Theeran and Aatmaja fell in love. Aatmaja came from a poor family, but they married anyway, much to the displeasure of Theeran’s parents. Though they faced opposition from their family members, they began to live a happy life together. Soon they had a beautiful little girl and named her Vahini. Everything looked picture perfect. Perfect … until alcohol entered the scene.
Devastating Addiction and Disease
When Theeran began turning to the bottle, their happy life dwindled quickly. Not only did the strong drink cause tension in the family, but it deepened their distress, especially when Theeran found out his alcohol abuse led to tuberculosis.
Sometime later, another sorrow entered the family: Theeran was traveling on his bicycle when he collided with a speeding, oncoming bus. The doctors couldn’t save Theeran’s life. He died in the hospital, leaving his wife and daughter behind in unfortunate circumstances.
After Theeran’s death, Aatmaja’s in-laws moved in with her and Vahini. They had no intentions of consoling their daughter-in-law; instead, they expected her to take care of them in place of their son. Aatmaja was forced to find work, and she began a demanding job as a nurse assistant in a hospital.
Bridge of Hope Improves Their Lives
When Aatmaja came home from work, she would find clothes waiting to be washed, dinner needing to be cooked and stacks of dirty dishes. Her in-laws did nothing to help her. Aatmaja found no rest, and providing for her daughter’s education strained her weary life.
It was during this trying time in Aatmaja’s life when she met a cook who used to work at a nearby Gospel for Asia (GFA)-supported Bridge of Hope center. With some help, Aatmaja could enroll her daughter in the center. Vahini began to attend the center with enthusiasm, and she and her mother both saw the immense blessing it was in their lives.
Not only does Vahini now receive attention and help in her studies, but she is receiving helpful school supplies and learning good morals from her teachers. She loves spending time with the children at the center and has grown to love her teachers too. As she watched her tutors and saw how kind and loving they were to her, Vahini began to dream about becoming a teacher someday too, so she could help children like herself.
Bridge of Hope has helped Aatmaja’s child and has given Vahini the attention her mother wasn’t able to provide. Now Aatmaja doesn’t have to worry about providing school supplies and other school expenses for Vahini, and she has hope for her daughter’s future!
Find out how Bridge of Hope helped another busy mom and her fatherless daughter.
Are children picked to go to Bridge of Hope? And why are not all the children allowed to go there? Praying about sponsoring a chid and which one. Have been sponsoping a child for Holt International for years. God has laid it on my heart to also sponsor a child for Gospel for Asia. Thank you!