The Impact of a Father’s Leadership
Shahid and his family live in a small rural village in Meghalaya, one of only three Indian states with a Christian majority. Yet, when Shahid grew up, he pretty much left his Catholic upbringing behind. Religion didn’t matter to him—he was focused on his family’s survival.
Due to extreme poverty, neither Shahid nor his wife Maria had ever attended school. Their three children were able to attend, but two of them dropped out of school as teenagers. Shahid and Maria worked as daily laborers whenever they could find work. Besides that, they subsisted by growing vegetables on their small plot of land, collecting natural brooms from the jungle, and selling their items at the local market. Shahid did his best to provide for his family, but meeting everyone’s basic needs was a constant struggle.
One day in the village, Shahid encountered a man named Kaisan, who shared that he was starting an Adult Literacy Class nearby. Kaisan told Shahid how literacy could benefit him and his family, and Shahid decided to join. He was nervous at first, but he quickly learned the alphabet and became one of the top learners in the class!
Thanks to the Bible-based lessons, as Shahid’s literacy skills grew stronger, so did his knowledge of God. He learned how to pray from Kaisan’s example, and he enjoyed learning about the life and miracles of Jesus from the songs and stories Kaisan shared.
Shahid was profoundly changed by the love of God. He began attending church with Kaisan and soon received salvation. But he didn’t stop there! Always determined to give his family the best he could, Shahid began sharing his new faith with his wife and children. He read from the Bible each evening, and even led a family prayer and devotion time. Through Shahid’s loving example and diligent discipleship, his whole family came to the saving knowledge of Christ! Now, they all attend church together and are living witnesses in their community. Being literate has benefitted Shahid in many ways, but he is most grateful for the eternal impact the Literacy Class had on him and his family! Grounded by his relationship with Jesus, Shahid now trusts in God for his family’s sustenance.
