Shani* (21) and Sasha* (16) are Hindu background believers. They came to know God about 4 years ago. They love Jesus and they attend church every Sunday. Their father was living abroad at the time of their conversion and did not object to his wife and daughters going to church. However, this changed when he returned to Sri Lanka.
After some time, he began to oppose them going to church. When he realized his wife and daughters were not about to give up going to church, he grew angry. “If you don’t stop going to church, I will leave this house,” he threatened.
Not wanting to lose their father, the girls and their mother took turns going to church secretly since mid-2020. They were forced to make offerings to Hindu gods, but their love for Christ did not fade.
In early June (2022), one of Shani and Sasha’s cousins tipped off their father about their secret visits to church. Enraged by the news, he came home and beat up his wife and daughters. The next morning, he left home.
While away, he kept calling them, threatening to kill himself if they didn’t stop going to church.
The girls were torn. “I love Jesus,” Shani shared. “But I want my dad too.”
After being away from home for about a week, their father returned home. But the tension in the house has made Sasha hate home. “Dad stays in the living room, and we stay in our room. We don’t talk to each other,” Sasha shared. “I’m starting to hate being at home.”
Yet despite these challenges, Shani, Sasha, and their mother have chosen to keep following Jesus.
They continue to attend church secretly, taking turns each week. “At home, I dress like going for tuition class and then I change and attend church,” said Sasha.
Our field partners met the two girls and their mother, strengthening them in the Lord. They prayed for them to be continuous in their faith and to stand strong in the Lord.
*Names changed to protect their identities
**Image for illustrative purposes only
