Before and After

Before

My name is Vheta. I come from the slums in Nagpur, where I live with my mother, younger sister, my maternal grandfather, uncle and his family.  The house is very small for so many people.

My mother works as a day labor in a cloth store.  My grandfather is a security guard.  My grandmother passed away two years back.  I miss her very much.  She loved me so much.  When my mother was married to my father she dreamed of living a happy married life with him.  But he did not treat her well.  Suddenly left her and went away while she was pregnant with me.  My mother searched for him but he was gone and didn’t return.  She was alone in this world.

Later another man came in her life and he enticed my mother so much that she thought that he will be a good support for me and my mother.  She thought he will take care of us.  She married him, but slowly she found out that this man was already married and that he too had betrayed her.  By this time she had another daughter.  My mother had to suffer a lot of disappointment in her life.  She had no other choice but to return back to her parent’s house, hoping for a better life.  We live with my uncle and his family in my grandfather’s house.  But not in a good situation.  Every time something happens or if there are any disagreements my uncle tells my mother to go out of the house. Where will we go? We have no other place to go.  We are helpless.  As long as my grandfather is alive we have his support, after that we don’t know what our future holds.

I have completed my education in a government school up to 10^th.  After that I went to college (our 11 and 12^th grades) but did not study and fell into bad company.  I failed in 11^th.   My uncle who knows about RGI brought me to RGI.  Because he thought I will waste my following year too.  He wanted me out of the house and for me to learn a trade and become self-reliant.  I chose to study Garment Making and Fashion Designing.

When I came to RGI I cried a lot.  I did not answer even a single question that I was asked during the interview.  All the girls came to me and tried to talk to me but I told them, ‘Don’t talk to me.’  I did not sing or do any actions during prayer times.  I stood stiff.

On first Sunday I went to chapel.  I saw the banner, ‘Run the Race.’  I thought to myself, I need to move ahead in life.  I need to study to make my and my mother’s life better. Slowly I started doing actions, I started singing and talking to other girls and my teachers.  I had a lot of regrets and anger in my life.  I had forgotten to LIVE!  I knew about the Bible but never believed it.  Now because of Starting Point I do believe it. I have cast my burdens to Jesus and live every day happily in RGI.   I love talking to my friends; I am so happy that I dance to myself in my room.  I enjoy the morning and evening devotions.  I want to live my life as the Bible says.

Thank you Jesus for bringing me to RGI.