Riyan: A Dreamer Comes to Faith
Riyan has always been a dreamer. He is the youngest of four children, and he grew up imagining all the things he wanted to do and the places he wanted to go. But as Riyan got older, he began to see that life was a struggle for his family. Riyan learned to be content with what he had, and he did his best to help the family.
Running a tea stall, their only source of income, was a family affair. Each evening, Riyan’s father served tea, chicken soup, and snacks at their tea stall. Riyan’s two oldest sisters, who had finished school, helped prepare the food.
While he tried to help his family meet immediate needs, one of Riyan’s dreams was to be an excellent student. However, he really struggled in school. He was afraid to speak up and ask for help from his teacher or peers, and he knew no one at home had the knowledge to help him. So Riyan struggled in silence, and his grades slowly declined as he lost confidence in his own abilities.
Riyan’s friends then told him about a nearby Year-Long Children’s Bible Club, where they played games, sang songs, and received help with their homework. Riyan started going to the Bible Club, and playing sports and games with the other teens gave him a lot of joy. His confidence finally grew, and he courageously confided in Baban, who led the Bible Club, about his desire to improve in his schoolwork. Baban and Riyan worked together, and Riyan slowly started getting better grades in his weaker subjects!
Over time, Riyan became more interested in the Bible-based songs and lessons he learned at the Bible Club. Although his family was Catholic, they rarely attended church. Riyan had never heard that God loved or cared about him personally.
The words “With God all things are possible,” from Matthew 19:26, stood out to Riyan and he began praying that promise over himself and his family. Riyan’s faith increased when he saw his family’s tea stall business flourishing. He also felt free from the worries and lack of confidence that he had struggled with for so long!
Riyan received Christ as his Savior and now dreams of the day that his whole family will worship Jesus with him. Pray that Riyan continues to grow in his faith and is a witness to his family of Jesus’ love and power!
