Kamya, Ratul and Sanjiv can tell you. Through a series of Christmas gift distributions in their area, they each received a pair of pigs.
“It is very hard for me and for my husband to manage the family,” said Kamya, a believer in a local congregation. “We do not have any income source, and I cannot help my husband because we have two small children and I have to take care of them. I would have to stay at home and rear domestic animals and sell them for our income, but we do not have money to buy them. Today I got two pigs, one male and one female. I am very glad because my problems will be solved if I rear them and they grow up well. I can make money and help my husband and also save money in a few months for my daughter’s school admission.”
Ratul shared how he had wanted pigs before but had not been able to afford them.
“We do not have our own land, and that bothers me a lot as a father,” he said. “My children are growing, and we do not have a house or even our own land where we can cultivate [rice] for our survival. I wanted to rear pigs, but I couldn’t afford to buy them because they are expensive. I am getting two pigs to rear free of cost, and it is a great blessing for my family. I will rear them well, and when it gives birth, I want to sell it and buy a small piece of land for a paddy field so that at least I can face my children as a father.”
Sanjiv was grateful to receive the help because a flood had threatened his family’s livelihood.
“This year’s flood was a great loss for my family because all of our land was washed away by it,” Sanjiv said. “Presently, we do not have even a small piece of land to live on. … That is my dream, and I feel like my dream is going to come true very soon by rearing the piglets that I received free of cost.”
Not only can gifts like pigs help sustain livelihoods, but they can also make God’s grace real to those still waiting to know His love in their lives.
