“In my in-law’s house, I longed for the lifestyle and privacy that I had as I was brought up in my mother’s house”, Aradhana recalls sadly. Like most brides, Aradhana had to move into her in-law’s home after marriage. Little did she know before the wedding that her new life would not be comfortable and easy-going.
“I would spend hours crying, missing my mother’s house as I looked around at the condition of my new house.” Aradhana got quite a shock when she first moved in. She recalls being most disturbed about having no doors in any of the rooms! She was brought up in a simple home that valued privacy, but in her new home she was amazed at how they had substituted curtains for doors in every room, including bedrooms! Aradhana remembers being in constant fear of being walked in on as she spent time in her bedroom, “no one would knock or ask for permission before entering a room.”
“During the rainy season we could not stay in our house.” Meal times were a nightmare during the rainy season. Aradhana and her husband, Ravik would have to first set up a mosquito net like a tent, then lay plastic sheets on top of it, ensuring not a single inch was left uncovered. They would then sit under the mosquito net and have their meal. With their two little girls, they would need to be constantly watching the terracotta tile roof, making sure no mud or water fell on them. With a roof that they would rather call a showerhead, leaking from everywhere, all the time, Aradhana and Ravik had a tough time keeping themselves and their girls dry and safe.
Within a few years of being married, both the daughters were born, and all plans of saving money to build a new house were put on the back burner. With no savings and two small children, they did their best to keep afloat. A blissful married life or motherhood just didn’t seem like much of an option for Aradhana. Seeing the struggles of the family, their pastor encouraged them to take all their troubles to the Lord in prayer. Aradhana and Ravik prayed diligently every day, and soon began to see miracles.
“It is written in Mark 9:23, ‘Everything is possible for one who believes’; this verse from the Bible always encouraged me as I asked God for His will for our lives”, Aradhana says, feeling the hope again. Once they submitted their desires to God and looked to Him for guidance, doors began opening. They were able to purchase the plot of land next to their house and with further encouragement started the construction of their new home, even though they did not have enough funds at that point to see it through. Miraculously, every time they needed more money, they were blessed, through friends or loans. They were able to get a loan against the gold they had and were even able to clear their loans within five years!
People around them wondered how they suddenly could turn their lives around but soon began to accept the transformation as Aradhana gave all glory to Jesus. “I always imagined a small house, never such a big one. But God blessed us abundantly and I am extremely grateful and thankful to Him for His love and mercy”, Aradhana says beaming with joy!
