Worldwide, there are an estimated 115 million widows living in poverty. Around 81 million have been abused; due to social stigma, widows are much more likely to be targeted for crimes like rape, torture, or murder.

Widow on the side of the road.

In a number of countries, widows are thought to be cursed, involved in witchcraft, or to have somehow caused the death of their husbands. As a result of these superstitious beliefs, millions of widows are being subjected to a life of social exclusion, physical and mental abuse, and degradation.

India holds over a third of the world’s widows, or 40 million women. Some regions are known to hold thousands of widows, places like Vrindavan in north India or the “Village of Tigers” in West Bengal. With an average of 50 male casualties every year from tiger attacks, West Bengal records the highest percentage of India’s 40 million widows.

No matter where they’re located, India’s widows abide by a dismal code of conduct. After losing their husbands, widows live the rest of their lives in a state of perpetual isolation, shame, and visible mourning. They’ll shave their heads, remove all jewelry, never wear color again, and spend their days chanting and begging for a meal.

In India, to even look upon a widow is considered bad luck. But Gospel for Asia (GFA) is breaking the social stigma to share God’s love with this group of outcasts. Through women missionaries and compassion services, GFA is meeting widows’ basic needs.

“God sees the suffering of these widows who have been rejected,” says GFA founder and president KP Yohannan. “He has put it in our hearts to reach out to them with His love and care.”

Sunday is International Widows’ Day, and GFA is going above and beyond their normal range of care for this desperate people group. In the state of Assam, a GFA Women’s Fellowship is bringing piglets to a group of widows to provide them with a source of income. In addition, a special meal will be held for widows, and each woman will be presented with a sari.

In Tamil Nadu, a GFA Women’s Fellowship team plans to make special visits to widows, and special programs for widows will be held in the states of Karnataka, Nagaland, and Uttar Pradesh.

Through donations, local believers are enabled to help widows through the purchase of income-generating necessities like sewing machines and farm animals, as well as much-needed supplies like water filters or winter blankets.

Learn more about GFA’s ministry to widows and how you can help by clicking here.

Worldwide, there are an estimated 115 million widows living in poverty. Around 81 million have been abused; due to social stigma, widows are much more likely to be targeted for crimes like rape, torture, or murder.

In a number of countries, widows are thought to be cursed, involved in witchcraft, or to have somehow caused the death of their husbands. As a result of these superstitious beliefs, millions of widows are being subjected to a life of social exclusion, physical and mental abuse, and degradation.

India holds over a third of the world's widows, or 40 million women. Some regions are known to hold thousands of widows, places like Vrindavan in north India or the "Village of Tigers" in West Bengal. With an average of 50 male casualties every year from tiger attacks, West Bengal records the highest percentage of India's 40 million widows.

No matter where they're located, India's widows abide by a dismal code of conduct. After losing their husbands, widows live the rest of their lives in a state of perpetual isolation, shame, and visible mourning. They'll shave their heads, remove all jewelry, never wear color again, and spend their days chanting and begging for a meal.

In India, to even look upon a widow is considered bad luck. But Gospel for Asia (GFA) is breaking the social stigma to share God's love with this group of outcasts. Through women missionaries and compassion services, GFA is meeting widows' basic needs.

"God sees the suffering of these widows who have been rejected," says GFA founder and president KP Yohannan. "He has put it in our hearts to reach out to them with His love and care."

Sunday is International Widows' Day, and GFA is going above and beyond their normal range of care for this desperate people group. In the state of Assam, a GFA Women's Fellowship is bringing piglets to a group of widows to provide them with a source of income. In addition, a special meal will be held for widows, and each woman will be presented with a sari.

In Tamil Nadu, a GFA Women's Fellowship team plans to make special visits to widows, and special programs for widows will be held in the states of Karnataka, Nagaland, and Uttar Pradesh.

Through donations, local believers are enabled to help widows through the purchase of income-generating necessities like sewing machines and farm animals, as well as much-needed supplies like water filters or winter blankets.

Learn more about GFA's ministry to widows and how you can help by clicking here.

West Bengal is India's fourth most-populated nation, with approximately 91 million residents. In one of this state's 19 districts is a region known as the Village of Tigers.

When husbands and fathers from this village go into the forest, it's not unusual for tigers "'to jump upon the men and kill them," says Sister Hannah.

Thousands of widows are left behind as a result. With small children to care for and little-to-no job skills, the women become desperate. Some even consider suicide. That's where a women's ministry supported by Gospel for Asia comes in.

"They will go to that woman, they will share the love of Christ, they will encourage them," Sister Hannah explains. "Moreover, they just stand with them, ask them, 'How [are you] doing? How are things?'"

Women missionaries and Sisters of Compassion also help widows in this area find tuition for their children, as well as distribute blankets and daily necessities like clothing. With each action, believers get another opportunity to share the hope of Christ.

As widows see Jesus' love, they give their lives to Him.

"These widows [are] more encouraged, and now they're attending our worship services," says Sister Hannah.

Ask God to protect believers in West Bengal as they share His love with the desperate. Pray that doors would continually open for women missionaries to serve those in need.

This small, GFA-supported group of believers now works in 6 different areas helping 2,000 widows. Over 500 widows are now attending church, Hannah adds.

More national women missionaries are needed in the field. Pray that God would send more workers to His great harvest in India.

Find out how you can help send a woman missionary into the field.