Stories

Every day, as her children left for school, Sharmila worried.

Would her husband’s income as a daily wage laborer be enough to feed the family today?

Would her family stay in favor with their deities?

Would her children excel in school despite Sharmila and her husband’s illiteracy?

In an effort to keep these worries at bay, Sharmila developed an incredible work ethic. She kept her children on a strict homework schedule, prayed to her gods—with offerings—every day, and started a small kitchen garden to save money.

Still, her fears remained. They ruled her life.

Then, Sharmila met Adult Literacy teacher Sanjith. He invited her to something new—something that would change not just her parenting, but her whole life.

Sanjith offered her the chance to read and write, and Sharmila didn’t need to hear another word. She immediately enrolled.

But as the classes began, Sharmila struggled. Her work ethic was built for physical work—things like taking care of her garden, cleaning her home, and picking up odd jobs for extra change—not for mental work. She found it difficult to concentrate on her lessons, and holding a pencil felt foreign to her.

Soon, another fear plagued her: What if she wasn’t meant to be educated?

But as her fears began to grow, Adult Literacy teacher Sanjith taught Sharmila’s class about something else.

Jesus.

Sharmila was intrigued about this God. It seemed impossible that He would come into the world to die for her and offer her eternal life. It contradicted everything she thought she knew about gods.

That week, Sharmila sought out a local church. She began attending regularly, and each time Sharmila heard the Word read over her—whether in her new church or in the Adult Literacy Class—she felt unexplainable peace.

Her worries were washing away.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:7

After 5 months of attending Sanjith’s Adult Literacy Class and her local church, Sharmila wrote her first sentence. She rejoiced, praising God that He had given her the ability to do something that once felt so out of reach.

Then, she received Jesus into her life, and her husband, who had a front row seat to watching his wife’s life change, received Jesus as well.

Now, Sharmila is known in her village for being an educated woman. But even better, she and her family are known in their local church community for their constant prayer, hard work, and unexplainable peace.

Pray

• Praise God for His faithfulness to Sharmila! He replaced her fear and worry with peace that passes understanding… and completely changed her life.
• Read Philippians 4:6-7, considering an area of your life where you struggle with fear or worry. With this passage in mind, bring your worries to God and invite Him in to replace them with peace.

Take Action

• Looking to go deeper this Pentecost season? Sign up for our 7-day Pentecost Prayer Guide, a once-daily devotional that asks this question: What does it mean to “wait on the Lord” (Lamentations 3:25)? Sign up here.
• Women across India believe they have to handle things all on their own, but you can reach them with the Good News: that they’re not alone. Give to Adult Literacy Classes today to change a life.