His produce business was crumbling, and sadness and anxiety filled his heart. Hardly anyone was buying the vegetables Dhansukh offered. With so few customers, much of his produce rotted in his stall. Then Vismay showed up.
Slow Business Threatens Children’s Education, Health
Daily life was a struggle for Dhansukh and his family. Because Dhansukh had difficulty walking, he couldn’t work as a daily wage laborer, which is a common job for many people in Asia. Instead, Dhansukh provided for his family by selling vegetables.
But after some time, Dhansukh’s business began running into the ground. Fewer people made purchases, and the vegetables that remained started to rot. Dhansukh tried all he could to save money and make up for the lack. He took his children out of the private school they were attending and sent them to a public school instead. He asked his brothers and his sister for hand-me-downs for his children.
But even as he cut down on expenses left and right, eventually the vegetable-seller could no longer afford to buy fresh vegetables to feed his family. The meals they would eat in one day became fewer and fewer. When they did eat food, it sometimes consisted only of rice with salt. Dhansukh didn’t know what to do.
In the middle of the family’s crisis, Gospel for Asia-supported pastor Vismay came to buy vegetables one day. Dhansukh decided to see if the Christians’ God could help.
Gift Proclaims God’s Love, Provision
Pastor Vismay and Dhansukh had developed a friendly acquaintance already, as the pastor would buy vegetables from Dhansukh’s shop. They had talked before, and Pastor Vismay had spoken of Jesus, but this time Dhansukh opened up to Pastor Vismay on a new level. He told Pastor Vismay about his business troubles and asked him to pray for him. As Pastor Vismay prayed fervently for Dhansukh, Dhansukh joined in agreement, believing Jesus could change his circumstances.
Pastor Vismay kept Dhansukh’s prayer request in mind, and God eventually provided an opportunity for him to help Dhansukh’s family practically through a Christmas gift distribution.
Throughout the year, Gospel for Asia-supported workers in Asia get to distribute life-sustaining gifts, from sewing machines to mosquito nets to livestock, provided for by brothers and sisters in Christ around the world. During the gift distribution in his community, Pastor Vismay was able to give Dhansukh two female goats, much to Dhansukh’s delight.
These gifts impacted Dhansukh in a special way: As he witnessed firsthand the Lord’s power to answer prayers, he realized God loved him and Jesus’ followers cared about him.
Dhansukh took the pair of goats home and diligently cared for them, and as his faith strengthened through the loving provision of Christ, he saw the Lord continue to bless him through the two goats: After several months, the goats gave birth, providing Dhansukh with three more goats! Full of gratitude, Dhansukh gave one goat to the church as an offering to the Lord.
Gifts That Keep Giving
The Lord’s provision and Dhansukh’s strengthened faith didn’t shelter Dhansukh’s family from tragedy, however. One day, as Dhansukh took his goats to a field, dogs attacked them, and three of the goats died. But by the Lord’s grace, the gift of a goat keeps on giving. Dhansukh’s one remaining goat is now pregnant, so Dhansukh and his family have hope of future provision through her and the kids she will give birth to. What’s more important, Dhansukh’s family is continuing to learn about the eternal hope in Christ as they worship Him among the believers at a local church.
