Prayer Brings Father Back Home

Alcohol is the source of many problems in families throughout Asia. Pictured here is a bottle of home brewed rice wine from Assam, India.

Sunil Gupta was rocked to his core when he found out his alcoholic father had abandoned his family. Sunil was only visiting his family for a short vacation when his mother told him the news.

Sunil, a second-year student at one of Gospel for Asia's Bible colleges located in Himachal Pradesh, India, knew his father had an alcohol problem. Even after the entire family received Christ into their lives, the drinking continued. Sunil remembered the many sleepless nights he had while living at home as his drunken father fought with his mother and siblings.

But Sunil didn't think his father would leave his own family. The gravity of the situation put him on his knees.

Sunil spent hours praying that God would bring his father back home before his vacation was up. Day and night he cried out to God for his father's deliverance.

In his dismay, Sunil made a vow to God that if his father did not return home in the remaining time he had with his family, he would not return to the Bible college to finish his studies, for he knew he could not leave his family alone with no one to provide for them.

With his decision made, Sunil continued to pray. Days went by without an answer to his incessant pleas. The allotted time he had with his family began to shorten, but he would not give up.

The day arrived when he was scheduled to leave for Bible college. Hope seemed lost when an unexpected visitor appeared at their door. To Sunil's amazement, his father stood before him promising that he would never drink again and that he would to take care of his family.

Rejoicing at God's faithfulness, Sunil left to continue his studies at the Bible college with his father's blessing upon him.

Today, Sunil has graduated from the Bible college and wants to become a pastor. His father, also, has kept the promises he made long ago and is taking care of the family.

Please pray that God will direct Sunil's steps as he moves forward in following God's will. Pray, also, that his father will continue to stand firm in the Lord.

Learn more about Himachal Pradesh, the state where Sunil and his family live.

Read about a young shepherd boy who joined a GFA Bible college after being healed from a life-threatening illness.