Student Becomes Family Breadwinner
August 5, 2009
Millions of Dalit children are forced to find jobs just so their families can survive. |
At age 13, Sandesh already knows what it's like to worry about the family bills, care for a sick parent and try to work toward a better future. But amidst the responsibilities he is forced to carry, a Gospel for Asia Bridge of Hope center is helping him find strength through a relationship with Jesus Christ.
When his father was diagnosed with tuberculosis, Sandesh's already impoverished family lost its main source of income. The family doesn't own any land they can work for a profit, and as Dalits ("Untouchables"), the only jobs available to them are society's lowest.
After a typical morning of school, the eighth-grader spends the afternoon as the family provider, going to the fields and working for whoever will hire him.Sandesh's mother sweeps yards and cleans the village sewers, but the reward for such service is a meager income—not nearly enough for a family of nine. As the oldest child, the responsibility of making up the difference falls on Sandesh.
After a typical morning of school, the eighth-grader spends the afternoon as the family provider, going to the fields and working for whoever will hire him. Everything he earns goes toward his father's medical bills and other family expenses.
It is a common situation among Dalit children, but Sandesh is thankful to have Bridge of Hope to guide him through it. Funded by individual child sponsors, the centers provide children with meals, medical care, school uniforms, tuition, and the Good News that Jesus loves them.
And since enrolling in Bridge of Hope, Sandesh has stopped trusting in idols to help with his family's lowly state. Instead, he studies hard, reads his Bible every day and prays to Jesus for his needs.
"He always tries to do his best in every activity," a GFA field correspondent said. "Although there is no one to help him, he himself takes the initiative to help his whole family."
Bridge of Hope allows Asia's poorest children to get a quality education. |
Most of Sandesh's circumstances haven't changed since joining Bridge of Hope, but he refuses to let go of his faith. His family still struggles to pay what they owe, and his father has yet to be healed, but Sandesh knows he's being prepared for a better tomorrow. Until then, he asks that Christians pray for his family's spiritual growth, while he works and learns at the Bridge of Hope center.
