It was a very cool morning at the Junnar Boy’s Home campus when I left the security of the Assemblies of God mission house to walk a short distance to the dining hall at 7 o’clock. I had been told about leopards that were often seen near the Boys Home and adjacent Southwestern India Bible College. I could not help but think about the leopards and the cobra that were chased from the door of my mission house the previous day!

My new friend, Prakash Jadhav, the overseer of the youngest orphan boys and also kitchen manager, was so gracious to provide hot tea for me each morning in the dining hall. As I sat there alone enjoying that morning and my hot tea, a brother entered the dining hall and approached me.

Vijay Kedari is a rural church pastor from the small town of about 3,000 people, Kangar, that is located about 60 kilometers from Junnar. He is a graduate of this Bible college. He told me his testimony about losing his left foot after slipping under a moving train when he was 20 years old. Yet he gave glory to God for calling him into the ministry—and for calling him away from his first love as a young man—football. When he was just a boy, his pastor had confirmed God’s calling upon his life. But he resisted.

In fact, Vijay was born with a heart defect that had to be repaired when he was very young. At that time, his Christian parents promised to dedicate him to God’s service if his life would be spared. The operation in Bombay was successful.

Yet as a young man, football replaced his zeal for God. Then the train accident changed everything for Vijay. As he spoke, his zeal for the Lord Jesus Christ and His ministry was so clear to me! He was content and rejoicing that he could serve the Lord and His people under such difficult circumstances.

Even though Vijay walks very well on his artificial foot, I was moved to tell his story. He was one of the most attentive brothers who attended our biosand and Sawyer filter training. He embraced the vision of going to his people with safe water and the Gospel! So I gave him a Sawyer filter. Now he has the tools and knowledge to use this filter to sell safe water to many people in order to raise funds to make biosand filters. What a simple plan!

After the last filter training meeting had ended, the pastors left the compound one by one. I was sitting in the dining hall where we had just finished lunch together. As I looked across the field at these pastors walking down the dirt road away from the campus toward town, I observed them carrying their Sawyer filters. Just then, the Holy Spirit spoke to me, “There goes part of your inheritance.” I was nearly overcome with joy in that moment, no longer thinking about the leopard or the cobra.

Vijay’s artificial leg

Chuck King
International Director
Heaven’s Family