Tulumani’s Story

by Rabisena from Assam, India

Editors’ note:
We read in Acts 6:1-4 that the top priority for the Apostles was to focus on “prayer and the ministry of the word.”

When Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, discovered the Messiah, John 1:41 tells us that the first thing he did was to find his brother Simon. Rather than sitting down and telling his brother all his own impressions, reflections and his takeaways from his time with Jesus, Andrew did the far more effective thing: “he brought him to Jesus.”

The sisters in this story who ministered to Tulumani did the most powerful thing a person can do when desiring to spiritually strengthen someone: they brought her to Jesus. We hope this story of God’s faithfulness, the perseverance of Tulumani, and the sisters around her fortifies your soul today.

This the story of our dear sister Tulumani, from the East of India, between Bhutan and Bangladesh. 

Years ago, she married a man who had walked away from his life as a disciple. Tulumani herself wasn't a believer. After their marriage and some time had passed, her husband was restored to the church fellowship. Around that time the family of disciples in Guwahati reached out to her and she began her journey of faith in Christ. 

Unfortunately, her husband started getting involved with dependency on alcohol and was addicted over a period of time. As things got worse, he lost faith in Christ and drifted away once again. It was very challenging for Tulumani, yet she stood firm for her faith against persecution from the family and society for not participating in various rituals. She stood the test of time. She continued being engaged in the church every Sunday along with her boys. Prayer continued to sustain her.

Then, a few years later, she found herself weary, tired and hopeless with regard to her husband. He had gotten into huge financial debt without her knowledge. She became depressed and stopped eating and drinking. Some of us, her sisters, visited her to encourage her. We felt very sorry to see her situation and
didn’t know what to say or how to encourage her.

We opened the Bible and shared the story of the widow's olive oil from the book of 2 Kings 4:1-6 (NIV):

The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.”

2  Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?” 

“Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.”

3  Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. 4  Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.”

5  She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring.  6  When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.”

But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing.

And we prayed together. We were pleading with God to help Tulumani just the way He helped the widow to clear her debts. A few months after this, Tulumani shared the good news that when they were cleaning their water-well, the
well was refilled with water.

 Tulumani’s well

While around the block where she lives, all the wells were either dry or low on water, the well in Tulumani's house was now overflowing and she started supplying water to eight other households in her neighborhood, which had been facing regular water crises.

To this day the well has not gone dry. Now she can manage the finances for her family. Our God is amazing! Tulumani’s faith and her story inspired the church. Today her son Jonathan is the most fired-up teenager in the teens ministry. He reads his Bible and prays every day. He also teaches his younger brother Jonah, who will be soon a preteen. Her husband has started coming to church regularly, though he has a long way to go in changing. We are so inspired to see her great faith in Christ!