Rejected woman finds hope

South Asia (GFA/MNN) — Life for newlywed Vinanti and her husband was blissful. They were content in their marriage, and unlike many young wives in South Asia, there was no conflict between Vinanti and her in-laws.

But after two years of marriage, things changed.

Vinanti couldn’t get pregnant, so she went to the hospital to undergo testing. Her health was fine, but the tests showed she was infertile. In a culture where a woman’s worth is defined by her ability to bear children, Vinanti began to feel shame. Her in-laws turned on her, verbally abusing her for not giving them a grandchild.

Vinanti pleaded with her gods to grant her a child. Months passed without answer, and she began to doubt her gods’ power and goodness. She lost weight and sunk into a deep depression.

A New Hope

The answer Vinanti was searching for came in the form of a pamphlet. She met a few women from a Gospel for Asia Women’s Fellowship team, and they handed her a booklet about Jesus. They then explained to her the love of Jesus and invited her to their church. But Vinanti had her doubts.

“Even though I listened to the Word of God, I could not make any decision whether I should attend the church or not,” Vinanti says, according to an article by GFA. “I was in great confusion and in a great dilemma.”

After a few days on the fence, Vinanti picked up one of the booklets she had received, titled “The Heart of Raju.” Inside, she discovered the hope she needed. She ended up attending church that Sunday, and immediately experienced God’s love.

“During the worship service, I saw all the believers joyfully worshiping the Lord in one accord,” Vinanti remembers. “When the pastor shared the Word of God, it penetrated my heart.”

That day, Vinanti gave her life to the Lord. She started regularly attending Sunday services, prayer meetings, and the local Women’s Fellowship group.

Faith Amidst Sorrow

Soon, Vinanti’s husband and his family began expressing opposition toward her faith. She stopped attending church but continued seeking God and asking Him for a child.

Eventually, Vinanti became pregnant. But in the seventh month of pregnancy, her blood pressure skyrocketed. She was hospitalized, and her child died in the womb.

Vinanti had to undergo an operation. And when the Women’s Fellowship team heard about it, they fasted and prayed the entire day.

“The Lord indeed heard their prayers, and my operation was done successfully,” Vinanti says. “After coming back from the hospital, I asked my husband and his family if I could attend the church again, and they graciously gave their consent. Now I’m attending worship service and all the prayer meetings in the church regularly.”

Vinanti’s faith continues to grow. And though her prayers weren’t fully answered, she hasn’t given up hope.

“I surely believe that the Lord will bless me with a child in the days to come,” she says.

You Can Help

The transformation of Vinanti’s life began with the words of a small pamphlet. But she isn’t the only one that’s found hope this way. Millions of women have found new life after receiving Christian literature from GFA-supported missionaries.

Can you help GFA continue to bring hope to the hurting in Asia? Click here to see how you can share the Good News through Christian literature yourself.