Meet Yohan and Ruth Davuri
February 27, 2025
Yohan—When I was nine, my parents separated for five years, and we moved in with my mother’s family for support. During that time, we attended church regularly. Due to our lower socioeconomic background, we faced discrimination in society. My family was excluded from other religious spaces except church, where we were accepted. The pastor understood our struggles and offered us care during those challenging times. I developed an interest in songs.
The church began a period of fasting and prayers, urging those wishing to be baptized to participate. This involved staying at the church until you received confirmation that your sins had been forgiven. Not fully understanding fasting and prayer, I asked my mother, who said that if you fast and pray, God will speak to you. Curious, I wondered if it was true, and, without a definitive answer, she suggested I talk to the pastor. When I asked the pastor if God spoke to people and if He would speak to me, he said that God does communicate but mentioned my young age. Just weeks earlier, I had learned about Samuel hearing from God when he was still a child. So, I couldn’t understand why my age would be a barrier. Filled with enthusiasm and a deep conviction to hear from God, I started the prayers and fasting and stayed at the church. It did not matter how many meals I had to forgo; I wanted God to speak.
Eleven days into fasting and prayer, I had a significant dream. My pastor’s father, an ordained pastor in white clothes, gave me a ticket and directed me to a train. The destination was a beautiful, light-filled place with melodic songs. I will direct you and show you this place, but afterward, you must go back. He instructed me that I had the mandate to go back and speak to the nations about what I had seen and encountered. I contended with the man that I did not want to go back because the living and social conditions of my home and community were poor compared to this place. I woke up, and I shared the dream with my pastor, and that was confirmation for the forgiveness of my sins. Thus, I was baptized at nine, and my pastor suggested that I might become a pastor one day. This transformative experience not only reinforced the notion that God speaks but also resulted in significant physiological healing. For years, I suffered from hemorrhoids, exacerbated by my mother’s inability to afford medical treatment. After awakening from the dream, I realized I had been completely healed. Almost 40 years later without any recurrence of the ailment, demonstrating the profound healing power of God.
However, at a certain point in my life, I found myself drifting away, plagued by conflicting thoughts that resulted from my experiences. Yet, deep down, I always sensed that God was calling me back. At the age of 16, I enrolled in Bible school, and by 18, I had the honor of being ordained as a pastor. My journey started in 1995 when I was officially appointed to serve as a minister. Generations that remain after me should say that there was a man of God who served God diligently. My life should be an example to this and the next generation.
Ruth – I grew up in a spiritual family with educated parents, and we belonged to the middle class. From an early age, I used to go to church with my family. I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, got baptized, and made a commitment to follow wherever God led me. The church community played a significant role in shaping my relationship with Christ, encouraging me through scripture cards that were shared as gifts during our gatherings. We memorized Bible verses, and every day for a year, we would recite them and pray together. While I never specifically set out to marry a pastor, I did pray for God to send me a spouse whom He had prepared for me. After my sister introduced me to Yohan, she suggested that we should consider marriage. At that point, we were strangers, but Yohan prayed about it and felt a deep sense of peace regarding the decision. He even wrote a heartfelt letter to my father asking for my hand in marriage. Our journey together in marriage is entirely dependent on God and His plans for us. Despite facing financial challenges, I was undeterred in my choice to marry Yohan because I had faith that God would provide a husband chosen just for me. Ultimately, I moved forward with Yohan, trusting that this was part of God’s plan.
Our everyday prayer is, “God, if this is not your will for our life, stop it.” This has directed our journey and led us to Garrett. We understand that man’s knowledge and intelligence are incomparable to God’s wisdom. Our life has been a testimony of God’s provision and sustenance.
During the advent of Covid-19, we realized the need to have a counseling center. Christians have a community of care in the church, but the other tribes, like Hindus, who do not have the church to lean on, are facing similar issues that need counseling as a major skill because of the problems between families. We experienced a surge in divorce cases, and the intervention would be to have a counseling firm where people can work through their issues and be supported every step of the way. The forty-six pastors we were working with also faced problems that needed professional counseling skills. I would encounter issues at the school where I taught. Parents would ask for advice in dealing with their children. Burdened but untrained, we dreamt of an inclusive haven for community healing—open to all, irrespective of their faith or religion. When we discovered the possibility of applying to Garrett, we took it with deep conviction guided by faith, trusting in God’s provision and will.
We faced financial challenges along the way, but God placed destiny helpers in every situation where we were experiencing lack or loss. Even when we eventually came to Garrett, our finances were not enough, but the seminary has continued to support us. At one point, my wife was going to defer or quit her studies because we did not have enough funding, but we prayed again, and God made it possible for us to enroll her this semester. Another challenge we faced is language, but the professors have been patient and helpful as they find time to listen to us. At Garrett, we’ve embraced wisdom from our beautifully diverse community. Engaging with people from various nations, we gain profound insights into faith, viewed through a rich tapestry of history and perspectives. We are grateful and hopeful that our counseling institution will be a beacon of light to many and will serve the communities in India.