Like this man, Chintan’s life has taken on a whole new direction because of Christ.

Gospel for Asia–supported pastor Manik Patel was taken by surprise when Chintan Mehta showed up at his door.

Living in close proximity to the home Chintan shared with his parents and his wife, Manik saw some of the agony that took place there. Chintan was an alcoholic and led an unruly, capricious life. Chintan was the only person in his household who had a job, but he offered his family anything but stability.

He would come home drunk each day and create a disturbance. He even lashed out physically at his family members.

But deeper than the physical wounds were the emotional ones. Chintan’s parents regretted that they gave birth to a son who was bringing them nothing but sorrow in their old age. And Harshal, Chintan’s wife, had lost all hope for a peaceful life. Their home was filled with anguish.

Grieved by the family’s desperate plight, Manik took every opportunity to reach out to Chintan. He counseled the young man and encouraged him to turn from his destructive path and seek to be a good son and husband.

Chintan was an alcoholic and led an unruly, capricious life.

But Chintan never took Manik’s advice seriously. Knowing that God could save and transform Chintan, Manik didn’t give up but faithfully held him up in prayer.

One day Chintan came to see Manik. The pastor was not only surprised by the visit, but amazed to find that Chintan didn’t look at all like the rowdy, arrogant man he was accustomed to. Chintan’s gloomy countenance revealed the desperation he was feeling inside. It was clear that he was seeking help.

Manik listened as the troubled young man shared. Chintan confessed that he had rejected Manik’s godly counsel. Yet the pastor’s words had not fallen on deaf ears. They had come back to visit him, piercing his hard heart.

Now Chintan realized he could no longer live his old, wretched life; he had made a mess of things and needed help.

Manik assured Chintan that Jesus would indeed bring wholeness to his broken life if he would simply surrender all the pieces.

Chintan’s gloomy countenance revealed the desperation he was feeling inside.

Chintan now understood that real peace could not be found in the perishable earthly things he was looking to for happiness. Jesus was the answer, he realized, and true peace was found in His presence.

Deeply repentant for the years of his life he had wasted and all the agony he had caused his family, Chintan personally embraced Christ’s redemptive love and became a new creation in Him.

Back at home, Chintan’s wife and parents were astonished at his apparent transformation. They could hardly believe it and were very skeptical at first. But as the days passed, they came to see that Chintan had truly changed.

Today, Chintan’s family enjoys peace and joy in their home life—something they had not experienced for years. And Chintan’s radical transformation has left them eager to know more and more about the One who brought fresh hope into their lives when there seemed to be none.

Pastor Manik asks that people join in prayer for Chintan’s spiritual growth, and for his parents and wife to experience for themselves the redemptive love Chintan has found in Christ.