Yesuvadian was in his 60s when he first met Jesus through a dream. God called him to serve Him, and Yesuvadian answered. He left his farm to his family and walked away to followed God’s leading.

Yesuvadian courtesy of the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission

For several years he walked from village to village sharing his newfound faith in God with others. In the past 25 years, he has led more than 400 people to Christ, revived three dying churches, and started four new congregations. When the local field saw what Yesuvadian was doing, they offered him a stipend to help him.

When Yesuvadian finds a dying church, he visits the people in the area and leads them to Jesus. Then he oversees the work to rebuild the church so that the growing congregation has a suitable house in which to worship.

When he finds a village without believers, he settles among the people and begins planting seeds of faith. He stays until a congregation and a simple church building have been raised.

Recently Yesuvadian walked to a village and began seeking out people who were willing to hear about Jesus. He began studying the Bible with them, and their interest grew. Yesuvadian has spent two years in that village and continues working there. So far more than 20 people have been baptized, and the congregation is growing stronger. But Yesuvadian, now in his 80s, is thinking of moving on to start a new congregation someplace else. While he’s waiting for God’s call, he’s helping give Bible studies for an upcoming series of meetings to be held in a central town nearby.

“God has blessed me in so many ways,” Yesuvadian says. “He leads me to the rich and poor alike. He leads me to those who want to know more about God. I stay and study with anyone who wants to hear God’s message.” While some of the people he studies with are from a Christian background, many are not. He finds special needs in the village and tries to help meet those needs, whether it’s for food or clothes or community support.

“I have no intention of retiring,” he says with a smile spreading across his weathered face. “I’m looking forward to holding another series of meeting, raising up another church.” Usually Yesuvadian doesn’t preach, but he invites evangelists to come and speak at the evangelistic meetings after he has tilled the soil and planted seeds of faith.

“God has shown me His love and given me strength to do His work,” he says. “Sharing my faith is my offering of praise to my God.”

Yesuvadian, a former farmer, shares his faith with others in southeastern India.

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