Paul Sundar
Raj
Bihar, India
Video Interviews
Thanks to Simeon's Hope organisation - Rob and Lindsey Musick, AC missionaries to India from Ohio, USA.
[visit Simeon's Hope Videos on YouTube]
Paul's Testimony
Part 1:
[05:00 - Sep 21, 2007] ...or click here
Paul's Testimony
Part 2:
[05:00 - Sep 21, 2007] ...or click here
Paul's Vision & Calling to Serve in Bihar:
VIEW VIDEO [05:00 - Oct 2007]
How to Pray for Bihar:
VIEW VIDEO [05:00 - Oct 2007]
Flooding in Bihar:
VIEW VIDEO [04:59 - Oct 2007]
Thank You for Giving:
VIEW VIDEO [03:08 - Oct 2007]
About Paul - Biography
Pastor Paul Sunder Raj is a Missionary to
Bihar (pronounced "Beehar") for the Advent Christian
Conference of India. He is also Vice Principal of the St
Xavier’s English School of the Advent Christian Conference of India which is also located in
Khagaria, Bihar. He is married to Suder Mathi
(pronounced "Mardi") and is the proud father of an appropriately named son -
William Carey - and a beautiful daughter named Joanna.
Paul has been ministering for the Lord in the northern Indian State of Bihar
since 1999 and now leads a team of 7 other Christian evangelists in and around
the District of Khagaria. Tamil is his mother tongue, but since
his call to service he has learned and is fluent in English,
Hindi and 2 local
languages Detti (pronounced "Dayti") and Pochpoori (pronounced "Pojepoori").
Paul has an amazing testimony. He has many times been threatened with guns,
knives and sticks and has been beaten for his faith during his time in Bihar. He
has also experienced the direct power and intervention of the God to whom he is
so faithful – one dark evening in Bihar, as he walked a narrow path beside the
Ganges River on his way home, he accidentally stepped into an area of quicksand
and found himself unable to escape. His cries for human help brought no response
because of the hour of the day. As he continued to sink into the soft, wet sand,
he placed his Bible which he had with him on top of his head and he prayed for
help to come. Even as he prayed God heard and answered his prayer and he felt an
invisible force lift him up and place him where his now shoeless feet were
secure. Because of that intervention by the Lord, he is still ministering in
Bihar today.
Testimony
I was born in a Hindu family. I stuttered badly until my 12th
year. My friends and relatives mocked at me and treated me badly.
During the festivals I put 5 paise, 10 paise coins in my mouth, and scattered
them among the devotees, praying for a fluent speech. Even then I was not able
to speak fluently.
In this situation I heard about Jesus through Sister Salome Joyce for the first
time and had a belief in Him. I was attending worship at that time. One day
during the T.P.M. or C.P.M. convention, pastors laid their hands on my head and
prayed for me. At that time I felt a great power descending on me. From that day
onwards I started talking fluently.
Rev. Neil Armstrong was working as my local pastor and I was touched by his
message and surrendered myself for the ministry. I was baptised by Rev. S.R.
Paul Aruldass – the present AC Conference President - and studied in a Bible
College for two years. During my theological studies I dedicated myself for
Bihar ministry.
Vision & Calling
One day when I was praying, God showed me a vision about
Bihar Ministry. A big Gospel meeting was going on; a big crowd was gathered
there listening to the Word of God. A Gospel worker and myself were standing on
the stage. Suddenly a group of terrorists came there with weapons and shooting
in the air. All the people ran away, only the Gospel worker and myself were left
standing on the stage.
They threatened us and told us to stop preaching about Jesus and to deny our
faith otherwise they would shoot us. The preacher refused to do so, and said
that Jesus is the only God. On hearing this they beat him on his head with their
guns. Blood ran out from his head, he called loudly “Jesus, Jesus” and died on
that stage.
On seeing that I shivered due to fear. I came down from the stage and sat on the
ground. Those youth warned me that if I preached about Jesus the same would
happen to me also. This vision disappeared with this.
After that I forgot about that vision and continued ministry in Chennai for 3
years. I was not able to bring any soul in Christ also I had no peace in my
mind. Then I fasted for 40 days and prayed to Jesus. He answered my prayer.
Don’t afraid to go to Bihar. I will be with you. There will be a ministry
through you. More over don’t afraid about what will happen in the future. Don’t
deny me and do glorify me. So I dedicated myself to the Bihar Ministry and came
to Bihar on February 21, 1999 and till now I am continuing there.
About Bihar
Bihar is an Indian State having the country of Nepal as its northern border and
it is a Sstate furnished with natural resources in the South. The Hindu people
of Bihar worship Stone, Statues, Sun, Moon, Trees and River as their Gods. There
are also some followers of Buddhism, Jainism and Islam. Christian believers are
very small in number i.e. 1.7% and this is one of the most backward States in
India.
CASTE:
There are two castes divided into upper caste and lower caste. The upper caste
consists of more then 30 sects and lower caste community more than 2 hundred.
CLIMATE:
It will be very cold during winter and very hot in summer. In the rainy season,
1/3 rd of the state is flooded. Even now itself the places where the
Missionaries working, our School and our church are flooded and submerged by
rain water.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES OR SURVIVAL:
We cannot find electricity facility in all places. It is very rare, so there are
no industrial companies or Industries, except one refinery run by central
government.
It is very common to find 7 or 8 children in a family. So people go to other
States for menial jobs and the per capita income is very low.
THE SOCIETY:
We can see the child marriages all over the State. People arrange marriage for
their children within 12 years. Many religious festivals are celebrated every
month. By celebrating festivals the people become debtors. They consume tobacco
and are affected by cancer.
As they lack the guidance of God, they live in darkness without Christ. So there
is a great reception to Gospel.
Even though the road and transport facilities are few, and there are barriers
and oppositions to the ministry, there is a welcome to the Gospel.
In the early days Bihar was called as the Graveyard of Missionaries, but
nowadays it is called as Vineyard of Missionaries.
Though people are poor and offences are more, I can assure that this is not a
cursed State but a blessed one.
There were few churches in one or two towns, nowadays due to the efforts of
various missionary organization, many churches are appearing in many places. But
if we calculate it, it will be like a drop of water in a river.
Thousands of villagers are expecting the visiting of Evangelists. They are
challenging us to prepare and take them to the mid air at the second coming of
the Lord.
The news paper tells that the number of naxalites (Communist extremists) and
terrorists have increased twofold. Satan has covered many people for himself. Do
we not need to take first step before him?
There is opposition and suffering for the Gospel workers by other religion’s
people on one side and political people on the other side - pressing the
churches. But the gates of hell will not take over the congregation and this
truth is proved by God. There is no place without troubles. Paul apostle
established so many congregations in spite of troubles. We have to remember
this.
DISTRICT PROFILE ( KAHARIA)
Area Sq. km: 1486
Total Population - Urban & Rural: 14,63,049
Growth Rate: 2 : 9
Population Density per Sq. km: 985
Sex Ratio Male / Female: 1000 / 908
Literacy Rate: 37.56%
Number of Towns: 2 (Gogri & Khagaria)
Number of Revenue Villages: 426
Number of Sub Divisions: 2
Number of Blocks: 7
Small Villages; 1125
Needs of the Ministry
We are bringing many people to Christ by preaching his gospel through tracts
distribution, film shows, prayer groups and schools. If we have more equipments
like Video projector, four wheeler like Jeep, mini generator, microphone and
amplifier/speaker we can work speedily and elaborately along with social work
projects such as running of night schools, or evening classes and small
dispensaries for the health needs etc.
PRESENT POSITION:
There are 29 Districts in Bihar, we are working in Khagaria district having 7
blocks in which we are doing the ministry in Khagaria, Mansi and Gogari. Till
now not even a single church is constructed. We are conducting worships in
rented houses, tree shadows and houses of believers. Hundreds of missionaries
are in need for this district only. If it is like that you can imagine the
number of missionaries needed for whole Bihar State.
LITERACY:
We are running a school, St. Xavier’s School (A school taken over by Advent
Mission) through our Conference. Here 250 children are studying, 12 teachers,
and 6 non teaching staff are working. We are teaching about Jesus by giving
education. After taking over this school from a R.C. management, Rev. Jeeva
Kiruban, our National Missionary – A.A.M.I. - was the first principal of this
school and now it is headed by Rev. C.J. Dassan with 12 teachers and 6 non
teaching staff altogether this school is a good source to evangelise the area.
38% people are literate and non – formal education should be given to children.
In Bihar most of the lands are agricultural lands, children are involved in
agricultural jobs or grazing cattle. We should provide education as well as
Scripture knowledge, otherwise it will be difficult to bring India and Bihar
towards Christ and bring them up in faith.
We should do all the possible efforts in Christ and Christ will do through us.
It is true Bihar will take efforts for this. It will rise as a good Christian
state, being grateful to all.
In the ministry of Christ
Paul Sundar Raj
Bihar Missionary
Paul's Latest Newsletter
[click here]
