Stories

Purna forgot what it was like to dream.

When she was young, she dreamt of joining the neighbor kids with their piles of books as they walked to school. Instead, she spent her childhood helping her mother with house work and picking up small, paid jobs whenever she could.

As a teenager, Purna dreamt of being respected as a member of her community. But she was from one of the lowest castes in India. So, instead, she was ignored, excluded, and sometimes painfully humiliated.

By the time she was married off at the age of 18, Purna had already learned to push away any dreams for her own life. She spent the next 20 years earning less than $50 a month, simply trying to give her children a better life. But for Purna, sometimes even that goal felt impossible.

Purna spent every day feeling like she was going to cause her family to fall apart. At the market, she was cheated out of her money because she couldn’t count. When her kids fell ill, she did her best to remember what the “round pill” did versus the “small tablet,” because she couldn’t read the labels of the medicine bottles. She was terrified she’d accidentally harm her children.

Then, she began attending an Adult Literacy Class.

Slowly, letter by letter, Purna began to read and write. Her first-ever dream—the one she’d hidden since childhood—grew warm inside her heart again.  

The first time she wrote her name, Purna cried.

After this, she began learning at an incredible pace. Purna learned to take care of her family’s health, wash her hands before meals, and keep her home clean. She learned to make soap, candles, and other household items.

But best of all, Purna learned about Jesus and the love He has for her. It struck her that a God would have plans to give her hope and a future—two things she used to think were beyond her reach. She gladly received Him into her heart.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11

Now, Purna is a pillar of hope in her community. She is no longer afraid to be out in public. She can count and do mathematics at the market, and when she goes to the bank, she can sign her name by herself.

Even better, Purna is willing to dream again, and she encourages other women around her to do so too. She often visits her friends to teach them about the things that have changed her life and to invite them to her Literacy Class. She is helping them dream for a better life.

Someday, Purna hopes to start a household goods shop in her home. While she doesn’t have the finances now, she’s willing to wait and work toward it. For her, it’s simply fun to dream again.

Pray

• Praise God for using your gifts and prayers to give Purna a new future! Pray for God to continue sending out workers, so that more and more people like Purna can encounter the hope of Christ.
• Do you have a dream you’ve forgotten? Bring this dream to God, asking Him what His will is for your future.

Take Action

• Consider the people you love. Who has recently had a hope or a dream placed on hold? Send them Purna’s story, along with a word of encouragement.
• 1 in 3 women in India are unable to read and write, but right now, you can offer them a Christ-centered education and a brand-new future. Your gift of $40 empowers one student like Purna—for a whole year! Give to Adult Literacy Classes today.