When Song, a Hindu woman, and her family moved to the outskirts of a large, South Asian city for work, she prayed for God to teach her more about Himself.
Not long after, she met Leela, a Christian woman who ran a small grocery store nearby. Song invited Leela to come to her home and teach her and some friends about the Bible. The women soaked up the Word of God eagerly and wanted to learn more, but then, Leela moved away.
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For some time, International Mission Board missionary Julia Cota’s most fervent prayer had been for believing, South Asian women to partner with and empower in ministry. That’s when she noticed Leela at their local church fellowship. Leela exhibited a vibrant faith, frequently bringing guests and friends to church with her.
Julia learned Leela was from a Hindu background before becoming a believer. She never went to school for a single day in her life, but when she came to saving faith in Christ in her 40s, Leela longed to be able to read the Bible. After a period of fasting and praying, she devoted herself to learning how to read. Forty days later, she was reading the Bible on her own.
Now, Leela confided her sorrow to Julia in leaving behind a small group of women where she used to live that wanted to learn more about God. It was no longer possible for her to meet them since they lived 45 minutes away and she did not know how to drive.
Julia couldn’t help but marvel as God’s answer to her prayers unfolded.
“I was like, well, I’ve been waiting for someone to partner with in ministry, and I have a car and I can drive,” she said, smiling.
Soon, Julia and Leela were making the drive every other week to visit Song and her friends during the only times they were free — Saturday nights.
The women, who work grueling hours as day laborers, are also expected to cook and care for their families.
“So many women are making fresh food every day, two to three meals, and it takes so much time,” Julia explained. “They are washing all their own dishes and washing all their clothes by hand and just not living easy lives. And then these women are working full-time jobs, too. They have a lot of responsibilities.”
Increasing persecution
Saturday nights were also conducive for another reason. The persecution of Christians has increased significantly in the past several years. The region is governed by strong anti-conversion laws and though people have the legal right to change their religion, believers often face severe consequences for embracing Christianity.
Meeting at night afforded them the cover of darkness and meant less people around to overhear their discussions about the Bible.
“We sit in this little lean-to with a tin roof and a dirt floor. They have no running water, no bathroom,” Julia said, describing their tenuous circumstances.
Even amid these obstacles, over the past two years, the women have carved out enough time to work their way through audio recordings of Bible stories from creation to Revelation.
Many of the women, who are from the same people group as Leela and share the same heart language, are illiterate. At first, they were too shy to talk, but as God worked in their hearts, the women opened up.
“There is a lot of encouraging them that they can know and understand Scripture themselves, even with little to no education,” Julia explained.
Latest developments
During the last year, three women came to saving faith in Christ and received baptism, including Song.
Julia described how Song has become something of a leader for the group, rising early in the mornings to listen to and study Scripture before the day’s responsibilities begin. Her prayer is that Song will eventually take over teaching the group of women.
“I think of Song, and I just know that one day in heaven her crown is going to be more beautiful than mine,” Julia said. “She doesn’t have riches in this world, but the Lord sees her, and He will reward her for her faith amidst her struggles.”
Some names have been changed for security.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Kristen Sosebee and originally published by the International Mission Board.
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