Preetin's story

This is a blog post from Abby - another story:

Preetin is a beautiful 19-year-old. She served as my interpreter in our small group time with the children. She is the children's Sunday school teacher, so she had a great way with them, and they really listen to her. When I first got to the Village, Preetin and I connected right away. That made me want to hear her story, and when I asked she eagerly shared.

She was born to a very young woman after her mom already had two miscarriages. When she was born, she did not eat or cry for three days. Her mom took her to the church and laid her on the floor and cried out to God. "If this baby is from you and the answer to my plea for children. Please have her cry and feed!" Preetin said at that moment, she started crying! She called herself a "miracle baby!"

As she grew up, Preetin only went to church because her mom made her – she hated it and sometimes fell asleep! When she was about 12, her grades went from being the best in the class to the worst even though she was trying her hardest. It was then that she thought there must be a higher power to be causing this. So she decided to try "the Jesus Way" for a year to see what would happen. During that year she decided to follow Jesus forever.

At 15 years of age, she was asked to teach Sunday school. At 17 years of age, she went to a prayer meeting at the church during the New Year's celebration. It was then that she became filled with the Holy Spirit, and she started speaking in tongues. She stated that was a monumental event in her life and It changed her life forever!

As she is telling me her story, she was truly happy and excited about what Jesus did her life. At one point her family was so poor that they lived with Pastor Anbuvanan, her uncle. And after praying to Jesus, her father's business flourished and now they live in a two-story house – and she has her own room! Most people in India only have two rooms in their whole house! She says all the blessings in her life are from the Lord. Her joy and enthusiasm is contagious.

She wants to be a professor, but she also knows she has a high calling from the Lord. I see her as a great leader now and I believe God is going to continue to use her to lead her community for Christ!