When Everything Seemed Against Him
Sept. 7, 2011 Gospel for Asia
Nabati and Thakem went in search of a village to share Christs love, and the Lord led them to Dakshi.
Do not give up hope, but keep on praying, and trust in the Lord with all your heart.
Not long after Dakshi Meitei became a Christian, he was paralyzed. For the next 10 years, Dakshi was unable to move his body from the waist down.
Sometimes I was so tempted to doubt God; I felt like blaming Him for my condition, Dakshi said.
The people in his community thought he must be under some sort of curse for abandoning his traditional religion and following Christ. He had hoped to find freedom and joy in Jesus, but instead, his anguish was compounded by rejection.
There are times I wonder if the miracles Christ performed in the Bible are really true or not, Dakshi said, expressing his sorrow. If it is true, why is He so blind towards the pain and agony of my family?
Being the only Christians in their village, Dakshi and his family had no one to offer them comfort, no church with fellow believers to uplift and encourage them in their walks. They felt all alonethat is until a pair of Bible college students arrived in their village.
With a great burden for the unreached, Nabati Gedam and Thakem Kumar went in search of a place to share the love of Christ. The Bible college students came upon Dakshis village but were greeted with hostility. The people strongly adhered to the worship of their ancestral deity, believing prosperity and happiness came from worshiping and pleasing this god wholeheartedly. Rejecting this belief was cause for death, and the elders of the village made sure the studentsand Dakshiknew what had happened to a young boy named Rajen who decided to worship Christ instead.
A Sad End for Rajen
Rajen was the first believer in the village, and this enraged his father. When he found out Rajen was openly sharing his faith with his neighbors, he grabbed a huge stick and began beating his son. Although he did not intend for it to happen, one of the blows was fatal, and Rajen died immediately.
Rajens story rattled the missionaries, but they stayed and continued their mission. They often prayed and asked the Lord to lead them to the people who were longing to know Christ and listen to His Word; thats how they met Dakshi and his family.
Help Just in Time
Dakshi was in a pitiful state when the Bible students saw him. His paralysis left his wife, Maina, to take on the role of the familys breadwinner. Watching her work so hard to run his family left Dakshi feeling discouraged.
The persecution they faced from their neighbors only made matters worse. When Nabati and Thakem saw how the people treated Dakshi and his family, they made it a point to visit them often and encourage them to be strong in their faith. They even assisted Maina with her household chores and helped her grow a small vegetable garden to feed the family.
Even though the local people look down on you and treat you with great contempt, the students would tell Dakshi and Maina, do not give up hope, but keep on praying, and trust in the Lord with all your heart. You are doing a good thing for your family, and the One who sees everything will surely reward you generously.
Hope for More
With Nabatis and Thakems continued encouragement and faithfulness in pointing them back to the goodness of Christ, Dakshi, Maina and their family are strengthened in their faith. The students frequently have fellowship and prayer at Dakshis house, and theyre praying the Lord will help them establish at least one fellowship in the village.
Pray for Dakshi and his family to remain steadfast in their faith.
Pray for a miraculous healing for Dakshis paralysis.
Pray the Lord can make a mighty impact in this village through the Bible college students, and many hearts will be softened to receive Christ.
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