Desiha: From Ridiculing to Following Christ
Desiha was raised to worship the gods of her ancestors. But as a young woman, she noticed that more and more of her neighbors had started following Jesus in recent years, including her aunt. Desiha couldn’t understand why so many people were attracted to Jesus.
It’s easy to hate what you don’t understand, and that’s what happened to Desiha. She didn’t understand Christians, so she ended up ridiculing and gossiping about them—even her aunt.
At the same time, Desiha’s parents were lazy and refused to work. Instead of finding a consistent income, Desiha and her parents begged to feed themselves. This left them with a poor reputation and no social recognition in the community. Desiha’s lack of education only seemed to make things worse.
Desiha found herself full of confusion and chaos. All she could see was what she lacked: opportunity, reputation, and understanding.
All that changed when Desiha met Aanya, a woman from her aunt’s worshipping group who was starting an Adult Literacy Class in the village. Aanya explained that the Literacy Class offered education, along with other opportunities like an entrepreneurship training and health education program. Desiha was intrigued, and suddenly, she could see a way out of her current circumstances.
Desiha studied hard in the Literacy Class and quickly learned to read and write! She began to recognize how her newfound knowledge would help her gain opportunity for work. Desiha saw how developing a good work ethic was a better path than being lazy.
Later in the class, Aanya shared her testimony, and Desiha asked questions about Jesus. As Desiha voiced her doubts, Aanya answered them with Bible verses.
Finally understanding the truth, Desiha confessed her sins and received Jesus as her Lord and Savior! This young woman who once ridiculed Christians now follows Jesus herself. Desiha regularly attends a worshipping group, even though she faces opposition from her parents and neighbors. She is even pursuing a job that will provide her with consistent income! While her family dislikes her new faith in Christ, they are impressed by her work ethic. It has inspired them to find jobs and earn their own income, too!
Will you pray for Desiha to grow strong in her relationship with Jesus?
