Pastor Kumaran is pastor of Zion Church, one of the churches targeted during the attacks three years ago. That day, Zion lost more than 30 members, including 14 children. The church was left charred, empty and with an uncertain future. By God’s grace, a revival is now painting the walls with hope and a future.
Local Open Doors partners recently attended a Sunday service at Zion Church.
Our partners had the opportunity to worship with the small community of believers from the local town. The church was vibrant with young children singing at the top of their lungs. The space was small, but the believers’ heartfelt worship filled the room, with most of them on their knees in reverence.
From the front, Pastor Kumaran passionately shared the Word of God. He was able to captivate his listeners, at times acting out parts of Scripture to better help believers understand it.
Once the service ended, the children flocked to the Sunday school, and our field partners had a chance to catch up with Pastor Kumaran.
He shared what the Lord has been doing in his church and how he’s been able to reach local unbelievers in the area. “It’s not easy to serve in this village, as a lot of people are devout Hindus. We’ve realized the best way to reach the parents is through their children. We have opened our Sunday school to non-believers and have seen a lot of non-believing children join.” Pastor Kumaran also plans on building a special educational facility next to his church, where they can conduct classes and reach more unbelievers.
His heart continues to ache for his murdered son, Malkiya. “It’s very hard to move past it. How can I forget him? Sometimes while I’m driving, I’ll remember him. I’ll park my vehicle on the side of the road and cry,” he shared candidly.
Our partners have seen evidence of the Lord’s work in Pastor Kumaran and his family; their faith is strong, and despite the economic crisis in Sri Lanka, they’re devoted to their church and doing the Lord’s work.
