Life In India, Flunking Out
My family comes from the Catholic tradition and most people in the U.S aren’t aware that India consists of about 2% Christians/Catholics that were converted when the Portuguese came to India in the 1500’s, built churches and propagated. I hated to go to church and had to be drug out of bed by my mother to go to Sunday school. Later, I started going to church just because it was a socially favorable to me and I got to chase girls. Faith had little to do with my motivations. I believed in science and that there is a reason(scientific) why everything happened.

I remember going to a charismatic catholic group with my mother in the hope (her hope) that I would be healed of asthma. I laughed when I saw people raising their hands and thought it was weird and lame. Years later when I was about 17 or 18, I flunked a year of college.

I was pursuing a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering. That year I sat home and taught myself to play the guitar and read a little bit of the bible just to entertain myself. I thought it was cool …parting waters, people crossing a sea. I read about Solomon and David and Moses and wondered why I couldn’t be like them. What made them special?? Look at Solomon !! He had all the gold, glory and girls! I thought it was unfair that some people were chosen to have a cool life and all the rest were screwed just for not being born in the heritage.

That same year I was at this youth thing where these brothers from southern India were speaking. They came from a place called Tabor which is a huge retreat center that has sessions in about 14 or 15 languages. This place is known for its spiritual revival.

I remember them talking about Sin and how, it's not just actions but a way of life. I got convicted in that meeting and I don’t remember what happened after that, but about a couple months or so later a group of our youth went to a retreat, where people were praying and fasting for our salvation and we had three day sessions and lived in. At this point, I still didn’t believe in Gods existence, after all which one person or God can know, love, care and fix everyone on earth???.

God Gave Him A Sign
I asked for sign. And I know this is going to sound lame. But these two doves (or maybe they were pigeons) came and sat by a tree right outside the window I was looking through. This was after I had heard about Jesus’ baptism and the doves settling on him. That was what I needed to be saved...those silly pigeons to be there at that time and space. I just want you to know that my faith just isn’t based on that incident incase you were wondering.

So anyhow I got saved and I started to see changes in my life, thanks to the Holy Spirit I didn’t have to fight anything...It just happened. From there a couple months go by and me and my brother immigrate to the U.S . By then our parents had gotten divorced and although my dad was hardly there for us; he provided[$] for us three sons.

Once A Marine, Always A Marine
About 8 months after being here around August '99 my brother was approached by a U.S Marine Recruiter and everyone around me told me to save him before they brainwash him. I went to the recruiting station to “investigate” and I got recruited. I always wanted to be in the military, my Grandfather and 2 of my uncles were in the Indian Army. The benefits they offered me weren’t too shabby either; little did I know what the Corps was all about. I heard that some people joined for the uniforms…I didn’t care less.

Boot camp was brutal and I wasn’t in any shape to undergo the vigorous training in San Diego but when I think of it. I know that God got me through it. In spite of physical injury I graduated Boot camp and went through the various training schools for aircraft maintenance and ended up being stationed in Yuma, AZ...a place where nothing is. There I went through another spiritual revival at a youth church called Fusion where I met Pastor Rich Wither who has a big heart for God and people.

I continued to go to the church and in the meanwhile serve two tours in the Middle East. Once during 9/11 and the second in 2003. My job was to fix Harriers so both times I was at sea. After that I got out and moved to New York to go to school for Audio Recording at the institute of Audio research. I still live here with an awesome Italian family that used to write me when I was overseas and later invited me to stay here.

Now I go to DeVry institute of technology, pursuing an Associate degree in Electronic and computer Technology. I just got obsessed with synthesizers and wanted to learn more. I love electronic music and the ability of sounds to uplift a person.

On Being An Extrovert
I would say that I am an extrovert and love reaching out to people’s like making conversations with random people and love to talk a lot. That is not necessarily a good thing.

Blessed By The Marine Corps
I have been blessed immensely, and I can't name everything but I would say that my time in the Corps taught me a lot about people, life, culture, humility, submission, and many things that I think you just have to experience...of course there were horrible times but the good times were good. If some people made it suck others made it worth it.

Painful Breakup
I was in this relationship with a girl that God had told me not to. And it ended up bad. It tore me up. I remember being mad at him. I don’t know why, I knew it was my fault. But I learned many lessons from that, like having faith and patience in him. And that not all people come into your life so you can benefit, you just have to give without expecting anything in return.

Loving Forward To The Christian Adventure
That’s the great thing about God, he’s all about adventure and so am I. I do know its going to be cool. I just know its going to involve mission work...the middle east….who knows, also getting married. For a long time I thought I was going to remain single as Paul had said. I wanted to be able to go whenever, wherever God lead me without having to worry about wife and kids.

I wanted to earn the ultimate prize by sacrificing everything. But God is showing me through friends that marriage can be a huge blessing especially in ministry...it’s like you’re a team. And living with someone can bring out all the issues we have inside of us. Which forces us to deal with it (instead of sweeping it under the carpet) with the help of God and in the process, perfect our love.

U2 Rocks!!
I have several favorite Bands but I guess if I get to choose one it would be U2. I thinks that these men (especially Bono.) are awesome examples of Christians that witness with their actions, not just their words. I like some worship music, I think the rest of it has gotten stale and it lacks spiritual power. Or the power to make you think and reflect and reach out to people that don’t know Jesus. The creativity that God has given us should be reflected in everything we do. The singer/songwriter of Third Day also inspires me. His voice has a cry that can’t be duplicated or faked. It only comes from spending time with God.(that’s what I think).

The church I go to(Christian City Church Manhattan)is a creative church and we have our own music and inspiring people….Hugh Wilson (who back up vocals for Lenny Kravitz) Mariah Christensen (songwriter, waiting for tonight./ Julio)and The Steve Deal Band ..based in Atlanta .these people have a heart for God and their music reflects it. They have inspired me to start writing.

On Being A Man
I think being an American Man means, someone who has a good job, makes a lot of money, can get any woman he wants and can play football well. I think, God’s idea of a man is someone who has love for another, compassion, forgiveness, righteousness not self righteousness. Someone who does what is right not only in front of people but when nobody’s looking. A man that says what he means and even though it may sound harsh, is out of love to see someone change, a man that is not afraid to admit he’s wrong and that he needs help and cry’s out to God for help. And also someone who can play football. =)…I’m thinking, someone like Jesus.

I think that I am a man, not because of my works but because who God says I am. By choosing Christ inside of me. I still have huge character flaws. I don’t think this ever ends ...we will always have flaws till we get our new bodies. I just want to be able to finish the race with a bang. I'd rather be unsaved than live my life as a mediocre Christian wasting away the abundant life Jesus came to give us."