Gira Gains Education and Opportunity
Gira was the daughter of poor farmers in a small village. Her parents were hard workers, but money was always tight. Even if there had been enough money to educate Gira, there was no school where she lived. Instead of getting an education, Gira spent her days helping her parents herd cattle and tend the farm.
Tragedy struck when Gira became a teenager: Her mother suddenly became ill and passed away. Her hard life became even harder when Gira’s father was remarried to an unkind woman who had no compassion. Unable to bear the abusive treatment in her home, Gira got married at the age of 16 to a man in her village who was also a farmer. Together, they worked hard to tend crops and make a living.
Gira did not understand the benefit of being educated, but when Adult Literacy teacher Shobhita invited her to join the local class, Gira happily enrolled along with her husband.
Initially, Gira struggled to learn numbers and the alphabet. But her determination was greater than her difficulty. Gira committed herself to learning and soon began to read and write!
In a special training offered through the class, Gira and her husband also learned how to improve their health and hygiene. They previously chewed tobacco, but the training helped them understand the negative effects. They have now given up tobacco and other poor hygiene habits!
However, the most impactful part of Gira’s experience in the class came through a training offered on entrepreneurship. The training helped Gira to use skills she already had in order to increase income for her family. With the support of her husband, Gira started a kitchen garden, which helped her grow organic vegetables. She harvested so much produce that she was able to put food on their table and sell the rest for profit! As they continue to learn, Gira and her husband are finding more ways to diversify their income and, in turn, decrease their difficult working conditions.
The Adult Literacy Class has changed their lives! Because of what they have learned, Gira’s family approaches life with more joy and hope for the future. They also heard about Jesus and His love for them in the class, but they have yet to receive salvation. Let’s pray that the Holy Spirit will bring Gira’s entire family to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ!
