On a beautiful day, Riya skips through the market in her ancient city. Relics of past empires and colonial conquest are visible in the surroundings. Centuries of war and conflict remind everyone that peace is ever fragile. Her peaceful smile stands out from the surrounding chaos.
The lively chatter of Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, and Sikhs mingles with the rich aroma of coriander, mint, and curry leaves. A smoky breeze carried the tempting scent of sizzling pastries, their golden crusts hiding spiced vegetables and meat, making her stomach rumble with longing.
For a moment, seven-year-old Riya nearly gave in to the urge to plead for a bite of something delicious, whether sweet or savory. But the thought of the children’s club, her week’s brightest highlight, pulled her onward. She could not bear to miss even a single moment.
The children’s club is part of the Anchor Network, a group of churches in Southern Asia that supports local congregations in sharing the Gospel with children and young people in their communities.
Riya is one of these children. Before she joined the children’s club, her family would observe and participate in certain religious rituals and holidays. But all of it confused her. Who were all these gods? What did all these festivals mean? And why are people afraid of ghosts if the gods are so powerful?
One day, a friend from school invited her to the children’s club. There, she learned about the one true God, and His Son is Jesus. She joyfully accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior.
Riya’s pure faith soon began to ripple through the church where the children’s club gathered. Whenever she heard someone was unwell, she prayed for them with eager hope, and to everyone’s amazement, they recovered. Witnessing healing after healing, people were deeply stirred, recognizing that Riya’s strong faith was not only transforming lives but also revealing God’s power in their midst.
At home, Riya’s parents watched as she became more peaceful, obedient, and full of joy—a transformation she credited entirely to her newfound faith. Though cautious at first, they could not ignore the powerful impact this belief had on her. Still, worries lingered about what the neighbors might whisper about the girl who had embraced the Western religion. Yet, they had never witnessed such a radiant change in anyone, especially within their own family.
Riya continues to attend the children’s club faithfully, growing in faith. The church has welcomed her family, who have occasionally attended. Riya and the church request prayers that her whole family will come to Christ.
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OneHope Team
- 04 Nov 2025
A Network of Healing and Faith for Riya
On a beautiful day, Riya skips through the market in her ancient city. Relics of past empires and colonial conquest…
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