SW News: Puja Ghosh, an educator based in Dubai, was born into a traditional Indian Hindu family. She grew up faithfully following Hindu traditions and rituals and considered herself very religious. Astrology was very important for Puja’s family and her parents would never take any big decision without the consent of the family astrologer. Although she went to a Catholic school, Jesus was nothing more than just another ‘god.’

Growing up, Puja was tormented by nightmares in which she was chased by shadows and dragons, causing her to wake up in the middle of the night screaming. Despite the comforting efforts of her parents, the nightmares continued. While pursuing her degree in Delhi, she was fascinated by Buddhism. In her own words, “What I failed to understand at that particular point of time was that I was subconsciously in quest of a spiritual reality or a belongingness that was completely missing in idol worship or chanting of prayers.”

Puja’s life took a turn when she met her future husband Boney at the university. He vainly tried to introduce her to the Christian faith. One day Puja ended up visiting a Catholic church while waiting for a bus and asked Jesus to give her a sign if he was indeed God. That very night she had a beautiful dream in which she saw a place that looked like a Paradise. That was enough to draw her immediately to Jesus. Puja started going to both the Catholic church as well as a Pentecostal church attended by her fiancé. “I left home, my family, all security only trusting Jesus and He never let me down,” recalls Puja.

In 2011, she got baptized in the Baptist church as she was unable to join the Catholic church at that point of time.  Puja and Boney got married the following year. However, they continued to attend Holy Mass on Sundays. Puja had several doubts in her mind regarding the Mass, the Rosary, and Mother Mary and never felt the need to become a Catholic.

Five years later, in 2017, Puja reached a very low point in her life. That was when she was forwarded a video by popular American priest, Fr. Mike Schmitz. “That very moment I knew God was up to something,” Puja said to SW News. Soon, listening to Fr. Mike’s talks (by Ascension Presents) became her favorite addiction! “The storm inside me started calming down and for the first time in my life, I wanted to become a Catholic,” she says. In 2018, she enrolled in RCIA, entered the Catholic Church the following year, and went on to become a catechist at her parish in Dubai.

During the pandemic, though the couple’s careers went for a toss, their confidence in God was never shaken.  “There was absolute peace in my house, in my heart and soul. We attended Father Mike’s online masses during Covid, and every sermon that he gave got sealed in my heart and brought me closer to God and His church,” says Puja.

“It took me 8 years to become a Catholic, but everything happened in God’s own time and His own way. I have completely surrendered to Him. His will is my life. Yes, there are struggles and they won’t stop, but as Father Mike says, “God is there with us in the storm and nothing that we give to Him is ever wasted.” I too have learned to gladly suffer and offer my brokenness to Jesus. Among these things what have stopped are the nightmares, the shadows, and the dragons,” testifies Puja.