Lal

Pastor ("Lal") Gaddam

My name is Pastor Sunder Lal.  I am just a simple, ordinary man and there is nothing good in me. I was born in Walther, India. I have a lovely wife named Gracie Lal.  She is a true woman of God and prayer warrior who has also laid down her life for His service. We have two beautiful children.

When I was a child my father accepted Jesus as his only Savior and Lord. He used to preach in the hut churches even though he was not a pastor.  We were very poor and knew what real hunger felt like, sometimes spending days without food. After completing high school, I received a calling from God to the ministry. I consulted with my fathers’ friend, Pastor V.A. Moses. He observed my intentions and helped me join a bible college called “Good Shepherd Evangelism India Ministries.”


At Good Shepherd Evangelism India Ministries, I received a partial scholarship, studied, was baptized by Pastor V. A. Moses and in 1997, received a Bachelor in Bible Theology (B.B.TH). During my studies there, I started to preach the gospel as an assistant pastor to the Director, Pastor J.C. David. Now I have the privilege of letting you know the great and mighty work revealed by our God. How He has poured out His great love and mercy on people like us.


The Mission Field ~

The tribal people are in dyer need of the Word of God and formal education. They lack all the material comforts. These people are rejected by society and, therefore, neglected by everyone… including governmental institutions. They are forced to live in the jungle and forests of India in deplorable conditions, without education, hygiene, a clean and safe water source, electricity and many other necessities. They live among venomous snakes and wild beasts like bears, tigers and other dangers. No one helps them.

It is in these tribal places that God has used me in a powerful and often surprising way. I have suffered and endured many things for the mighty cause of Christ. For preaching the Word of God, I have been arrested four times, beaten on many occasions, and many times I saw my own blood. People have thrown stones at me because I am a Christian. One time I was almost killed. Once I even lost consciousness. I have been hit with a bat, been attacked by wild animals and all these things I have survived for the cause of Christ that His name may be praised among the tribes.

But if I did not suffer those times, I may have not made it as His servant. Now, I prefer this life only. God is with me. All the dangers and threats have not deterred the preaching of the Word of God to the tribal people in the jungles of Andhra Pradesh, India. It may be difficult to understand the persecution Christians suffer here in Andhra Pradesh, especially when you live in a Christian country. In India it is quite natural for a Christian to be put to death. We are well prepared to face the battle. So like that, I have spent my days preaching Christ, even though I have faced many dangers. Many times the enemy has tried to destroy me, but he has not harmed me. I still wonder about God’s abundant mercies toward me. From the beginning He has cared for me and now also, His presence never leaves me.

The Lord has brought me from ground and dust to reach many people in the Indian Tribal places, where I am today. With the affection and everlasting love that God has manifested to me, He brought me out of the miry clay. I am nothing; all I am today is because of Him. He gave His life for me and He remembered me when I was in sorrow and deep confusion. So now I take the privilege of thanking God and praising God for what He has done in my life


Because of his love and commitment to reaching the Indian people for Christ, Pastor Lal has been arrested for preaching the word of God. He is constantly threatened with death by armed Hindu radicals. He has been attacked by wild animals while traveling through the jungles to reach isolated villages for Christ. He has endured garbage and rocks being thrown at him, as well as endured beatings by the police to the point of unconsciousness.

Pastor Lal understands this is the life of a Christian evangelist in India. Hence, he finds strength in the verse:

"Though he slay me, yet will I trust in Him." Job 13:15


 

An Unforgettable Encounter ~

In early February, 2010, Pastor Lal and several of the pastors, traveled to a village to share the gospel. When the Pastors arrived to the village, Pastor Lal started to run a fever.

The night they arrived they set up the microphone, instruments and everything for the service. That night 11 people came to the Lord. After that, some people in the village got very angry and told the pastors they had to leave. They said the pastors were trying to change the village and the people. They did not want any changes and they were told they were not welcome and had to leave. When the people in the village saw that the pastors would not leave, they got very angry and stole their suitcases and all their personal affects including their camera.

They were not allowed to stay in any dwelling or even eat so all food was kept from them. They slept outdoors and survived on what little food they could find here and there.

On the third day, the pastors decided to leave the village to find some food. Since Pastor Lal was sick with fever, they left him under a coconut tree where he was comfortable and could sleep while they were gone. Later that morning, a little boy approached Pastor Lal and started to speak with him. Pastor Lal became friends with the 8 year old boy. Later that afternoon when the pastors had left the village to look for food, the little boy approached Pastor Lal and offered him a glass of milk. (In India when you are sick, you drink milk not chicken soup like we do in America.) So Pastor Lal proceeded to drink the milk. The minute he started to drink, the little boy ran away. At that very moment, Pastor Lal's eyes stung so hard he knew something was wrong. He threw the glass to the ground and lost consciousness.

In the village where the 11 people had gotten saved, two men who were built like bodyguards or wrestlers, saw what had happened and ran to Pastor Lal. They grabbed him up and ran with him out of the village as fast as they could. They ran with him for four miles without stopping knowing the village people wanted to kill Pastor Lal and bury him in the jungle before the other pastors returned. Their plan was to take advantage of him while he was left alone, poison him and then bury him in a place where no one would find him. That was the enemy's plan. Thank God for those two men who ran away with Pastor Lal. In this village, everyone lives by selling cobra venom. They sell it for medicinal purposes and that is how they support themselves. They have natural antidotes they use just in case some of them get poisoned.

As these two men were running with Pastor Lal, they were using these natural anti-venoms on him. These consisted of leaves and some juices. They would put them in his nose, eyes and mouth. When the pastors arrived back at the village, they were told what had happened. Immediately they followed behind to find Pastor Lal. They were able to find him at the hospital in Vijayawada which is quite far from the village. When the two men arrived with Pastor Lal arrived at the hospital, Pastor Lal was still unconscious but the two men watched over him until the pastors arrived. They held watch over him. The pastors and the 11 people who had been saved did not leave him. They even made an agreement to take turns watching over him so that he would not be alone at any time. Everytime one of the 11 would come, they would bring their whole family.

At that time in the hospital there were some reporters from a news channel that had realized that Pastor Lal had been bitten by a snake. They wanted to know the story so that they could put it in the evening news. They had heard rumors of a "Holy Man" who had been poisoned in a village and were interested in the facts. They asked the pastor to tell him what had happened. The pastors decided to deny everything because if they told the truth, all Pastor Lal had suffered would be in vain. These people had to know the love and forgiveness of Christ and this was a good way for them to know how much God forgives us even when we do not deserve it. How merciful is our mighty Lord Jesus! Even the doctor pleaded with the pastors to tell since he is bound by law to report all murder or attempted murder cases. But they kept silent. When the villagers found this out they became interested in the God of these Holy Men.

This village is part of a three village government where there is one family of the high caste that rules over the rest. When this leader found out what happened, he too become interested in what had happened because he is responsible for what happens in his villages. After a few days, there was a lot to celebrate. The doctor had said if Pastor Lal was able to survive the first 48 hours, he had a good chance of surviving. Pastor Lal had survived the 48 hours and was now conscious. The doctor pleaded with him to put a case against the village but he refused.

What the enemy intended for evil, God intended for good ~

The attending doctor became interested in the God of these Holy Men. He started to ask questions about the Bible and since Pastor Lal has gone home, he visits him frequently to ask him questions about Jesus. It seems this man of science may also come to Jesus. The village leader called Pastor Lal with humility and asked him to preach in all three of his villages. He said he would protect him. He said that since this had happened, the villagers want Pastor Lal to come back. They want to hear about this God. Since then Pastor Lal receives visitors from the village frequently. They love him very much. Satan had his plan but he did not remember that God can turn something bad into something so good for His glory. We thank God for the mercies He extended to Pastor Lal.

Pray for the souls that have yet to come to Christ through this entire ordeal. That they would feel the love from God and their eyes will be opened.

God bless you!

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