My Journey of Faith

Sreedhar standing to the left of his grandfather in the center

Almost 55 years ago a son was born to a Hindu family.  The parents were 2nd generation Malaysians raised in a rubber estate near a small town called Sungei Petani in Northern Malaya at that time.  This first child was given much love and care by their parents and had the privilege of growing up in 3 different states of Malaysia, most of which was in Petaling Jaya.  He was blessed with his first domestic airplane ride when he was 10 years old, and made his first trip by airplane to Bangkok at the age of 11.  In the mid 1970's the family moved to a large house in a relatively exclusive neighborhood in Petaling Jaya. This was a result of the favor his father, aged about 35 at that time, had in the workplace,. As a result, this son grew up in a mostly multicultural environment with Indian, Chinese and Malay children.  In the process, his perspectives became cosmopolitan and racially neutral.  One thing that kept him at odds with his parents was their racial stereotypes and his openness to peoples of all backgrounds.  He was blessed with two sisters and they grew up with the best possible education and opportunities.  This privileged son from this blessed family is me, Sreedhar Subramaniam.

Sreedhar in his school days as part of his Boy Scouts Group

Christian Movie in School

By the time I was age 12, I started to explore many thoughts and ideas and began to form my own opinions about life.  I grew up with a mostly absent father because of his busy days at work.  My parents often quarreled, and this upset me and my sisters greatly.  We prayed much to the Hindu gods but nothing improved and there was a great lack of peace in the house and in our hearts.  During this time I had also joined the Boys Brigade group in the Trinity Methodist Church near my house and had a number of Christian friends.  Initially my engagement with them and the Christian faith was just on a social basis, but I started to have serious doubts about my Hindu faith when the gods did not answer my home issues.  In my simple mind, I asked this question.  "If ever there was a fire in the Hindu temple, would the gods be able to save themselves?"  I came to a personal conclusion that they would not be able to save the temple or themselves.  Hence started my quest to understand other religions and faiths, including Islam, Buddhism and Christianity.  I did not have to go far as my classmates came from these backgrounds.  I also had great friendships with others in my school Boy Scout Group.  In my search for spiritual answers I found a unique message in the Christian faith.  This was the statement "God loves you".  I never heard this before.  God loved me in spite of all my errors and problems.  And so, at the age of 14, I attended a school Christian Fellowship Meeting to watch a Christian Movie called Survival.  At the end of the movie I made a decision to follow Jesus.

Sreedhar 3rd from left in The Stone Church, Toronto

After accepting Jesus into my heart in 1976, I was fearful of sharing my new found faith with my still Hindu family.  I kept it a secret until I was found out when I was 17.  I bought a bible with my pocket money and kept it in my drawer.  I would secretly read it from time to time.  Occasionally, I would read the bible in my bed before going to sleep.  However, there was one occasion I had slept with my bible on my bed and it was discovered by my mother in the morning.  Then began the silent treatment. My mother would give strong words of advice to my sisters not to change their religion. She would not directly confront me on this matter.  But she made sure I heard the advice.  In 1980 I had the opportunity to go to Toronto to finish high school and attend university.  During this time I took every opportunity to attend church and other Christian meetings to make up for the time I did not go to church in Malaysia.  I was at the Sunday morning and evening services, Monday night College & Career Bible Studies, Wednesday night Choir Practice, Friday evening Christian fellowship meeting in the high school, and Saturday morning men's prayer breakfast.  I grew fast in my new found faith in Jesus Christ.  

Sreedhar seated on the floor first on the left at
Glad Tidings Young People's Retreat

By the time I returned to Malaysia in 1986 I was already a young leader in the Stone Church and the high school fellowship in Toronto.  Upon my return I successfully secured a management consulting position with a major consulting group in Malaysia.  With God's blessings, I became a Senior Manager by the age of 33.  

During this time I joined a Glad Tidings Petaling Jaya and served there in leadership, including being a board member in 1989.  I met my wife Lee Yen there and we have 4 wonderful children.

Sreedhar seated first on the right at marketplace ministry

The Lord continued to bless my work in the corporate world and have had significant C-level positions in the IT, media and business process outsourcing industries.  While in the corporate world, the Lord blessed me with opportunities to serve the greater community by sharing the same love of God that I experienced as a 14 year old. Many have come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ because of my message of God's love, and the peace that you can receive.  I trust that you are blessed by my story of faith and take a decision to follow Jesus Christ.

Don't delay.