An auto-rickshaw driver's tale

We were about to head back home. The pastor at whose church we had just conducted an HIV awareness session found out that we would be returned by train and told us that 'Vishwas' would be dropping us off at the station.

Vishwas got his autorickshaw ready - we piled in our boxes - and ourselves - and soon we were off on the short journey to the train station.

The trip was a mere 5 minutes - but long enough for Vishwas to tell us a major part of his life story.

Vishwas had been a 'goonda' - a local tough who was part of the vast underworld that lives on the underside of the shiny (and often grimy) urban exteriors that makes the India of today.

Nine years ago someone had given him 'supari' - a contract - to bump off the pastor at whose church we had shared about God's heart for people with HIV/AIDS. Vishwas had gone to church - in order to know how to kill the pastor.

Instead of Vishwas doing the deed - he found his life changed. He surrendered his life to Christ and after confessing what he had intended to do - has become one of the pastor's closest friends.

Nine years later Vishwas is married. He is driving an auto-rickshaw for a living and has left his 'goonda' days far behind. Vishwas even moved his home so that he can be closer to the church in order to help out in the work of the church more often. Taking guests in his auto-rickshaw is one of the many small ways that he does this.

It isn't often that we (knowingly at least) talk to a hit-man (ex- or not). I have been pondering Vishwas' life-change - and keep coming back to the gut issue - a (would-be) murderer who becomes the friend of his (would-be) victim. What a powerful hope there is for all of us to change. What a wonderful door the Lord Jesus opened up for gut-kickers like me. Amazing grace - how sweet the sound...