“Today we are happy.”
On this holiday weekend, we just wanted to drop in and share a quick word of inspiration.
It comes from a woman in India named Raizel, who’s making a difference as an Adult Literacy teacher in west India. She’s just 26 years old, but her testimony and impact are both incredible!
From leaving idol worship to enduring opposition for her faith, Raizel has seen God’s hand in her life every step of the way.
Let’s dive in!
Raizel shares, “I was born and brought up in an idol-worshipping family and we lived in the village. I want you to know about all this. I was doing jobs in a temple for some time, and I was fully into worldly things. We used to go in many other temples also to worship the idols.”
Despite being so immersed in these rituals, Raizel and her family didn’t truly know why they were following their religion. “It was just our faith, without knowing what is God or what is right,” Raizel explains. “It was just a matter of tradition following.”
Her family simply didn’t know anything different. But they soon realized that it was worth reconsidering their beliefs. “Somehow, we were not happy in our life,” Raizel says, “because sometimes I used to get sick. So many times we had rituals at home but nothing worked out.”
After dealing with recurring illness that her gods couldn’t heal, Raizel was open to other options.
“One day I was sick, and my sister came to visit me. She is Christian and she shared the Gospel to us,” Raizel says. “And that time, we said, ‘Ok, we will believe your God, but your God should heal me right now.’”
Raizel’s sister then spoke with her about having true faith in God and understanding that healing takes place in His time. Even if it took longer than a day, Raizel’s sister was confident that God could bring about healing. Amazingly, Raizel responded positively! “We believed her and started to go to church and started to pray,” she shares.
But Raizel and her family had a long journey ahead—their belief in Jesus sparked severe opposition from the community. “They wanted to send us out from the village, and they wanted to kill us also,” Raizel says.
And yet, the family continued to follow Christ.
“God has kept us safe. And today, all in my family believe in Christ, and we believe that the Lord God is almighty, and He can do anything.”
Raizel is teaching an Adult Literacy Class today, living out the Great Commission by sharing Jesus with a community of illiterate men and women. She’s gone from performing rituals to enduring opposition to leading others to Christ!
Raizel concludes, “Today we are very happy, because now we know the truth.”
Praise God!
PRAY:
- Pray a blessing over Raizel, asking God to help her proclaim the Gospel clearly in the Adult Literacy Class she teaches.
- Pray for courage for people in India like Raizel, who take a great risk by following Christ. Pray that their testimonies of enduring persecution will point people to Him.
TAKE ACTION:
- What’s your story? Take some time on this holiday weekend to reflect on how God has led you through difficult times. You may not have been threatened for your faith in Christ, but your story is worth celebrating and sharing. Praise God for that today!
