Guru was seventeen years old. He lived in a small house in the city of Dindigul with his father, mother and two sisters. Guru had gone through lots of sadness, discomfort and starvation throughout his life. In his mid-teen years, his mother had become very ill, which left her unable to walk or to speak. Guru then had to do much hard work to help his father, many times on an empty stomach. The village people didn't help Guru, but instead made fun of him, which turned his hardships into more sorrow. Guru didn't have any brothers, so he became very attached to a friend who became very close like his own brother. This gave Guru some peace, but unfortunately this friendship did not last.

Another aquaintance of Guru's interfered with their relationship, which ended it, and caused Guru to be separated from his best friend. Guru was starving for love from others, but instead he just received heartbreaks. Guru began to go after the Hindu ways of worship; even though he had heard about God, he became very rebellious, because he felt even God didn't care about him. After his mother's sickness and the separation of his best friend, and other problems, Guru tried to commit suicide several times, but even that failed for him.

One day the Independent Church in India team came to Guru's city to preach the Gospel. As soon as they got out of their vehicle, crowds of people gathered around them, anxiously listening to the Gospel message. After hearing about the free forgiveness and salvation in Jesus, Guru bowed his head along with other men, women, and children to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. After this, the people went to bring their sick friends and relatives so the Gospel team could pray for them.

After praying for many people, the Gospel team was then invited into many houses to pray for those who could not leave their house, or who just wanted a blessing prayed over their families. After entering Guru's house the Gospel team sensed a very oppressive sadness and sorrow there. Guru's mother just sat with her head bowed down and in severe depression she would do nothing but cry constantly.

Just a few weeks before this, Guru had also tried to commit suicide. That day, Pastor Britto and Kathy prayed for Guru's mother and spent some time encouraging Guru about how important he was to the Lord, and that God had a meaning and purpose for his life. They prayed for him and then continued on to do ministry at another house. Guru began to follow them around the rest of the evening, watching them pray and encourage others in his village.

The next day, Guru came to the music class that missionary Lowell Smith and Pastor Britto were holding. That evening Guru, along with some of the other music students, accompanied them to hand out Gospel tracts inside the city. This marked the beginning of a brand new life for Guru in Christ Jesus! Almost every day since then, Guru has been receiving discipleship and is faithfully going along with the ministry team to share the Gospel.

A few weeks after Guru's conversion, the Gospel team returned and showed the 'Jesus' film to around two hundred people in Guru's area. After the film ended, Pastor Britto preached the Gospel and a miraculous event happened! Every single one who watched that film bowed their heads and began repenting of their sins and confessed Jesus as their Lord and Saviour! It was a true miracle! Pastor Britto shares; "No one didn't leave when the movie ended but they patiently listened to the word of God. That evening there was a real hunger to seek the Lord among the people. On their faces, they wanted to receive."

Independent Church has also started home Bible study groups in Guru's area. A few days after Guru committed his life to the Lord, he told a Christian girl he knew named Priya that he was now doing ministry. At first she was not sure that she believed Guru because she knew about his past, but shortly after, Priya met the Gospel team one evening with Guru. Excitedly, Priya told the Gospel team that every day she had been praying that the Lord would allow her to meet some other Christians in her area that were preaching the Gospel, but now through Guru the Lord has answered her prayer and has led her to Independent Church In India. Priya has now been going along faithfully with the team to reach out to others in the villages.

Guru's whole family, his parents, and sisters have committed their lives to the Lord, and they are coming to church. Also as a family they are spending lots of time together in prayer. Guru's mother has miraculously begun to walk four or five steps at a time. Before she couldn't even move her legs properly! Her sadness has now been replaced with the joy of the Lord Jesus Christ and she is now talking clearly with gladness!