A Happier and Healthier Life
Bibha lived a quiet life with her husband and two grown children. Like most families in their village, they made their living by farming, and they worshipped the patron goddess of their tribe. Although there was a government school in their village, neither Bibha nor her husband had attended school as children, and both were completely illiterate. Their tribal community, which had strong oral traditions, simply didn’t prioritize education, and even prohibited girls from attending school.
When a woman named Labanya started an Adult Literacy Class in the village, she bravely stood up against these cultural challenges. She went door to door, inviting anyone with interest to join her in learning. Bibha was very happy to enroll and she attended classes faithfully. Despite being in her fifties and not even knowing how to hold a pencil, Bibha was quicky learning the basics of reading and writing.
However, Labanya noticed that Bibha often missed classes and, when she returned, said that she had been ill. Labanya kept this in mind, and soon invited Bibha to a special health training. Through the health training, Bibha learned many important skills that would help her maintain good health. She learned how germs spread, the importance of frequent handwashing, safe food handling, and other personal hygiene skills. With this knowledge, Bibha soon began experiencing less illness and feeling healthier overall.
When Labanya was able to offer another special training, Bibha knew it would be more than worthwhile. She listened carefully to the kitchen garden training, then followed the instructions exactly to plant her own garden at home. She was not only able to grow healthy vegetables to feed her family, but she also grew enough to sell them at the market! This has made an important difference in her family’s finances, and Bibha even has plans to expand her business by planting more vegetables in uncultivated land near her home.
The Adult Literacy Class has changed Bibha’s life for the better in so many ways! Bibha states that she is healthier, happier, and more financially stable, all thanks to what she learned from Labanya in the Literacy Class. Bibha also learned much about Jesus from the Bible-based lessons in the class, and she is open to learning more about Him. Pray that God will open the doors for more fruitful spiritual conversations between Bibha and Labanya, and that she and her family would soon come to a saving knowledge of Christ.