Raina Miller with Mission India says, “When parents have significant struggles with things like if they’re abusive, they’re alcoholics, or even if they’re just really struggling through poverty, that affects everything, and it really affects the kids. And the opposite is true too. So when these parents get to know Jesus, it completely changes the whole household.” 

One of Mission India’s main ministries is its children’s Bible clubs. Jada, daughter of a daily wage laborer, began attending one of these clubs seeking support with her education. Jada struggled not just because of her socioeconomic status but faces discrimination because of her family’s ethnic group.

“She joined a Children’s Bible club, and she was just curious about it at first, and just wondered what it was all about. And she really enjoyed the Bible based skits, Christ-centered songs with fun motions and dance moves, and things like that. And she was really drawn in by the Bible verses that were shared and the stories she heard about Jesus. So the Bible club leader was really encouraging, taught her about loving God and God’s purpose for her life, and that she mattered, and she ended up receiving Jesus as her Savior. And all of that led to more confidence that translated at home.”

Jada’s dad, however, became sick. Miller says, “Jada had just learned about Jesus and that he could heal, so she actually prayed in Jesus’ name for her father’s healing, and he was healed.” 

This miraculous healing not only opened Jada’s eyes even more to Jesus but led her entire family to Christ. 

Jada and her family find God. (Photo courtesy of Mission India)

“Although life might still be difficult in some ways, they have hope that they didn’t have before this, because a little girl trusted Jesus to heal her dad, and now she’s got parents who are able to lead the family in a Christ-centered way,” says Miller.

Miller said that God revealed himself to Jada through the Bible Club, and this story can be a reminder to believers. 

“What do you do with a miraculous story like this in your own faith?” asks Miller. “What are you not trusting God for that you could? What could he be doing in a miraculous way that this feels far-fetched? This is a young girl, probably 9 or 10 years old, and she trusted God to heal her dad, and her whole household is changed because of it, so there’s a great personal takeaway for each of us to remember: God still does miracles today, and that they’re worth asking for.

Mission India invites people to come alongside their ministry with their new monthly giving program, Pathfinders. The monthly contribution of $36 will provide 18 kids with Bible Club for a year. Learn more about how you can be involved by visiting their website.

Please pray for Jada, her family, and others with stories like hers. Pray that God would move in the hearts of children attending Bible Clubs and that His name would be magnified in families touched by Mission India.

Header photo courtesy of Mission India. 

“Two years later, there is still tension. There’s still unrest in this community, and unfortunately, kids are being affected as a result,” Mission India’s Raina Miller says.

Persistent unrest led to the resignation of Manipur’s Chief Minister Biren Singh in February, followed by the imposition of President’s Rule. More about that here.

Violent clashes between Manipur’s Meitei and Kuki communities have displaced thousands of people in the past two years, destroying homes, churches, and schools.

Gaman fell behind in school due to two years of unrest in Manipur.
(Photo courtesy of Mission India)

“A young boy named Gaman was in first grade when the violence first broke out in Manipur. He wasn’t able to go to school for months, and as a first grader, that’s a big deal; he quickly forgot everything that he learned,” Miller says.

“Once things settled down in his area enough to go back to school, he was really behind and discouraged.”

Thankfully, Mission India’s partners began a year-long Children’s Bible Club in Gaman’s hometown. “Our Bible clubs feature time each day spent on tutoring, so Taber, as the Bible club leader, was able to help [Gaman] with his schoolwork,” Miller says.

“[Tutoring took place] while doing tons of fun activities like sports and games, not to mention all the Bible-based activities like memorizing Scripture and singing songs about Jesus.”

After months of hard work and help from the Bible club leader, Gaman caught up to his classmates. Best of all, he learned more about Christ and grew in his faith.

Children’s Bible Clubs are a critical asset to parents living in poverty. “They work such long hours that they can’t be home to help with homework, and they can’t pay for a tutor,” Miller says.

Through Mission India’s new Pathfinder program, you can provide a clear path to Jesus for every child in India.

Typically, $36 supports 18 kids in a year-long Children’s Bible Club, but “Right now, your first 12 months of gifts will be matched, so $36 per month will reach 36 children in India for the first year of your giving,” Miller says.

Become a Pathfinder here.

Header and story images courtesy of Mission India.