J's story

J comes from a Dalit background - the untouchable caste in India. But in the 1940's, some American missionaries came to India and hired his parents to work at their house. His father was a driver and helped in the house while his mother cooked and cleaned for the family. J says that the missionaries never taught his parents about Jesus, but that they demonstrated Jesus' love through their interactions. Consequently, they both became Christians. And out of love for J's family, they paid for the entire education of J, his three brothers, and his sister.

Now, J works as the finance director for OM South, two of his brothers are pastors, the other is in full time ministry and his sister works as a librarian in a Christian school. He credits this missionary family with making him and his family who they are. J says that these missionaries came to India to plant churches and they may have succeeded in that. But far more important to him is that they planted a family.