Feature Stories
Child Bride Grows Up Next to a Jesus Well
June 2020 • Article
Nine-year-old Suhana stood in her bridal dress, her childish face masked under heavy kohl eye liner, and the red powder on her forehead signaling her entrance into the adult rite of marriage. Her young husband, closer to adulthood than herself, placed a floral garland around her neck. After the ceremony, Suhana moved to her husband’s village, where another newcomer had arrived just a couple years before her—a Jesus Well.
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Magnifying the Praise of God
June 2020 • Article
Jiva sat outside her home with her husband, Vahaan, distractedly washing dishes. Pain and severe discomfort from her illness typically preoccupied her mind, but not right now—the words and songs coming from a nearby building captured her full attention. Vahaan listened intently, too, then he uttered a short sentence, and they both walked purposefully out of their courtyard.
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Neglected Girl Replaces Mud Canvas with Paper, Pencils
May 2020 • Article
The tarp walls of Divena’s home could not contain the sound of her mom and dad’s constant arguments. When her mother suddenly left to be with another man, the house fell silent. Three-year-old Divena and her older brother never saw their mother again.
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A Miracle for an Ambitious Daughter
May 2020 • Article
Vinaya sat with other believers during a prayer meeting, mulling over her family’s problems. She knew Jesus cared about their needs—and that His power could change their situation. Finally, she opened her mouth and told her prayer group about her family’s private financial issues.
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Hearts Changed Before the Credits Rolled
April 2020 • Article
Paritosh excitedly sat down with his wife and other members of his community. They were about to enjoy a special treat that evening: a movie. As the film progressed, however, Paritosh’s mood changed from that of seeking entertainment to one of deep contemplation. This movie was not what he expected, but he was far from disappointed.
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Enough for Everyone
March 2020 • Article
Garjan watches groups of people from neighboring villages come on bikes to fill large vessels with water from the main well in his village. Instead of frustration that other people are taking his village’s resources, Garjan sees these people with compassion—and empathy. He wishes they didn’t have to face the same hardships he and his loved ones once faced for years.
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What She May Never Have Had
March 2020 • Article
A life of uncertainty and poverty lay before Ridhushni, but she was too young to understand. All she knew at 4 years old was that she wanted to play with her friends.
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Someone Who Cares
February 2020 • Article
“What shall I do?” Ranjini wondered aloud. Ranjini powerlessly watched her hands and feet deteriorating before her eyes. As a widow and a person afflicted with leprosy, Ranjini needed help. But so many people in her society turned a blind eye to widows and leprosy patients, and she was both; who would trouble themselves about her?
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Rejected Daughter Meets Unconditional Love
January 2020 • Article
Rasa stood in shame in front of her parents listening to the angry, disappointed words falling from their lips. How could she, their eldest daughter, engage in a secret romance with a village boy and bring disgrace to their family?
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Alone No Longer Because of Bridge of Hope
December 2019 • Article
Imagine a little girl gazing out a living room window, two streams of tears cascading down her cheeks. Out the window, she sees empty paths flanked by lush vegetation. She would rather look outside—or sleep the day away—than feel the isolation of the small room. This is what Jenya’s life was like.
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A Father's Good Gift
October 2019 • Article
Their bags sat ready at the door. Again. Tavish looked around at the room that had sheltered them for the past few months; then he and his family of five began their trip back to their house in a distant village. Where was their home? It was here; it was there; it was wherever he could find a job.
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Good News Travelling in a Winter Coat
October 2019 • Article
Shutting the front door behind him, Balaark hugged himself tightly and pressed his thin, worn jacket to his torso. The icy wind stung his ears, painting them bright red. He felt the muscles in his entire body contract in a fruitless effort to ward off the invisible assailant. Balaark walked into the wind and began his course through the cold.
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Chills of Winter Give Way to Warmth
October 2019 • Article
Sinhal’s childhood was marred by poverty and trauma. He and his family struggled to survive, staving off hunger and illness any way they could. Yet, above all else, there was one problem that never seemed to go away, hounding Sinhal and his family: the cold.
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