India's women: living with illiteracy
There are nearly 200 million women in India who are illiterate...just like Meenaben was. In the stories below, you will discover more about the many ways illiteracy affects these women's lives. You'll also see the hope that they find when they join an Adult Literacy Class. We pray you will be encouraged to know how you are helping bring change their lives with your loose change!
Adiya's story: 'Being illiterate is being blind'
Adiya was just 15 years old when her family arranged her marriage to a man twice her age. Two years later she was already a mother of two. She was never able to attend school.
Adiya was raised in the Hindu traditions. She worshipped her gods, Shiva and Parvathi, by placing rice and coconut on a special leaf, then wrapping it in strips of colorful cloth and worshipping it as a reincarnation. As a young girl, Adiya had heard of Jesus, but did not know anything about Him.
Adiya grew up very poor, in northeastern India, but her family was high-caste. She was taught never to allow lower caste people into her home. She also believed that low-caste people had been born to their low position because they had done something wrong in a previous life and were being punished by the gods.
One day, when her children were young, Adiya needed to travel to a family event in Nepal. She traveled to the nearest big city to a busy bus station. At the bus station, an illiterate Adiya had no choice but to walk among the buses, asking the drivers if their bus would bring her to her destination in Nepal. One dishonest driver lied to her, telling her his bus would reach her destination. Click here to read the rest of Adiya's story...
Sushila's story: A widow finds new hope through literacy
Sushila's superstitious neighbors were convinced she was bad luck.
In India, being a widow is considered a curse. After Sushila's husband died, no one in the village would have anything to do with her...not even her own in-laws.
In the eyes of her family and neighbors, Sushila was now worthless.
She was sent back to her parents' home in disgrace. Ashamed of their widowed daughter, Sushila's parents treated her like a servant.
Sushila felt frightened and alone.
The first person to show Sushila any kindness was Maya, a Mission India Adult Literacy teacher. She encouraged Sushila to join the nightly class.Click here to read the rest of Sushila's story...
