A man proud of Pagan Spiritual Heritage, and than the
attack of witchcraft and finally finding salvation in Jesus.
My name is Ronsing Teron and my native village is Rongkhelan, Timung Village, Dengaon, Karbi Anglong. I am working at Basic Training Centre, Diphu. I am born in a conservative Karbi pagan family. I am married to Kareng Timungpi, daughter of the Village Head. We are blessed with 3 children.
I am an ardent observer of pagan beliefs and practices and was a pagan ritual priest for 15 years. I have performed rituals ceremonies like Peng, Reck Anglong, Voejon and Chojun-Choku, etc. [pagan rituals]. I sent my children for schooling to a Christian mission school, and at times they were gifted with Bibles which my children brought along with them from school.
But I strictly prohibited my children to bring the Bibles inside my house. I used to tell them to keep the Bibles at the back yard of the house with the fear that the spirits may harm us. I was extremely passionate of my role as a pagan ritual priest and proud of my cultural heritage. With such deep rooted pagan beliefs and pride, I never gave thoughts to attend any Christmas celebration programs, whenever invited by my Christian office colleagues. I thought, to accept this invitation would be a curse. When performing a routine pagan ritual ceremonies, I would never conduct ritual ceremonies without first taking a bath, however, some pagan priest do not practice this rite of purification. With deep pride and appreciation and with fervent devotion, I was loving my role as a pagan ritual priest to the best.
But I strictly prohibited my children to bring the Bibles inside my house. I used to tell them to keep the Bibles at the back yard of the house with the fear that the spirits may harm us. I was extremely passionate of my role as a pagan ritual priest and proud of my cultural heritage. With such deep rooted pagan beliefs and pride, I never gave thoughts to attend any Christmas celebration programs, whenever invited by my Christian office colleagues. I thought, to accept this invitation would be a curse. When performing a routine pagan ritual ceremonies, I would never conduct ritual ceremonies without first taking a bath, however, some pagan priest do not practice this rite of purification. With deep pride and appreciation and with fervent devotion, I was loving my role as a pagan ritual priest to the best.
Something impacted my life in 2001. I became a victim of witchcraft and suffered health problems of tremendous proportions. Every pagan way of rituals and ceremonies could rid me off from this evil of witchcraft. Hindu temple priests expressed their hopelessness. Doctors and medicine became futile.
On 18th November, 2007 at 10:30 P.M, with despair and hopelessness and with fear running inside of me, I rented a car and moved to Dengaon, to my parental home. As soon as I reached my parental home at Dengaon, being a priest myself, I conducted the pagan ritual ceremonies again. My parents and brothers not finding any sign of improvements in the condition of my health consulted other pagan ritual healers but the curse of witchcraft continue to persist in my body. My sickness became serious during my stay in my parental home. Than, as I pulled myself to sit on a chair in the veranda of my parental home, I pondered about my life as a ritual priest. In that moment of time, I suddenly got up from the chair I was sitting on and ran up to the courtyard and cried out to Jesus Christ and promised that I will only seek Him, if He heals me. Miraculously my disease was healed in an instant.
I told my parents that, me and my household shall believe on Jesus Christ. My parents also consented as they knew that, it was Jesus Christ who healed my sickness.
I came back to Diphu and joined a Church. I was baptized on 2nd December 2007. After few days, my parent rang me up to inform me that, they have also decided to accept Jesus Christ. I consulted with the Church elders and both my parents, my brothers and sisters and all my children also accepted the Lord Jesus Christ and took water baptism on 28th Dec, 2007. Since then, we have been experiencing abundant peace and joy in our lives.
I am glad that, within 6 months of my baptism, all my families and including my far and near relatives have also accepted Christ. I came to know that, God is powerful and He is the creator of heaven and earth. My life is filled with joy and peace and God has transformed my life and my burdens have been lifted away from me.
Before I knew Christ, my life was filled with heaviness. I used to be afraid of evil spirits; I was afraid to go to the mountains and caves for fear of spirit beings. This was because my faith on my previous gods was not founded on Truth, and I was afraid that the evil spirits may cause harm to me now and then. But now I am protected, and I can go to the mountains and caves without any fear of evil spirits causing harm to me.
I am so thankful to God for his unconditional love and mercy. I am now serving as Home Evangelist for almost 2 years now and I have no word to express my gratitude. May the peace of Jesus Christ be with you all.