Sheba's Story
I am the first born of two children. My mother was God fearing but
my father was addicted to alcohol and smoking. When he was drunk everyone feared him. I
was often afraid that he would kill me. In India most of the poor people buy cheap liquor
which is very hard on mind and body. My father did not feel any love for us when he was
drunk. He used to beat my mom cruelly. One day I returned home from school to find him
beating her. He was about to smash a wooden table on her head when I pushed my mom aside
and ran in between them. I took the blow meant for her. My mother escaped buy my father
grabbed my hair and pushed me to the wall. My head smashed and bled severely. Thankfully,
he let me go.
One evening soon thereafter I went into the garden and began to sob.
I prayed to God with a broken heart. I asked the Lord Jesus to be my Savior. That
wonderful day I received the Lord. My first prayer to him was to change my father. In the
following days my only hope was in the Lord. Only he could change my father. I found peace
in my heart while praying. But Satan was not done with my dad.
One Sunday my brother, my mom and I came home from church to find my
father drunk and waiting to beat us. He was angry that we went to church. As soon as we
entered he started beating my mom. He used whatever things he found around him. I quickly
removed all the hardest things like the stool, a hammer, the chairs and cooking utensils.
But I was shocked to see he had a knife. We ran for our lives into the street but nobody
dared to help.
We hid in a church until morning. The whole night I could hear my
father shouting on the streets searching to kill us. I cannot forget that fearful night.
In the morning we moved to our aunt's house where we prayed a lot for my father. My aunt
spoke to him and eventually we returned home. Ten days later he had a heart attack. The
doctors said he was going to die. I prayed all night that he would confess his sins and
accept the Lord Jesus as his Savior. That day my father accepted the Lord and was born
again. Three days later he entered glory.
A Heart for the Orphans
After my father's death due to our poverty, I was sent to live with
relatives. I was alone but the Lord was with me. My relatives never let me go to pray or
go to church but I still shared the gospel to whomever I could. This made my relatives
angry and they beat me a lot. I was treated like a slave and cried a lot when I remembered
my own family. One day the Lord spoke to me and told me I would be used in his service.
The verse in Jeremiah 29:11 :For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans
to prosper you and not to harm you; plans to give you hope and a future," became my
promise.
As I
grew older when I met children at roadsides and slums I remembered my childhood and my
heart was moved for them. With the little money I had, I used to buy candies and give them
to children. I went to the slums and gathered children for Sunday classes. When I taught
Bible stories the children listened attentively. I filled my bag with gospel pamphlets and
distributed them. As I shared the Gospel they loved to find out about life after death.
When I shared God's word with them they believed in the Lord Jesus. Still, my burden for
orphan children was great I wanted to help the orphans in the slums by giving them good
food, clothing and education. There were many children near the roadsides, footpaths, and
train platforms begging. My heart cried for them. WE prayed a lot for the Lord to show us
how to help them. Finally He opened the way.
We Met Prashanth
One day
as I was buying vegetables, I met a boy with tattered clothes who was begging. I pitied
him and gave him a one rupee coin (about 2 cents). The boy followed me home. When I asked
him what he wanted, he said he was hungry. I gave him some food to eat. He finished three
helpings within minutes. I was stunned to see his hunger. He told me that his name was
Prashanth and that he was 10 years old. His parents were dead and he had nobody to look
after him. I sent him away thinking there was little more I could do for him. But two
hours later I found him sleeping on our doorstep. I asked him what he wanted. He begged me
to allow him to work for us and sleep in my house. There were tears rolling down his
cheeks, as he anticipated my refusal. I could not send him away. That day I invited the
first needy orphan into our family. From that simple beginning we now care for 152
children. The children came from different districts and from different slum areas. With a
few rupee coins in our hands and looking towards God we started Compassion for Orphans
Mission. Today we thank God for showing us how to serve Him in the midst of the needy.
