BHUTAN: DEKI LEARNS TO READ AND WRITE

Deki is one of the estimated 19,500 Christians in Bhutan, a country where all citizens are expected to be Buddhist. Because of her faith, she couldn’t go to school, but thanks to your support, her greatest dream has now been fulfilled – to read and write.

Deki* finds it difficult to recall her childhood. Having not attended school, she missed out on playground friendships and the exciting possibilities that come from being able to read and write.

It could have been very different if she and her family denied their faith, but they didn’t. Despite the sadness, Deki has no regrets and today she is looking forward to a future that not long ago seemed impossible.

Image: A school in Bhutan

Twice rejected by schools

“My parents accepted Christ when I was about  five,” she shares. “At 14, I was baptised along with my parents. Growing up, I knew that Jesus is the way to salvation and eternal life.”

Since there was no church in the village, the family walked four to five hours to attend church a secret church.

Despite seeking to keep a low profile, locals knew of the family’s faith. “Villagers taunted my parents,” recalls Deki. “They held many meetings and mocked us for our faith. They inquired about our faith, such as who shared it with us and who told us to be Christian.”

The hostility was so intense that on two occasions Deki was denied admission to schools. “I couldn’t study,” she says. “All my friends of my age went to school, and now they are doing well. As for my younger siblings, my parents took them to town and admitted them to school since the village school denied them. The school did not accept me due to my age gap.”

“I felt bad when I couldn’t attend school, but I never blamed my parents,” she adds. “I also never questioned their faith. Now, I know that whatever happens, it happens for good.”

A dream fulfilled 

Thanks to your support, Deki can now read and write! She attended an adult literacy programme run by Open Doors local partners which aims to empower Christians by providing basic literacy skills and bridging educational gaps.

“I am happy that I could learn to read and write at this age,” says Deki. “However, sometimes, I feel it would have been better if I had studied from a young age. Nevertheless, I do not have any complaints to God. Even at this age, I can read and write. I have always had a desire to learn to study. By God’s provision, it is fulfilled. I can read the Bible. It gives me joy.”

Deki also attended a skill training programme, the objective of which is to enable women to be self-sufficient and financially independent. It reinforces their dignity, which is the heart of our ongoing See.Change campaign. After learning how to harvest mushrooms and make sweets and other biscuits, Deki has started her own shop. “I am earning some money and not entirely dependent on my husband,” she says. “It has helped me a lot.”

Image: Deki in her shop!

Heartfelt thanks

“Everything is good for now,” she continues. “God has been good all the time. He has blessed me in my work and hears my prayers. I feel happy that God is with me all the time. He will lead and bless me in my every situation.”

*Names changed for security reasons