Ratnesh* grew up in the state of Kerala in India, raised by Hindu parents. Whilst at university at the age of 20, he was invited to church by a friend, intrigued and with a desire to “experience God”, he attended. He remembers enjoying the message, the worship and the fellowship afterwards and decided he wanted to keep attending.
“As a Hindu, I was raised to believe that all religions lead to the same God so when I became a Christian and understood that there was only one true God and He sent His son Jesus Christ to save me from my sins I challenged my parents and their beliefs. As a result, they cut off all communication with me for two years.”
Ratnesh remembers at the time feeling alone and distraught and was comforted when he opened his Bible and read, Psalm 27:10, “When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.”"When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up."
Years later, Ratnesh has a more positive relationship with his family. He is now 42 and lives with his wife and children in a North Indian state which is 97% rural. He heads up a hospital and is more passionate about the gospel than ever and is an active witness.
I was amazed as Ratnesh shares the freedom he experiences working in a Christian hospital, that would not be afforded to Christian nurses and doctors in the UK; speaking to patients about God, offering them prayer and scriptures and doing bed-to-bed witness.
“We always ask if we can pray for a patient first,” Ratnesh explains, “and amazingly, many say yes”. And yet despite the hospital being small (significantly downsized over the years due to funding), with now less than 30 beds from more than 150, it is evident that the hospital is having an amazing impact on patients and the local community in “bringing people to the knowledge of the truth.”
Ratnesh says his calling is not ‘just’ to be an administrator, but to be a disciple, “we are not here to run a hospital, we are here to usher in the kingdom of God.”
One of the things Ratnesh experienced when he converted from Hinduism in his twenties was a distinct lack of discipleship. Rejected by his parents and accused of being brainwashed, he said that having elders to turn to and a church family for support would’ve made that difficult time a lot easier. This is why Ratnesh was determined to provide discipleship for patients for after they have given their lives to Jesus and left the hospital. There is now a fellowship group that meets in the hospital chapel and Ratnesh has been encouraged to see the congregation grow to over 300. There are also discipleship groups, and ministries for men, women and children, to keep people connected and growing in their faith.
"We are not here to run a hospital, we are here to usher in the kingdom of God."
Despite his passion to help as many patients as possible encounter the presence of God, Ratnesh explains that it is not always easy, “being that India is predominantly Hindu, Christianity is often linked by non-believers to colonialism and there are anti-conversion laws in place, as a result, persecution is a big consideration for all that we do.
“There is a lot of opposition and propaganda about Christians in the region and Christians are often silenced, and pastors have been threatened and jailed.”
Ratnesh talked about having to use discernment and wisdom in all situations to keep the congregation safe, “we have had to stop singing when we meet in houses in more densely populated villages as it could potentially be heard from far away and draw negative attention.”
The vast, rural landscape and social hostilities can often leave the fellowship group exposed.
“Every Sunday when we meet, we have to use caution, trying to be aware and vigilant, as our Christian faith is perceived as anti-nationalist.”
But Ratnesh is undeterred. He is committed to the ministry he and his wife together with a larger team lead and believes that God called him to be a witness in unreached regions and says he is spurred on by the work of the earlier missionaries who came to the region over 120 years ago.
“We want to establish Heaven on earth, and part of doing that is through being a witness in word and deed,” says Ratnesh.
When I asked Ratnesh how his experiences can inspire the lives of evangelicals in the UK, his answer is simple, “we must live out the gospel; witness in works and deeds. We need to be more fervent. The gospel is only as powerful as the example we live out.”
"“We want to establish Heaven on earth, and part of doing that is through being a witness in word and deed."
Does the UK church need to go back to basics?
Whilst Ratnesh accepts that working at a Christian hospital is a unique and powerful missional field, he suggests that there are barriers we need to recognise and eradicate in our own context, “materialism can play a big part in Western society and cause a barrier for evangelicals sharing the gospel… we are losing the aspects of simplicity and frugality,” which he believes are crucial to conveying the accessibility of the God story.
So what can this mean for UK evangelicals?
Ratnesh’s story got me thinking about how amazing it would be to be able to receive prayer and witness whilst having an annual check-up, after receiving a bad test result or grieving the loss of a loved one? And whilst due to ethical laws in this country, this might not be possible for a Christian medical professional, are there other missional opportunities in the UK that we are overlooking, that could be equally fruitful? Maybe getting involved with a Christian charity that visits the sick, maybe there is a homeless ministry at church that needs volunteers, or maybe a refugee support group or outreach for the elderly? There are many other ways that we can live out our faith and share the good news of Jesus.
While there is a freedom that is experienced for Ratnesh and his colleagues in his Christian hospital, outside of the building’s four walls they are faced with much opposition and persecution and yet they still courageously press on with the great commission to be fishers of men. Could we too be inspired to step out of our comfort zone to share the simple message of the God story?
*name changed for privacy
