Meet Mohan & Sharmini Jacob.

Mohan & Sharmini Jacob were born in Sri Lanka but emigrated to India during their youth when a civil war broke out in their homeland. Mohan was a nominal Christian but because of the persistent prayers and genuine love of members of a Bible study group, he gave his life to Christ and underwent a complete transformation. After marrying Sharmini, a strong believer, they moved to the UAE where God continued to grow their faith. They faced many challenges when they later emigrated to the US, especially when Mohan lost his job, but, through them all, God proved Himself faithful.

Takeaways from this episode:

1. Our places of residence can change but God remains the same. His love and goodness follows us wherever we go. Moving is hard but we learn to love God and lean on Him through difficult transitions.
   
2. Sharmini was determined to marry a believer and her prayer was answered. Unbeknownst to her, God had already started working in Mohan’s heart before He brought them together. God honors our desire to marry a godly spouse because that’s His will for us.
   
3. Mohan and Sharmini trusted God when they faced a dead end. Without a job and any grounds for a visa or green card, they faced an unknown future. But they trusted God and surrendered their will to Him. Dead ends and detours can test our faith but can also be opportunities for us to experience miracles.
   

Sharmini was born in Sri Lanka (of  South Indian Origin from generations ago) but moved to India because of the ethnic problems against Tamils. She was raised in a Christian home but made Jesus her Lord & Savior while in high school in Bangalore through a Bible club called Scripture Union. After her marriage to Mohan, she relocated to the UAE, and then to the US in 1986. She has been serving in Bible Study Fellowship, CEF, and her local church in various roles for more than two decades.

Mohan was born and raised in the tea plantations of Colombo, Sri Lanka. After getting his engineering degree (mechanical) from India’s prestigious college, Indian Institute of Technology, Mohan began his career in Chennai where he worked for five years. After a stint of five years in Dubai, UAE, Mohan emigrated to California, USA. He is the president of Canterbury Contractors, a construction company based in northern California. Mohan and Sharmini have a daughter and a son and a granddaughter. They live in Santa Clara, California.

An immigrant from India who has lived in seven cities across the U.S. in fourteen years, Mabel navigates between cultures, feeling at home everywhere and nowhere. In her award-winning book, Far from Home: Discovering Your Identity as Foreigners on Earth, Mabel draws from her personal experience as an immigrant and examines the lives of biblical heroes to shed light on how we can find purpose and joy as sojourners on earth. Get her FREE digital resource, 7 Reasons Why Heaven Matters.

Download the tip sheet, Love Your Immigrant Neighbor : 5 Action Steps, here.