SEND! magazine Third Quarter 2007: A Family Finds Hope

A Family Finds Hope

“In all the world, Lord, Your name is great; because You are our refuge, You are our fortress and You are the One who cares for us.”

Prabavathi’s eyes mist with tears of joy when she listens to her niece sing those words. Just months before, 10-year-old Angeline was a lonely, sad, silent child. But now she sings Bible songs, plays with her classmates and soaks up the instruction and love of her teachers at the Gospel for Asia Bridge of Hope center she attends in India’s Goa state.

Angeline was orphaned in her preschool years. Her mother died of AIDS, and her father abandoned the family for another life. Then, after her elderly grandmother died, Angeline moved in with her aunt Prabavathi.

With a husband who drank heavily and eked out a living as a painter, Prabavathi’s life wasn’t easy, either—especially with another mouth to feed. There were times when Prabavathi would go without food. But through the witness of Gospel for Asia missionaries, she received Christ. And her joy has been increased through watching how Angeline’s life has changed through the Bridge of Hope program. Not only is her niece receiving an education, but she also enjoys at least one warm, nutritious meal each school day. Most of all, Angeline has come to know Jesus.

Angeline and her aunt attend a GFA-related church where they worship and fellowship with other believers. Prabavathi eagerly serves in the church, keeping track of weekly offerings and bringing in flowers for decoration. The two pray together daily and study God’s Word.

Even at her young age, Angeline is a powerful role model for her classmates. She has a burden for the sick and hurting and often intercedes for the needs of those around her.

“I want to become a servant of God,” she says. “I want to share with people that Jesus is very good, He is loving and He gives us whatever we need.”

Angeline is one of more than 42,000 children enrolled in Bridge of Hope centers in South Asia. Many of these children come from low-caste families and would otherwise be unable to receive a good education. When they hear about the love of Jesus, their lives—and those of their families—are often powerfully touched and transformed by His grace.

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