About |
Media from all over the world has taken interest in their story and Sujo has appeared on BBC, The 700 Club, Billy Graham Special, TBN, Associated Press, CBC, The New York Times, The Times- London, The National Post and countless other publications around the world. As a result, speaking interests have also poured in from all over the world.
In those early days following the terrorist attacks, God began unleashing a burden on Sujo's heart to share Christ with people around the world. A passion for changing lives was ignited taking Sujo John Ministries to over 400 major cities on most of the continents of the world and resulting in the salvation of hundreds of thousands of people. Sujo has a Bachelor in Commerce and an MBA in Business. He and his wife Mary and their children Jeremy and Sophia reside in Lantana, Texas. They attend Vallley Creek Church, Flower Mound, Texas.
From Calcutta to New York City to the Nations
I was born and raised in a middle class family in Calcutta - a city of over 18 million people. It is often said that Calcutta is one of the poorest urban cities in the world. Yet there is a spirit about this great city. This city has been blessed by missionaries like William Carey, Mother Teresa and Mark and Huldah Buntain – who have had a major impact on my life. Personally, my parents and my grandmother played a very vital role in instilling in me spiritual values at a very young age.
I was about fifteen when, at a Vacation Bible School at my home church in Calcutta, Mark Buntain, a missionary to Calcutta from North America, preached on a message from one of the parables from the Bible.
At the altar he laid his hands on me and said a prophetic prayer as to how God would use me one day to impact millions. Now I see the fulfillment of this prayer. I was married on January 27, 2000 in Calcutta to my beautiful wife Mary, and I moved to the United States on February 22, 2001. I left home with $50 and two suitcases stuffed with my clothes and books for a new life overseas. In about four weeks on arriving on the east coast I ended up for an interview at Network Plus on the 81st floor of the World Trade Center. I was escorted to the conference hall. Through the glass windows of the room I saw the most glorious sight of all - the Statue of Liberty.
Terror struck America and changed us forever. None of us will ever forget where we were, who we were with and what we were doing that fateful day when tragedy struck America on what looked like a beautiful day in New York city.. As we deal with the loss of thousands of innocent lives we were also reminded that history books will also tell the tale of many Americans that faced terror with courage.
I worked on the 81st floor of the North Tower or Tower 1 of the World Trade Center and my wife Mary worked on the 71st floor of the South Tower or Tower 2. It was just an incredible experience working in this incredible building especially for an immigrant who had just arrived in America in February of that year. We enjoyed so much working together in the same complex.
I left home (Teaneck, a town in Northern New Jersey) early that morning for work. The morning commute was normal and as the the NJ Transit bus rolled out of the Lincoln Tunnel into Midtown here was again the incredible sight of the World Trade Center Towers from a distance. It was a beautiful clear day on the east-coast. I made my way to my office and as I sat on my chair I started reflecting on God's goodness on our lives. He had blessed us with good jobs and now we were expecting our first child. Everything seemed to be going well. However, I began to feel a deep sense of emptiness in my life. I knew there was a call of God upon my life but I was not doing anything about it. I decided to write an email to a friend at my church telling him how I felt and how I was looking for purpose in life. I let go of that email at 8:05 am from my office. Little did I know how the next few moments would change us forerver.
Thousands died on this fateful day. We will all have to go one day. It is appointed for all men to die once. We are here to challenge the world with the question "Do You Know Where You Are Going?"
I salute the fallen and those that have been left standing. I thank God for our bravest Police men and women, firemen, men and women who go in harm's way and defend this nation. Many gave their today for others to see their tomorrow.
"Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint." - Isaiah 40:31
MAY WE NEVER FORGET 9/11/2001