The Story of Ram and Laxman
In 1980 twin sons were born to a Hindu couple in a small Himalayan village in the Kingdom of Bhutan. The king of the country was a Buddhist and wanted all his subjects to practice the same religion. To gain his ends he ultimately drove many Hindus out of the country. Many Hindus fled to Nepal—the only officially Hindu country in the world.
On their arrival in Nepal the parents with the twins lived in a refugee-camp with other exiles who were Hindu and Christian. In spite of their different religious upbringings many of the children became friends. Ram, the elder twin, was often in the company of some young Christians whose parents were breaking bread. As a result of these contacts he became interested in the testimony of these teenagers. In 1998, Ram, then 18 years old, came to know the Lord Jesus as his Savior.
Then his problems began. Hinduism is a religion that involves the worship of idols and animals. Some temples have areas dedicated to serpents, others to rats but cows are the most holy. The urine and dung are used for ceremonial cleansing. Drinking the urine is considered an obligation and privilege.
Ram realized that, as a Christian, he could no longer be associated with such religious practices. His non-participation in family worship and other activities led eventually to his parents casting him out of the house and holding a funeral service for him. Some neighbors seized his clothes and beat him.
A year after this Ram was overjoyed to learn that his brother Laxman had also come to know the Lord Jesus. Laxman went through the same exercises as Ram and he too was cast out. He went to live with his brother. An old widower in the refugee camp let the twins live in his hut.
But even then the parents’ persecution did not stop. They approached the camp authorities and asked that the refugee food ration should not be given to their sons. For six months the twins shared the food of the old brother and other Christians until the camp authorities issued them their rations directly.
Now 22 years old, the brothers are active in their local assembly. We heard both of them taking part in worship at the breaking of bread. They showed a great interest in the Scriptures and had many questions and discussions regarding them. Ram and Laxman are persevering in their college studies and "in the teaching and fellowship of the apostles."
Both young men would be comfortable in the company of the four we read about in Daniel 1:12, 13: "Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink; and let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenances of the youths that eat of the king’s delicate food: and as thou shalt see, deal with thy servants."
