“Jesus has given me a new life" Malani's story

My name is Malani, and today I want to share what Jesus has done in my life.

I did not grow up in a Christian family. When I was young, I had never heard of Jesus the way I do now. My life was ordinary, and honestly, I often felt empty inside. I didn’t know who I was, and I didn’t know where I was going.

When I was about 10 years old, I attended a CCI–India camp for the first time. I went just out of curiosity. I never imagined that one camp would change my whole life. At that camp, I heard that Jesus loves me personally. Not just the world. Not just good people. Me. For the first time, I felt seen. I felt valued. I felt hope rising inside my heart. I remember crying and praying, saying, ‘Jesus, if You are real, please come into my life.’

After the camp, I started attending the weekly follow-up programs. Those meetings became my strength. I learned how to pray, read the Bible, and trust God even when things were hard. At first, my parents were not interested. They did not understand why I was going every week. They were worried and unsure. Sometimes it was painful, because I felt alone at home. But I didn’t stop going.

Then something started to change — not just in me, but in them.

They saw that I was becoming calmer. Kinder. More respectful. More confident. I stopped fighting so much. I stopped being afraid all the time. They saw the light in my life. And slowly… their hearts changed.

After one year, my parents started encouraging me. They said, ‘Go. Attend the program.’ That meant so much to me. I knew God was working not only in my heart but also in my family. Now I am 18 years old. I am part of a church. I have Christian friends who pray with me, laugh with me, and walk with me in faith. I am no longer lonely. I am no longer hopeless. I have confidence. I have a purpose. I have Christ.

Jesus has given me a new life. And now, my heart burns with one desire — to share this same hope with other children in my village. There are many kids who feel lost, afraid, and unseen… just like I once did. I want them to know what I know. I want them to feel what I felt. If Jesus can change a girl like me, from a non-Christian home, from fear to faith, from emptiness to joy — then He can change anyone.