Sabita, Part 1: Will this life get better?
Have you ever struggled through life’s lowest lows, fearing there might be no light at the end of the tunnel?
That’s the outlook Sabita endured for decades on end.
By the age of eight, she was fully responsible for maintaining her family’s home, from taking care of her younger sisters to cooking dinner for her parents after work. Going to school was out of the question, and as she grew up, others made fun of her for being illiterate.
When Sabita later got married, she hoped that maybe—just maybe—she’d be able to start a better life. Yet on her second day of marriage, Sabita was devastated to learn that her new husband, Chaksu, had tons of addictions. And as time went on, he became physically abusive. Chaksu’s behavior eventually spilled into his public life, and he ended up in jail quite a few times.
By the age of 54, Sabita was hopeless, angry, and alone. She had one goal: to do good work so that she would be reborn into a better life after she died. This life, she assumed, would never get better.
Maybe that’s why she had such a hard time accepting her friend’s invitation to a local Adult Literacy Class. By this point, she was convinced that getting an education would be a waste of her time.
But her caring friend persevered, encouraging Sabita to take advantage of the opportunity. So finally, Sabita agreed to attend—and after just one week in the class, she felt a new sense of satisfaction. In the Literacy Class, she could set aside life’s trauma and focus on learning from her patient teacher, Sahay.
For two hours each day, Sabita was safe in the Literacy Class, free from Chaksu’s abuse. But each evening, she dreaded going home, scared of the abuse that awaited her.
Would she ever really be free?
Stay tuned for Part 2 of Sabita’s story, coming tomorrow.
SCRIPTURE:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” – Mathew 11:28
REFLECT:
Who do you know that’s struggling and hopeless? How can you demonstrate Jesus’ love to them, the way Sabita’s friend did by inviting her into the safety of the Literacy Class?
