HAMPTON, VIRGINIA (ANS) -- "I grew up in a very strong Buddhist family in Vietnam," says Tran Dinh Ai. "My father was a very successful Chinese medical doctor, but he was bothered by politicians who tried to extort money from him."

Ai's father vowed he would send his son to the Buddhist temple for training as a monk. At age 14 Ai arrived at the temple, but after a year of study he became disenchanted with the "hopelessness of Buddhist doctrines."

Seeking a more powerful religious experience, he journeyed to the dark side. "I went to study black magic and became a witchcraft doctor, serving 3,366 gods," Ai says. "They gave me power, but they made me bow my life to their strongholds," he says. "They also made me hate the gospel."

Paul Ai prays with Vietnamese children in Cambodia

In 1970, as protests mounted against the Vietnam War in the U.S., American missionaries entered Ai's town in South Vietnam. "A lot of people in my town went to the crusades and met the Lord," Ai says. "Some of my black magic students came to me and said, 'Master, you must stop this crusade, otherwise we will lose all our customers in this town," he recalls. With a mix of anger and curiosity, Ai visited the crusade the following day.

He expected to find the missionaries performing "religious activities," but was surprised to find them singing songs, reading the Bible, and proclaiming a simple message of salvation. "They said, 'We don't want to bring to Vietnam a new religion, because all religions will make you more and more burdened. But Jesus promised if you bring your heavy burdens to him he will give you rest.'"

This message was grating to Ai, and he frantically sought some way to stymie their efforts, afraid the townspeople would no longer need his services. To his chagrin, many in his town found salvation and offered testimonies of answered prayers.

Ai turned to his demonic hosts. "I called up 1,000 gods on the first night, but at the end of the service I realized my gods were not showing up to do their job," he says. "The next evening I called up 2,000 gods, but nothing happened." He went home to fast and pray to his 3,366 gods.

"I said you have to wake up and show up and shut down this crusade," Ai says. 'I prayed to all 3,366 but none of them showed up."

Suddenly, a dawning realization swept through his mind. "I realized that Buddha was a good man who was wise, but Buddha died. He never promised to save anybody or help anybody," he says. "Then I realized Jesus Christ is different. He is not only good and wise, he rose and he's alive!" As Ai recognized the futility of his previous religious path, he surrendered to Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.

To read the full account of Paul Ai's personal testimony, go to http://www.godreports.com/ - www.Godreports.com