with complete strangers. Once the clear gospel was shared concerning Jesus, Thomas began to believe and understand Christ and he felt for the first time that Jesus was the true God.
- 2000, He was baptized and given the name Thomas by the pastor of his first church. James brought him to this church. After baptism still growing to church and working for James. He felt great sadness about people that are blinded to salvation like he once was and decided to do something about it.
He He was introduced to Operation Mobilization through his pastor’s friends, he shared with his pastor the desire to go into missions and his pastor introduced him to Om India. After working with India’s headquarters in Hydrabad India for 6 years, he heard about the Doulos and prayed for God to allow him the opportunity to come on board and share the same love that was shown to him with others.
- Thomas has completed the first year of his 2 year commitment on board the Doulos and is currently in charge of the entire food store for the 330 people on on board.
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