When her pranks no longer worked, Shanti’s mother-in-law turned to her other daughter-in-law for help in breaking the spirit of Shanti and Bhudroy. This daughter-in-law was selfish and often bickered and fought. She made life bitter for everyone.

A year after Bhudroy became an Adventist Christian, his elder brother died. Then Shanti because seriously ill with malaria.

Image © Lars Justinen from GoodSalt.com

She didn’t respond to medicines, and she became increasingly ill. When the fever left, the mother-in-law accused Shanti of pretending to be ill. Shanti pleaded with God, Why are You allowing me to suffer so in this family? Even her husband was becoming discouraged, and blaming God for their troubles

Shanti’s mother learned of her daughter’s grave illness from some other villagers, so she set out to see her daughter. Shanti’s mother-in-law greeted Shanti’s mother with a demand: Take her home with you. She is no good to us. Shanti’s mother took her daughter home, but Baby Reena remained with Shanti’s husband and mother-in-law.

Shanti’s mother took her to the hospital, where doctors could treat her properly. Meanwhile Shanti’s mother-in-law was sure that Shanti would die and began looking for a new wife for Bhudroy. But Bhudroy told them he was not interested in marrying someone else.

In time Shanti recovered from her illness, but instead of returning to her mother-in-law=s home, she stayed with her mother.

Meanwhile her sister-in-law, whose husband had died, demanded that she be given her share of the family’s land for her three sons. While she had a right to the family land, her demand put her parents-in-law into crisis, because they could not survive without their land. The selfish daughter-in-law wanted everything she could get for herself and her sons. Slowly Shanti’s mother-in-law realized that Shanti had been a faithful daughter-in-law while her other daughter-in-law had been selfish and demanding. She asked Bhudroy to go bring Shanti home.

Bhudroy went to visit Shanti. He told her of his mother’s change of heart and invited her to return home with him. Shanti was eager to see her little girl again. She packed her things and returned with her husband.

She was overjoyed to find that her mother-in-law had changed so much. The older woman welcomed Shanti back into the home and treated her with respect and kindness. Shanti was determined to be the best Christian she could, hoping that her once-cruel mother-in-law would give her life to Jesus. Several years later Shanti’s mother-in-law gave her life to Christ before she died.

Bhudroy also renewed his commitment to Christ, and now the family lives together in peace as Christians. The faithful young bride had survived trials and taunting and led her husband and parents-in-law to Jesus.

Reena Murmu is the eldest daughter of Shanti and Bhudroy. She would like to become a physician.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission.
Find more mission stories at www.adventistmission.org

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