Sandeep’s story today is a continuation of Part 1. He shares the story of how Compassion International can change child poverty one life at a time.
God’s Plan for a Child in Poverty
They told me there are a hundred reasons to cry but remember there are a thousand reasons to smile because God loves me and God’s words have been engraved in my heart. Readers, I got salvation. Not only me, but my family also got salvation.
The first new pair of clothes was gifted by my sponsors and today also I remember that.
Meanwhile I was doing well in school, but my family was struggling with the economy, so we set up a vegetable shop on the streets. I would sell vegetables on the streets when I got free time from my studies. My friends, relatives, and neighbors used to come to our shop but with discouraging words, they used to tell me “Can you see your future on the streets selling vegetables?” and “Education is not for you, go and sell vegetables.” These were the words they told me but I didn’t believe them. My sponsors and Compassion believed I can do everything through Christ because He provides me the strength.
I passed grade 10, or in other words, I passed middle school. After this I thought all my dreams would be shut down and my sponsors wouldn’t help me, but one day my project director from Compassion called me up and said “Sandeep, you can attend whatever school you want to you can go.” My readers, guess which school I went to? I went to the same school where sixteen years back I used to stand thinking how life could be beautiful inside those walls. Sixteen years back when the gatekeeper kicked me out, I know God was seeing that and was laughing because I was kicked out and He picked me up and sent me to that same school.
Praise the Lord.
A changed child gives back
I was sinking in society and some hands from the USA pulled me up and now it’s my duty and responsibility to pull up those who are drowning in society. A new life was gifted to me and this life is for you, God. People said I was not smart, well-spoken, my English was like a rotten cabbage and I am not handsome. Now I raise my voice to those who said this to me. “Maybe I am not handsome but now I can lend my hand to some who are drowning like me.”
I know there are many Sandeeps still sitting beside the trash bin looking for food. Readers, to you I say these words with pain in my voice: Are we ready to sacrifice something and that will be everything for the poor? For God so loved the world that HE gave his one and only son. What have we sacrificed? For my debt and your debt, Christ has been nailed to the cross. Are we ready today, readers, to nail Christ in those hearts who are unreached and who are engulfed by poverty? Are we ready to embrace the unreached ones and say, “I give you a new life in Jesus Christ’s name.”?
Brothers and sisters, we will show our Christianity through our love, compassion and passion. Everything we do, we do it for the living God, Jesus Christ. Matthew 25:40 Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”
Amen.
Sandeep’s life was deeply impacted by his relationship with his Compassion International sponsors. You could be this life-changing relationship for another life facing child poverty – a child like Sandeep. Sponsor a child today!
