She learned oil painting at a work offsite, and has painted sixty-eight Bible scenes since

Greetings to you and 5Talents readers in Jesus' name. Thank you for featuring me in this magazine.

5Talents: When and how did you come to faith in Christ Jesus as your personal saviour?

I come from a Roman Catholic background, and God in His grace had a special plan for me and my family. We got acquainted with a neighbour who had accepted Jesus as her saviour. God used her to open our eyes. We as a family began to thirst more to hear about the word of God, instead of being ritualistic.

I received Jesus as my personal saviour on the 5th of November 1991, while attending a one-day retreat at the Hebron church at Golconda X Roads. I'm married to Ch. Sushil Rao, a journalist for the Times of India, and have a son, Ch. Nishan Sampreeth, studying in the tenth standard at Little Flower High School, Uppal.

“One day I felt I should paint on biblical subjects”

5Talents: Please share about the talents you have received from God.

God has been gracious and has blessed me with the talent of painting.

5Talents: How and when did you discover your talent?

I strongly believe that nothing happens by accident or incidentally to His children. In the year 2006 the company that I work for, GENPACT, organised a week's workshop in oil painting, glass painting and pottery. The training was organised by Atiya Ahmed of Diaara Art Gallery, Banjara Hills. I joined the oil painting group and picked up the basics from Artist Ashish.

I did a few paintings initially which were not related to the Bible, but one day felt I should paint on biblical subjects. We have many friends coming home with whom we wanted to share the goodness of God, but found it difficult sometimes to bring up the topic. That was when I realised that I could paint the incidents in the Bible.

Through the paintings we share the word of God.

Maria Clara

“Jesus is the central theme of all my paintings”

5Talents: How has Christ Jesus inspired you in your art work?

Jesus is the central theme of all my paintings. The idea behind every painting is to tell the gospel — about how Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose again.

Though I just had basic knowledge in painting, it is the Lord who guided me in creating the works of art. God says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor 12:9). I attend The King's Temple regularly, and every week the teachings of my senior pastors, Pastor Samuel Raj Kumar Patta and Pastor Merlyn Patta, give me the inspiration to work on new paintings. Their teachings from the Bible give me the ideas that can be put on canvas. But apart from that, it is only after my personal experience with God in every situation that I create a new painting.

There is a painting of Daniel in the lions' den. The contemporary oil painting shows humans with faces of lions. Daniel is relaxed in their presence. In everyday situations, there are people who might want to harm us, but when we trust in God, we can be as relaxed and the Lord will shut the mouths that are against you.

Another painting is of the woman in the Bible who experiences a miracle as the little oil that she has is poured into several jars but it does not stop. She was obedient to the prophet and she experienced a miracle. So far I have painted 68 incidents from the Bible.

I did my bit, but God performed a great miracle. The photographs of the paintings have been published worldwide.

Exhibitions

5Talents: In what ways can you reach more people with your talent?

I have held several exhibitions. At Andhra Christian Theological College, Hyderabad, the principal Rev. Dr Ch. Vasantha Rao and the college management had organised a three-day exhibition in August 2011, which was visited by more than 300 people. I could explain the great miracles of God and His love through the paintings to several non-Christians who had come. I was greatly honoured with the visit of stalwarts like Artist P. Solomon Raj of Vijayawada and Artist Jyothi Sahi of Bangalore, to my art gallery at my home in Nagole near Uppal in Hyderabad.

Another exhibition was organised by MLA Christine Lazarus on the occasion of UN World Women's Day at Hari Hara Kala Bhavan in 2011. Well-known artist P. Narender Reddy invited me to participate in an exhibition along with him at Taj Deccan, Banjara Hills, where God gave me the opportunity to explain my paintings and tell the gospel to the chief minister and the civil supplies minister. I have also held an exhibition of my paintings at CSI Wesley Church, Musheerabad.

Through all the exhibitions, I could reach a lot of people telling about God. Through my blog also I have been reaching a number of people. A few hundred people from all over the world have visited this blog and write to me. I am encouraged through all this to reach more people with the word of God through my paintings. Recently, a visitor from Spain requested for some of my paintings to be used in a book he was writing. Mrs Usha Devapriyam and Br. Vijay Kumar from Aradhana TV have been very encouraging and did an hour-long programme about my paintings. I thank God for the opportunities He gives me to declare His greatness.

“It is not like a hobby or a pastime. It is a mission.”

5Talents: What important lessons has the Lord taught you through your talent?

I surrender every idea of painting to God, and it is through Him that I create each work.

There are paintings on which I have worked for about 6 months. God has taught me to persevere and be disciplined. At times I have had to redo the complete painting because of a wrong combination of colour or stroke, or the painting itself. My office work keeps me busy, but with determination I take out time to work on my paintings, all of which have a purpose, reason and meaning.

5Talents: What would you say to the one who is talented but is sad because they are not given an opportunity to use it, or the talent is not recognised by others?

I work for GENPACT and also take care of my family, but still take out time to paint. It is not like a hobby or a pastime. It is a mission. One should make a beginning and do what God has put in your heart. It is for God to open doors, and He will use every talent you have for His glory.

5Talents: What would you say to someone who says, “I am not very talented; how could God use me?”

God has a plan for each one of us. He made this plan even before He laid the foundations of the earth. One should have the urge to do something for God and He will teach you how to do it for Him. The Bible says, “Call unto Me and I will answer you and will tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (Jer. 33:3). He who created the heavens and the earth will impart to us knowledge, ideas, resources, and favour to be used for Him. At another place, the Bible says, “We are like clay jars in which this treasure is stored. The real power comes from God and not from us” (2 Cor. 4:7). God will use us if we allow Him to work through our weaknesses.

5Talents: What else would you like to share with our readers?

God has blessed each of us with talents. Use it for Him. There is nothing that you do that will go in vain.