Sakhina’s Story
SHE PLUCKED AND TOSSED ANOTHER EAR OF CORN INTO HER BASKET.
Sakhina pictured a room full of eager minds like her own. Despite never having entered a classroom, she imagined rows of children waiting for her next words of instruction. With a freshly plucked corn cob, she gestured to different diagrams on her imaginary chalkboard before her mother’s gentle touch returned her to the task at hand. Moving down the furrow, she plucked and tossed another ear of corn into her basket.
Sakhina worked alongside her parents. Even with the three of them planting and harvesting, they still struggled to earn enough for food. Her mother and father knew of Sakhina’s dreams but couldn't afford to send her to school. They decided to ask a pastor in the village for help, despite their Hindu background. The pastor told them about a Christian boarding home in another city where she could attend school while being well cared for. Knowing their daughter’s desire to teach, they put their own religious beliefs aside and agreed to let her go.
In 2015, Sakhina left her village of untouchables and went to live at our Rajah Children’s Home. She entered 4th grade and began to learn about the subjects she’d dreamt of. More importantly, she learned of God’s love for the first time. She had grown up hearing that, as part of the Dalit caste, she was undeserving–worthless. The love and hope of the Gospel completely changed the narrative she had spent so many years believing. When asked what makes her happy, Sakhina replied, “I am happy for the life given by God and the love of God for me.”
Now, at 20-years-old, Sakhina has graduated from university. Her dream of standing in front of a blackboard as a science teacher is about to become a reality. For almost 10 years, CRI has provided Sakhina with an education. For so many, to earn a degree is the only source of hope for a brighter future. Rajah Children’s Home makes success stories like Sakhina’s possible—stories that share the light of Christ in Word and deed.