After my college education, I joined in the Banking service. In the year 1973, I was transferred from Amalapuram town to Tuni town. Whenever we get transferred, the government gives us 7 days transit holidays to move the household luggage and to admit the children in the school. I was a bachelor at that time and did not have much to do. I got relieved from the Amalapuram State Bank and Came to Tuni town. Since I had a week days holidays, I have decided to go the nearby Visakhapatnam city to visit one of my aunts.

It was afternoon when I came to visit my aunt.  She was not at home. But her son, Vijay Kumar Patnaik who was at home, opened the door.  Since sometime, Vijay Kumar became a Christian and his life was changed.  I did not like Vijay Kumar because of the change in his life.  Vijay Kumar informed me that my aunt went out but he cordially invited me to come in.   I went inside and sat down. Vijay Kumar started the conversation in this way.  He said that you and I were living the same type of life.  But now there is lot of change in my life. He said why you don’t you go for a change in your life.

I answered him that always you Christians say like that, I do not want to confess my sins today and live in sin tomorrow. I said I did not want to live like a hypocrite.

My friend said, a sick man needs a doctor, a sinner needs a helper who can lift him from the path of sin and put him in the right way.  Jesus came to help the sinners.  He wants to put the sinners in the right way.  My friend said, why don’t you take the help of Jesus?  My friend told the story of Jesus.  He said that, Jesus was rejected, persecuted, abused and crucified. Inspite of all the suffering, my friend said that still Jesus loves me, that touched my heart.

I had many doubts in my heart. I was scared that after confessing my sins, I may fall back again into the sinful life.  I had doubt that I can not live a holy life.

            My friend said that Jesus will come into my life and will forgive my sins, change my heart, mind and life.  He told me the sinner’s prayer and we prayed together.

            From there, I went to a Bible Book Store and bought a Bible and returned back to my room. My friend told me to read the New Testament in the morning and the Old Testament in the evening time. So I read the Bible the next day morning and started to pray. I confessed my sins and asked God to come into my life. I asked God to take away my sins and change my life.   Instead of that, the burden of my sins have grown up and I was crying to the Lord to help me.  It was evening 5’o clock and nothing happened. I thought I was a great sinner and God is not going to forgive my sins. 

 Therefore I thought, if God is not forgiving my sins, then it this crying and weeping is a waste. So I said, God may be I am great sinner. May be you do not want to forgive my sins. If it is so, then it is a waste for me to kneel down here and pray to you. This is my last prayer, if you are going to forgive me, then do it right now. If you do not want to forgive me, it is O.K. It is better for me to go back to my past life rather than weeping and crying here, and immediately I was a vision.