(Photo courtesy Mission India)
India (Mission India) — Illiteracy trapped Tolsing in poverty.
Without an education, he wasn’t qualified for any jobs with good pay. He’s not alone. 86% of Indians earn less than $2.50 a day. The 35-year-old did odd jobs for small wages. He struggled to provide for his wife and three children, but sometimes they had nothing to eat.
Tolsing wanted to get better employment. He tried to start business ventures, but none of them worked. Not being able to count money, read, or write traps generations of families into a cycle of poverty.
Then, Tolsing heard about Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Mission India’s Adult Literacy Classes. He enrolled and never missed a class. During the year-long classes, graduates like Tolsing achieve a 5th-grade level of reading and writing, and the Bible-based lessons introduce them to Christ. As he completed his studies, Tolsing also learned how to make candles, liquid cleaner, and other items.
Soon, he started a business selling liquid cleaner and candles, and his income improved dramatically. A local man noticed Tolsing’s business savvy and helped him get a steady labor job with the city.
Tolsing’s family always has enough to eat now. And through the Bible-based lessons at his classes, Tolsing learned about Jesus. He and his wife both received Christ and are raising their kids to know the Lord.
It’s amazing to see the holistic transformation these classes bring; students learn so much more than just reading and writing! $30 enrolls a student in Mission India’s 52-week Adult Literacy Class.
