Grateful in Sri Lanka

This is Vijitha, a 28-year-old mother from Batticaloa, Sri Lanka. On April 21, 2019, the day of the Easter Attack, she and her 8-year-old daughter, Sarvika, were both at church. Their motorbike, which was parked outside the church sanctuary, was burnt to a crisp. Thankfully, Vijitha and Sarvika both survived.

“When the bomb blast happened, I was with my daughter,” Vijitha shares. “A few minutes before, I left my daughter in Sunday School. That day, one of the children from Sunday School was celebrating his birthday. My girl just went out to throw a chocolate wrapper when we heard a blast. She was spared.

“But after the bomb blast, my daughter has been very afraid of thunder. Whenever big noises come, she screams. She’s still very scared because she saw dead bodies of her friends. In the past three days, it’s been raining – and when thunder and loud noises come, my daughter would put her hands on her eyes and she would run around the living room.” Please pray for the Lord to heal and restore Sarvika as she continues to deal with the trauma.

To help Vijitha and Sarvika, and five other believers who lost their motorbikes in the Easter bombing, Open Doors fieldworkers replaced the lost bikes last June. A few weeks ago, we caught up with Vijitha at her home.

“Thank you for the bike,” she shares. “It helps me in taking care of my daughter. The bike is useful for us every day when I take her to school.

“My husband has left me. My only income is my father’s pension, and I’m looking for a job now. I’ve been attending Zion Church for around two years. I was Hindu before, but at some point, my heart got broken and I entered into a very difficult time. God led me to church and I found comfort there.”