Christmas visit by evangelists
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When the
doctors there realised that their medicines were of no use and
that the cancer had spread, they decided that there was nothing
for it but to amputate Sukumaran’s left arm.
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Sukumaran is 29 and comes from Kovalam, Trivandrum, in the state of Kerala, southwest India. Born and brought up a Hindu, he followed all the Hindu traditions. Then in 1994, when he was just 21, his life changed dramatically when he discovered he had a tumour on his left shoulder. He saw specialists and underwent treatment in several hospitals but it was of no use. In desperation, later on, he even turned to witchcraft but this, too, proved vain.
In 1997 he was admitted to the Regional Cancer Centre at Trivandrum. When the doctors there realised that their medicines were of no use and that the cancer had spread, they decided that there was nothing for it but to amputate Sukumaran’s left arm.
It was at this time that two ladies visited him in hospital. They went round talking to patients who were willing to listen about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In spite of their best efforts, however, Sukumaran didn’t really want to listen; what he wanted above all was a chance that his arm could be saved. But his depression and loneliness reached such a pitch that he started smoking and drinking. In due course he reached the point of not being able to face life without cigarettes and alcohol and he became an addict to them both.
It is significant, perhaps, that it was on Christmas Eve that two more evangelists paid him a visit. Like the couple on the previous occasion, they talked about Jesus and the importance of Christ’s being born in the heart of man. In addition, the season gave them the opportunity to remind Sukumaran that it was at Christmas that God gave mankind the gift of his son. As an aid to the good news they expounded, they used some Scriptures published by the Bible Society of India, which they left with him as a Christmas gift.
At any rate, on that Christmas Eve Sukumaran surrendered his life to Jesus Christ and in the days that followed, by the grace of God, he changed his whole life both materially – he was able to give up smoking and drinking – and spiritually.
And there were more blessings to come. In July 1998, in advance of yet another medical check-up, he prayed to Jesus for healing and when the check-up came it was found that he was completely free from cancer: his arm was saved and he returned home, praising and giving thanks to God. Now he continually recounts the tale of his miraculous healing to the many people he encounters.
He also decided to become a distributor of BSI Scriptures and, like the evangelists who visited him, he in turn now visits hospitals, bus stations and schools with the Good News both on his lips and in his hand. And late last year (2002), he asked the BSI to send him extra Scripture Selections for distribution during the Christmas period. (WR 374/4 - 2.03)