Mahavir stared at his gift. Proper shelter for his family was just within his grasp, but something troubled him. He came to the GFA-supported Christmas gift distribution in desperate need of tin sheets, but now that he had them, he realized he faced another problem.
How would he ever get the hefty tin sheets to his hut, hidden away in a remote village? Mahavir needed transportation, but that called for money—and money was exactly what he didn’t have.
Mahavir saw other happy men and women leaving the gift distribution with their new treasures. Though he needed this gift badly, what could he do if he didn’t have the means to take it home? Approaching a man who had received a pair of piglets, Mahavir hoped that, maybe, just maybe, he would be willing to trade.
To Mahavir’s delight, the man agreed to trade his piglets, and he left the distribution center praising God who alone is wise. When Mahavir took the little piglets all the way home he had no idea his family would forever be changed.
read on the Gospel for Asia Website
Poverty-Laden Lives
Mahavir, husband and father of three, was a man of faithfulness in his walk with the Lord. Although his little family was deeply impoverished, he trusted God and prayed his Heavenly Father would not let them starve.
Because jobs were difficult to come by, Mahavir frequently traveled to find work. Often his wife, Malli, had to leave their little ones behind with Mahavir’s father to find work as well. Somehow they made due with the rice rations they received from the local authorities. Nevertheless, days without food were not uncommon.
But God was not distant from this family. He held their hands and walked with them as they toiled. He had a perfect plan to rescue them out of poverty’s clutches. He began to move on hearts across the globe to provide for needy families in Asia.
Much More than Bacon
Malli was so happy when her husband came home from the distribution with the piglets. She never expected anyone would think of her poor family nestled away in her tiny village. But God knew this family well. As Malli looked at the squirming pink creatures God had provided, she knew her faith in Jesus was being strengthened.
Mahavir felt a strong sense of duty in taking care of the piglets God had given him. Whenever he was home he would trudge into the forest to collect wild plants for his pigs to eat, and when he was out of town for work, he would send money to his wife so she could feed the pigs. She would prepare rice with wild plants for the pigs to feast on, and the piglets grew.
In fact, Mahavir’s piglets grew so large and fast that many in his village began to think Mahavir was giving them vitamins. But Mahavir only had two little secrets to account for the size of his pigs: cooked pumpkin and a lot of prayer.
“My pigs are growing very fast,” Mahavir said. “It is because God is blessing me.”
God did bless Mahavir’s piglets, and as they grew in size, they also multiplied. Mahavir sold the pig’s offspring. With the money he earned, he was able to save up enough to purchase tin sheets. The needed item he couldn’t bring home earlier was now made possible through the gift he had exchanged.
Coming Up from Poverty
“As I was very poor before,” Mahavir explained, “I used to worry a lot. I used to think, How will I feed my family? … But now, since I have been given piglets, all the worries and everything has been taken away.”
Mahavir was able to improve his house and made plans to add on another room. He was also able to buy school clothing for his son, and now his wife can stay home and take care of the children. He has plans to expand his pig farm with the three piglets he currently has. He hopes these piglets will give his family a little more financial stability in the years to come.
Piglets Result in Deeper Faith
Mahavir’s daily life was not the only thing that improved though their Christmas gift—his faith grew also.
“My faith has increased, and it has become stronger than before now,” Mahavir said. “Before I used to have doubt. … But after getting these piglets, I really have seen the works of prayer and what faith can really do. My faith is growing day by day.”
Mahavir and his family will reap the benefits of those two cute piggies for the rest of their lives as they remember God is with them and He hears their prayers.
“The Lord is always with me,” Mahavir said with confidence. “I believe that He will be always with my piglet also, and I believe that my family will not hunger.”
read on the Gospel for Asia Website
© 2018 by K.P. Yohannan, the president and founder of Gospel for Asia. It was written with the intention of encouraging and edifying the Body of Christ. To learn more about Gospel for Asia or to receive additional free resources, visit Gospel for Asia's website.
*Names of people and places may have been changed for privacy and security reasons. Images are GFA stock photos used for representation purposes and are not the actual person/location, unless otherwise noted.
