Stories

Raji’s daily reality taught her that there was nothing she could do to have better circumstances. Our ministry partners in India tell us she grew up “under the thumb of poverty”: she was born to poor Christian parents who couldn’t afford to send her to school and knew no other way of life.

When she married a rubber plantation worker, a man named Wishu, their faith in Christ sustained them at first. Then, household expenses grew with the addition of their three children, and the couple began to drift. A dark temptation began to take hold of Raji.

By the time their children were elementary-aged, Raji was a very different person. She was ashamed that she couldn’t help her children with their homework, and money was tighter than ever before. She struggled to pray, and her family’s church attendance was spotty at best.

The thumb of poverty was crushing them.

Believing that this was the life she would always live, Raji turned to the one thing she thought could make her feel better: drugs.

Raji was addicted to chewing tobacco and another drug, called paan. The costs of the drugs were eating into the family’s strained finances, and chewing the drugs—especially paan—was slowly wearing down Raji’s teeth. But Raji didn’t mind, or even really notice.

One day, Raji was invited to an Adult Literacy Class in her village, and an unfamiliar spark filled her.

Hope.

She enrolled in the class, excited to at least learn how to help her children with their homework. And though Raji did learn to read and write, God had another, bigger, breakthrough waiting for her.

It started with a special training on personal hygiene and wellness. The guest teacher taught them about all sorts of things, but what stuck with her most were his warnings about the health dangers of smoking and chewing paan. She had always seen her drugs as helpful tools for feeling better–Raji had never been taught how dangerous tobacco and paan could be for her body.

Days later, as her Adult Literacy teacher taught a lesson from Scripture, Raji found one of her old favorite verses:

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. – Matthew 11:28

Suddenly, her eyes were opened to the life she had been living. She began to see her addictions as burdens that had been keeping her from the life she wanted to live—one that was engaged with her children, her husband, and her community. Tobacco and paan were burdens she no longer wanted to carry.

With prayer, support from her class community, and time, Raji broke free from her addictions and rededicated her life to God.

Raji and Wishu are now active members in their church and their community. Raji gladly shares everything she learned in her Adult Literacy Class—from addiction relief to homemade cleaning supplies—with others in her village.

She wants everyone to know that their burdens don’t have to crush them the way they crushed her.

She wants everyone to know the God who gives them rest.

Pray

• Praise God that He saw Raji’s burdens and addictions. Praise Him for being a God who gives rest!
• Ask God to show you where you might feel hopeless or overworked. Do you believe that He wants to give you rest?

Take Action

• Raji broke free from her hopelessness when she asked for support from her class community. Consider reaching out to a friend today to ask for support, and to give it in return.
• More adults across India are stuck in their circumstances, but you can help us reach them. Click here to learn more.