Life Changing Stories – Sreeramulu Gulumi
Our family’s means of survival was by travelling from one village to another and finding means to keep ourselves fed, we were primarily shepherds. I started as a shepherd boy from the age of six but was not interested instead I wanted to play cricket. One similarity between Jesus and me was that I was also born in a manger.
I was put into school at an early age since it was getting difficult for my parents to handle my naughtiness and my further studies were an uncertainty. I came to know from some neighbors that there were govt residential schools that offered education for free, somehow, I was able to complete my schooling. After which I moved to Bangalore primarily for work, where I worked as a security guard, in a coffee shop, bakery and various other menial jobs to meet my daily needs, but I also had a desire to study in college and started applying for colleges and enrolled myself in Bangalore college. The taste of city life made me desire it more and I got into bad company and habits. All this started showing on my grades and somehow, I managed to finish college as well. I remember there was a Christian neighbor who once said he had prayed for me. When I felt lost due to my very low grades, I prayed a small prayer to Jesus and by God’s grace I got a job into L&T as a fresher. With the ups and downs of life I forget that small prayer I had made to Jesus.
After a while I was going through a rough patch and developed suicidal thoughts, it was at this time a colleague gifted me a New Testament bible. I was more intrigued about Jesus and began to read the bible at night due to fear of my roommate. I was reading about all the miracles Jesus performed and the words He used and became very excited. I was now desiring to go to a church. One morning I was in a place called Mahape Circle, Navi Mumbai and just asked a shopkeeper whether he knew of any church nearby and all I got was a stern look. I then prayed to Jesus and said if you really are God then you will help me find a church. Within few minutes two boys aged between 4-6 years came and asked me if I wanted to go to a church and they brought me to a GMI church which had about 15-20 members. This incident changed my life and I never doubted God.
Today when I look back, I am blessed beyond measure and there are many things that have been transformed in my life especially my way of talking; I never knew as a shepherd boy that this God who lives would take me to such heights and beyond. Till I met Christ I was treated like an orphan and low caste but after knowing Christ He has never left me as an orphan, and I can proudly say that I am a royal priesthood and son of the Most High. I was aimless and hopeless, but Jesus have me a purpose and life in abundance. I am blessed with a beautiful family, a wife and two lovely sons and my church family.
The verse I received when I first entered the church was Psalms 2:7- He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father.
I would also like to add that I came to Neon Family Church as a bachelor with huge debt and lot of baggage’s both spiritually and financially. I would like to thank Pastor Ashok and Suni Chechi for mentoring and grooming me to be a civilized person fit to be married and also to grow in the corporate space. I am eternally grateful to God and the church for continually shaping me.
