“From morning to night people are running but they are not getting anywhere,” one of the women said. “Poverty is great. It is everywhere and growing constantly. People are hungry and powerless to change their circumstances.”

Representative stock photo courtesy of Pouya Hajiebrahimi via Unsplash

Lana Silk with Transform Iran translated the women’s audio messages into written English. She says it was a struggle to convey in writing what their voices and tones carried. Their sorrow and burden for their country is profound. Read their messages on the web article here.

Silk says the people of Iran are the first to pay the price for their nation’s brutal regime. 

“We must remember there is an agenda that [the Iranian] government is pushing that is evil in many ways and causing havoc through the Middle East. But this is not the agenda of the people of Iran,” Silk says.

“They’re trapped in a country with overwhelmingly high inflation rates, no prospects, no jobs, [and a] mental health crisis. [If] you speak out, [if] you do anything, you’re imprisoned, you’re tortured. It’s a desperate situation, and they’re turning to desperate means such as drugs [and] prostitution to try to deal with their own pain [and] inability to put food on their plates.” 

Transform Iran broadcasts the hope of Christ through its ministry Pearl of Persia. Pearl focuses on reaching people who are victims of trauma, abuse, addiction and prostitution. It introduces Iranians to what the Jesus of the Bible says about them as human beings. 

“[Pearl of Persia’s message is] not overtly gospel [focused] at the beginning. It’s about identity, looking after mental health, dealing with depression, dealing with addiction. When they (Iranians) reach out for help, then we present them with the full picture and we offer them the opportunity to receive counseling from a Christian. They’re loving that opportunity and seeing change through that process that we can give them through trained counselors,” Silk says.

(Graphic courtesy of Transform Iran)

Would you prayerfully consider joining this critical ministry by supporting Pearl of Persia?

“We are in a position now where we are able to expand, but we don’t have enough counselors to deal with the expected increased demand on our time for counseling and therapy,” Silk shares. 

“So if you want to see us help [and] deal with this [mental health] issue, get behind Pearl of Persia and it will be an exciting adventure.”

Silk says the circumstances in Iran are dire, but God is more than able and wants to draw people to Christ. 

“We praise Him for what He’s doing and for His overwhelming love for these people. We have hope in the future because of Him,” Silk says. 

Header is a representative stock image courtesy of Shimabdinzade via Pixabay.

The employee has been suspended, and authorities have started an investigation.

Nehemiah with FMI says the whole incident was caught on security footage. “This Muslim man added while he was shouting at this woman that he will bring clerics to frame her in a false accusation. And then he said that he was mad at her and he will cut her down. The female officer can be heard calling the man out for threatening her and daring him to register a blasphemy case against her.”

Blasphemy laws

It’s an example of how blasphemy laws in Pakistan can be used against Christians, even outside of religious situations. The laws forbid saying anything against Muhammed, the Quran, or Allah. It gives Muslims a feeling of power over Christians, even in petty disputes.

Nehemiah says the law was first passed in the late 70s and early 80s. “This is one of the laws that is strictly enforced. Most of the time, people don’t go to court. Right away, they decide the situation on the street.”

“This is one of the reasons why mob culture is very common in Pakistan.”

Ask God to strengthen Pakistani Christians who live under this constant threat. Nehemiah says, “They live on the sharp edge of a sword. Many of these people who are being accused of blasphemy are part of congregations with these brothers and sisters who are serving with FMI. Pray for safety, security, and wisdom, how they can deal with such situations.”

Header photo courtesy of FMI.

Iran Alive reaches between six and eight million viewers daily, but most of the content is geared toward men. JoAnn Doyle with Not Forgotten says, “Unfortunately, they have some programs that are sort of for women, but nothing that is specifically geared toward women in the vein of teaching them [women] about who Jesus is, discipling those who have come to faith in Christ, and then training the leaders.”

Programming targeted at women is crucial because the number of transformed lives keeps growing. Before COVID-19, Iran Alive was hearing from between 200-250 people a month who said they had come to Christ through the programming.

However, responses have boomed during COVID-19. Now, there have been 2500-3000 people every month indicating they’ve begun a new relationship with Christ. Many of these new Christians are women.

Showing, Discipling, Training

Not Forgotten hopes that targeting programming will help women grow in their faith and step into the leadership roles that many have had to assume in the Church. The programs will continue to reach out to post-Islamic women, frustrated by religion – but it will also reach out to women who are already Christians.

Image courtesy of eight-thirty-eight

Doyle explains that there are no public Churches in Iran, and only 1% of Christians there have access to an underground church. She continues, “So for most Christians in Iran, the only place they get training, the only place they get discipleship is through these online programs or through these broadcasts.”

Lastly, it will help train up women who have been thrust into leadership roles in their local churches. With so many new believers, many mature Christian women are needed to lead newer believers. Doyle says, “Our goal is going to be reaching all three of those women and creative ways in fun ways, helping them to know that they are not forgotten by the world.”

“Prayer is the work of Missions.”

For the next year, Not Forgotten will provide one show that will air five times per week. The plan is in place, but Doyle emphasizes that what they need most of all is people who are committed to praying for Iranian women.

“Pray for these dear men and women trapped in a country that is so closed but yet they are so longing – number one to be free, but number two to know the truth that will set them free.”

Learn more about Not Forgotten here.

Header image courtesy of Gary Knight on Flickr https://bit.ly/31XHek1

New studies show over one-third of couples who were planning on conceiving have now paused their plans. Their concerns are mostly related to economic stability and the effect COVID-19 could have on a pregnancy.

If pregnancies do happen during this time, a greater number of them may be unplanned.

(Photo courtesy of Viviana Rishe via Unsplash)

Life Matters Worldwide’s president Eric Verstraete says, “An unplanned pregnancy is already something that brings a lot of stress along with it for someone who wasn’t planning on that circumstance…. So to compound that stress with being within a pandemic, I think fear is going to be something that, as we’ve seen across the country, is already gripping people.”

These women and couples facing unplanned pregnancies may have limited resources, less support from family and friends who are also shut-in, and even feel greater pressure to abort.

Thankfully, pro-life advocates are stepping up in the name of Jesus.

“My colleagues in the pregnancy care center world, they’ve been doing an amazing job. In fact, a lot of them have found really unique and creative ways to continue to work with the clients that are coming to them. Some of them who are families who need diapers, they’ve set up emergency diaper drives at their centers and they do it by appointment. Obviously, some of them are still able to do ultrasounds and things of that nature.”

A pandemic is scary. A pandemic when you’re pregnant is frightening. A pandemic when you’re pregnant, it was a surprise, and you have less support or ability to care for another child? Terrifying.

As believers passionate about life, we are uniquely positioned to minister Christ’s love to women and couples facing unplanned pregnancies at this time.

(Photo courtesy of Camylla Battani via Unsplash)

Verstraete says before we do that, the Church needs to change its approach. “Unfortunately, right now within the Church at-large, there’s a lot of shame that comes along with an unplanned pregnancy. I think because it’s such a visual reminder of the act that happened, that’s where the shame comes because people can see it.”

“We believe at Life Matters [that] life starts at conception, but that God is the opener and closer of wombs…. When we don’t celebrate life within the Church, even though it comes out of a difficult situation, it’s tragic because that life has value. I think the Church needs to shift its focus from focusing on, ‘Well, it was the act that caused it.’ Okay, well, there was a consequence from an act, but God is the opener and closer of the womb and we need to celebrate the life.”

If you are wondering how to support those facing unplanned pregnancies right now, Life Matters just launched a new church engagement model to help connect believers and churches with life-honoring ministries. These include pregnancy care centers, maternity homes, and sidewalk counseling ministries.

These life-honoring ministries need the Church to link arms with them in tangible ways so they can continue having a meaningful impact during and long after the pandemic.

(Photo courtesy of Carlo Navarro via Unsplash)

Of the church engagement model, Verstraete says, “There are five aspects. How are you praying for that ministry? How are you telling others about the ministry? How are you learning about that ministry? How are you serving alongside? And how are you giving financially?

“Right now, it’s difficult maybe to serve alongside because of stay-at-home orders or whatever state you happen to live in. But every single believer can pray and that’s the first place that we’re starting with.”

Click here to learn more about Life Matters’ church engagement model!

Then, here are a few prayer points:

• Pray for women and couples facing unplanned pregnancies to feel loved and supported by the Body of Christ.
• Pray for pro-life advocates on the frontlines to be encouraged as they connect clients with resources.
• Pray for these couples to choose life for their babies.
• Pray for the Gospel to spread through life-honoring conversations.

Verstraete encourages, “Let’s recognize that we are put in a place for such a time as this. We have the ability within the Church to be an amazing asset to folks who are going through some really hard times — specifically talking about unplanned pregnancy. Let’s live within that power so that we can be a powerful example to folks who are going through these really hard times.”

Header photo courtesy of Josh Bean via Unsplash.

Mission Aviation Fellowship pilot Dennis Bergstrazer was flying a pregnant woman to a hospital in the city of Timika. Her husband, sister, young daughter, and a nurse were also with her.

As Bergstrazer tells it, “About halfway back to Timika, I turned around and sure enough, she was giving birth right then and there! Fortunately, the nurse was along and she had everything that she needed right there handy…. So by the time we landed 15 minutes later, the baby was of course born by that time.”

From left to right: the mother, nurse Yunita, and baby Dennis. (Photo courtesy of Mission Aviation Fellowship)

The joyful parents named their newborn son in honor of the man who piloted their airborne maternity ward, as well as the ministry — ‘Dennis MAF’.

Although the unusual situation could have been cause for turbulence, Bergstrazer says everything went rather smoothly.

“After being on the ground for about 15 minutes here in Timika, to my surprise, [the mother] was starting to get up to walk off the airplane by herself…. The nurse asked her, ‘Are you dizzy? Do you need some help to get off the airplane?’ She said no with a smile.

“I think it’s a miracle when you take off with six people on board, and land with seven. Of course, all babies are miracles.”

This is actually the second time Bergstrazer has had a baby born on his plane. The first time, they weren’t even off the airstrip before the infant made his debut. However, this recent delivery was the first time Bergstrazer’s plane facilitated a birth mid-flight.

“I’m just happy the Lord has just brought this about to be in the right place at the right time to help somebody,” Bergstrazer says. “And it was a gift to me. My friends would say, ‘Wow, that was quite a gift. You got to have a baby born in your airplane.’ Then it wasn’t too long after that, I heard they named the baby after me, which is really an honor.

View of Nabire, Papua, Indonesia. (Photo courtesy of Mission Aviation Fellowship)

“The previous baby that was born — not in the air but on the ground there in Ilaga actually — they named that baby ‘MAF’ too! So there’s a bit of a tradition now.”

MAF works in remote regions of Papua, Indonesia providing flights for medical, spiritual, and humanitarian services. Everything they do is in the name of Jesus.

Bergstrazer says, “I think the Gospel just kind of takes on feet, I guess you might say. We go about our day-to-day activities and look for opportunities to share the love of God and support the evangelistic work and the Church growth that is taking place interior.”

MAF could always use more pilots in Papua, Indonesia, as well as mechanics, IT technicians, and even teachers. Who knows? Maybe you’ll have a baby born on your plane too!

Learn more about serving with MAF here.

Header photo courtesy of Mission Aviation Fellowship.

Women Stand for Equality

India Partner’s Donna Glass believes the event was a statement. It showed women with the confidence to stand up for their rights. Just as dominos fall into place one after another, courage spreads as one woman stands up, others often follow.

“I think it was a [385-mile] wall of women? How significant that would have to be by being able to connect with other women. You don’t feel quite so isolated, and so maybe it’s easier to stand up. But, I wonder [about] the women who first had the idea to even start this, to make this happen, to start organizing it. The courage that those women must have had to be able to say ‘We need to stand up and we need to do it together’,” Glass says.

Women in India face a multitude of challenges and inequality. For example, if a family can only afford to educate a limited number of children, males will often be educated while the female children will not. In this context, a grown woman is left with few skills to translate into any career other than a proper house-wife. This becomes dangerous in the cases of widowhood.

Challenges of Being Female

(Photo courtesy of India Partners)

There is a stigma against widows and marrying widows in India. However, the same feelings are not expressed towards widowers. Men are in the clear to remarry, but a woman is on her own. This means a woman who has lost her husband, is often without community and without an income. Due to little or no education, widows have little chance of doing more with their lives than surviving. India Partners is trying to change this. Through its widow sponsorship program, India Partners is showing widows compassion while offering hope.

“There are some government programs, but it’s not enough really to thrive. What they might get is enough to survive. But the addition of having a sponsorship, that gives them a little bit more each month to help meet all their expenses and hopefully to thrive,” Glass says.

India Partners Helps Women Thrive

India Partners also has an economic development program which assists women in building small businesses. In India, this can look like selling vegetables alongside a village street or creating flower garlands to sell, too.

“There will be people that are set up in a space that they have kind of blocked off for themselves along the side of the road, where they will lay out mats or blankets or they will lay out vegetables and they will sell them or they might have flowers,” Glass explains.

Flower garlands are common for people when they dress up or for visitors. They are also a very ceremonious experience.

“They’re absolutely beautiful, but you got to have somebody that makes those. You could have that as a business along the side of a road. We have the opportunity for people to help a woman start a business,” Glass says.

Tailoring School Program

For women in rural areas, India Partners has a tailoring school program. After six months of training, women are equipped to sew basic clothes such as blouses or children’s dresses. Women are also taught how to sew the underskirt worn beneath a sari.

(Photo courtesy of India Partners)

When the women graduate from the tailoring program, they are presented with a treadle sewing machine. These pedal operated machines are ideal for areas where electricity is intermittent. Plus, these machines allow women to work from their own homes, giving them the entrepreneurial freedom to work and take care of their children simultaneously.

“You’d be surprised how fast some of the women can get those machines going to make that needle move up and down,” Glass notes.

The widow sponsorship program and the economic development program are just some of the ways India Partners is helping women. Even earning just $2-3 USD a day can help women stand on their own or supplement their family income so they can thrive, not just survive. Will you get behind their work?

“Until the whole country starts respecting women and holding them as equal, I think that the full potential of India will not be realized unless that happens,” Glass says.

“Every little step that can be made so that women’s self-confidence is built up so that they could learn to stand on their own feet, and maybe unite together [is important]. But first, you have to give women a chance to realize their own potential and then give them the confidence to maybe work with others to help them realize that they could do more.”

Get Involved

India has an online gift catalog featuring the different ways you can help a woman realize her potential while being offered hope, compassion, and justice. Will you give?

Explore India Partner’s online gift catalog here!

OR

Sponsor a widow here!

“If you have a passion for helping a widow, then you know, perhaps a widow sponsorship is where your heart is leading you. We would love to work with you and you can do it all through our website,” Glass says.

Header photo courtesy of India Partners.

Widowed and Without Hope

After being widowed and dealing with financial problems, Sarwendah went to a local mosque to seek help. Instead, she found betrayal.

Mosque at sunset. (Photo courtesy of FMI)

“She went to this mosque leader, the Imam, but the only help he decided to offer her came with some strings attached. She would have to agree to sexual relations with him to receive any financial assistance. And the very thought of that bewildered her and then it angered her that this religious leader would do this, would say this to her, and would put such conditions on help for her because she was in such a vulnerable position,” Allen explains.

Allen says that while Sarwendah was in great mental anguish, she began hearing voices telling her to kill herself. Eventually, she believed that only death would bring her relief. Then, she met the FMI-supported Pastor Bagus.

“She didn’t know he was a pastor at first, a Christian pastor. But she was talking with him and on this island that she lives, Java, Indonesia, with a population of about 145 million people, Sarwendah, who by chance just called a number and got connected with Pastor Bagus, learned that she lived only 5 miles away from where Bagus lived,” Allen says.

A Stranger’s Hospitality

Sarwendah got to know Bagus and his family and experienced firsthand Christ’s love. Bagus never threatened Sarwendah like the Imam. Instead, he and his family were kind and generous. Bagus eventually invited Sarwendah to attend his church where she could explore more of who Christ is.

“Pastor Bagus was privileged to introduce Sarwendah to that captivating hope and the assurance of salvation that only comes through Jesus Christ. Sarwendah now says ‘there are no more voices telling me to kill myself. I feel new’,” Allen says.

Sarwendah’s financial situation has not changed, but she has. Her circumstances no longer control her will to live because she has found hope in Christ, and through that hope, she can endure.

“We’re seeing stories of God at work, transforming lives, even in what many people would write off as so difficult of a place because it is the world’s largest majority nation, but that’s not a barrier to God’s spirit and so I came home so encouraged seeing what God was doing at work there,” Allen says.

Be Prayerful

Still, with Sarwendah’s story, it is vital to note that sexual predators come from all backgrounds regardless of religion. The incident which took place with the imam in her story is not the status quo for Islamic leaders. Evidence of individuals in positions of power taking advantage of those in vulnerable situations is a narrative found throughout many, if not all, religions. Allen says this fact goes to show just how fallen the nature of humanity is.

“If we go off of just that bit of knowledge, that’s when stereotypes begin to emerge, and we only want to see people in a particular light. That was actually the prophet Jonah’s problem,” Allen says.

“As you look at that Old Testament book of Jonah ([I’m] pretty sure it’s less than 50 verses) it’s really God dealing with Jonah’s heart…God is saying ‘I care for the people of Nineveh. I’m also caring about this guy who claims to be a follower of Yahweh, but he sees people in a particular light because of stereotypes. And he’s a bigot. I need to change Jonah’s heart.’ So, Jonah needs renewal as much as the people of Nineveh needed to repent, too. “

Pray for Sarwendah, for the improvement of her circumstances, and for her to grow and mature in Christ. Ask God to continue supporting and using Pastor Bagus for His work. Pray for the Christians in Indonesia as they love their neighbors when some of their neighbors may not love them.

Help support pastors like Pastor Bagus here!

To find more ways to pray, click here.

Header photo is only representative, courtesy of Peter Dahlgren.

Discipleship Gap for Women

“The women outnumber the men in a congregation in Pakistan. Often by a ratio of six-to-one. And, because of the social taboos about men interacting with women who would not be related to them, the pastor basically does, by default, ends up really looking at the men in the congregation,” FMI’s Bruce Allen explains.

Women’s sewing and literacy outreach class in Pakistan (Photo Courtesy of FMI)

Pastors will use male-oriented illustrations during sermons. The women are almost invisible on Sunday mornings because of the social taboos in their culture. Furthermore, most of the Christian women in Pakistan can’t read. In fact, the percentage of Christian women who can read and write is in the single digits. Illiteracy is a major problem in Pakistan. It’s worse among minorities, like Christians, who are treated as third-class citizens and discriminated against.

However, one FMI pastor took notice of this problem. And he’s made an effort to close the gap between women and discipleship.

Women’s Sewing and Literacy Center

“Pastor Harris started a literacy training program using the Bible as the curriculum. And then, also a sewing center that we were able to provide sewing machines and bolts of fabric for,” Allen shares.

“About 10 percent of the women in his church are currently enrolled…however, it’s not that only 10 percent are interested, it’s just that, that’s the limitation imposed by the number of sewing machines that they have. Just about 100 percent of the women in the congregation want to take these courses.”

While visiting, Allen met a woman who said this literacy and sewing center has given her hope. The center empowers women to start their own at-home seamstress businesses, a service in local demand. According to Allen, this serves two purposes. First, it gives women other options for work other than housekeeping jobs in Muslim homes, where they’re often subject to abuse.

Secondly, the literacy/sewing center is a good investment economically. By using the skills they develop through these classes, women are able to bring in a higher income, help support their families, and help support their churches as well.

Changed Lives

However, one of the best gifts to come out this center is the women’s ability to encounter Scripture in the written form. As the women learn to read at this center, they’re also getting discipled, too.

Women’s sewing and literacy outreach class in Pakistan (Photo Courtesy of FMI)

“One woman, Amena, who’s 19-years-old, I loved the way it translated into English because it combines both the discipleship factor and the sewing skill factor. She said, ‘Now we have a pattern for life, it’s not just a pattern for sewing,’” Allen says.

Pastor Harris, the mind behind this outreach, has seen lives transformed just within the first two months of this program. People have been more faithful to their attendance to church services and now the church has a bigger congregation than it has room for. Church doors are left open during service because nearly 200 people show up, wanting to hear the sermons.

“Despite discrimination, hardships, I’m seeing people who are not even down. They have a robust faith, they’re developing greater spiritual hunger. So I was really impressed with what I saw at this sewing center/literacy training course in this one church,” Allen explains.

So please, pray for the women in this center to grow in their skill and relationship with God. Ask God to provide for the needs to create more sewing and literacy centers in Pakistan.

Click here to give to FMI’s “Tangible Resources” to help fund more sewing centers!

Teen Killed by Employer

The victim, Kainat Masih, lived in Gujranwala in the Punjab province where she had worked since she was a kid, as a live-in maid for a Muslim family. On the day of her death, her father had come to her employer’s home to visit with her, a rare occurrence in these situations.

The funeral procession for Kainat Masih. (Photo courtesy of FMI)

Upon arrival, her father saw Masih’s arms and legs were being held down by her employer, his wife, two other men, and a woman. Masih was being strangled by a rope tied around her neck. Masih’s helpless father pleaded with these people to not kill his daughter, but to no avail.

The grotesqueness of the situation doesn’t end there. The 17-year-old had been raped by all three of these men. In fact, she had been raped for years by her employer.

Masih’s murder is currently under investigation. No arrests have been made, and none are expected to be since Masih’s employer, Asif Ismail, is the son of a local political party leader, Ismail Gujjar.

“The Christians in Pakistan, for the most part, are a very impoverished community. They’re a sliver of the demographics that make up Pakistan, as a minority. And so they often feel like there’s nothing for them in society,” FMI’s Bruce Allen explains.

“They’re discriminated against in terms of education and therefore in terms of employment. So sometimes having a job as domestic help, a housekeeper, a maid, that’s all that they can think is their lot in life.”

Minorities and Discrimination

Christians are treated as third-class citizens in Pakistani society. In the Muslim majority, there are hardly second thoughts when it comes to beating, raping, and even killing the help for no reason other than disliking them. Since this type of work is almost thought of as a “destiny” for these individuals, many domestic workers accept the sexual exploitation that often comes with it. Stories like Masih’s, which feature the abuse and even death, are not uncommon in Pakistan.

The only requirement for someone entering domestic work is to be an underage girl. Combine this with the fact domestic workers are live-in servants available to the family 24/7, there’s a lot of room for abuse to happen.

“Some of the most recent data that I could find was from the end of 2016, early 2017…more than 12.5 million children in Pakistan are involved in child labor. And if we look at just the number of kids under the age of 10, it’s 6 million,” Allen recalls.

Most of the children who are represented in these statistics come from minority families. Their work, like Masih’s, involves housekeeping duties in Muslim homes and frequent abuse. Allen says what happened to Masih is “the tip of the iceberg as far as the plight for Christian youth in Pakistan.”

Because of the poverty minority families face, parents sell their children as domestic house workers. The act smells of human trafficking– because it is. Oftentimes there is a middleman who brokers the deal. Parents usually do not know who their child is sold to, or where their child will work. For many of these families, selling their kid means one less mouth to feed and they receive their child’s wages.

Mentality Behind Selling Children

Still, how can a Christian family rationalize selling their child into domestic work? Well, just because someone wears a Christian label does not mean there’s a true faith in Christ. Plus, sometimes ‘Christian’ isn’t defined as a follower of Christ. In Pakistan, the term Christian can just mean ‘not Muslim.’ In fact, people in Pakistan are considered to be born into their religion, it’s not a personal faith. Therefore, some Pakistanis ethnically consider themselves Christian.

Kainat Masih’s funeral process and burial in Gujranwala, Pakistan. The fact that her body was wrapped in a fabric shroud indicates her family’s poverty; they could not afford even the simplest coffin. (Photo courtesy of FMI)

Add into the mix how most Christians are discriminated against in terms of education, and there’s a severe lack of knowledge–particularly of God’s teachings and promises.

Furthermore, Christians, both true believers and ethnic ones, have little hope in the Pakistani government for protection or help. Even if individuals in the government desire to create and pass legislation which benefits Christians, it more than likely would not or be enforced on a local level.

Alleviating Domestic Work Option

But, FMI’s Pakistan partners are trying to alleviate some of the pains of poverty. That’s because the problem is also a spiritual one. Churches in Pakistan disproportionately have more women than they do men. Since men are not supposed to address a woman who is not a relative, women in the church often go undiscipled and usually lack the ability to read a Bible on their own.

With that said, many of these churches have had quantitative growth, not qualitative growth. This birthed discussion between FMI and national leadership teams on how to address the spiritual needs of women.

“And a lot of it came down to some very practical things, such as so many of the women are involved in these poor employment situations where they are beaten and abused, we need to address those issues as well,” Allen says.

“One of the things that I was so encouraged by on my most recent trip into Pakistan was, for lack of a better word, a creative solution to this dilemma of outreach to women, and getting them out of these low-paying, abusive jobs in Muslim homes…Pastor Harris said, let’s set up a sewing and literacy center as an outreach specifically to women.”

Women’s Outreach

FMI gave five manually operated sewing machines, bolts of cloth, and Bibles for this outreach. Each six-month class enrolls twelve women, and there’s not a lack of women wanting to take the class. Rather, there’s a lack of resources to enroll all of the women who want to take the class. The classes meet daily.

Women’s sewing and literacy outreach class in Pakistan (Photo Courtesy of FMI)

“They’re being trained in sewing skills so that they can become seamstresses out of their own homes. So, we’ve changed the work environment for them, they’re in a safer place. It’s a job that is in demand locally, so their income is better,” Allen explains.

Plus, these women are learning to read and the Bible is their textbook. This means they’re also being fed spiritually. And for many of these women, even just the literacy training is a huge step forward, especially for their faith. It opens the door for them to dig deeper into God’s word, mature through studying, and equips them to better share their faith and the Gospel message with other women.

“It’s transforming their lives because they’re having great fellowship with other Christian women. It’s changing their own life spiritually, and that’s spilling over into family life. In terms of couples, and the parents and their children praying together, reading the Bible together,” Allen shares.

Be Prayerful, Be Active

Pray for Christian Pakistani leaders to have a good grasp on what’s happening in their society and the needs of their congregations and neighbors. Also, pray for their ability and understanding to equip their congregations to respond to the needs around them as well as living out God’s values in their society.

And please, pray for the women and children who are trapped in abusive situations and employment. Ask that God would bring together the resources for more churches to start their own sewing and literacy outreaches to women, and that these women wouldn’t just be lifted out of these terrible environments, but that they’d see God’s hand in the process.

Another way to tangibly help is by donating to FMI’s ‘Tangible Resources’ fund to help provide the sewing machines, Bibles, and cloth for the outreaches. A gift of $150 provides one sewing machine and bolts of fabric. For $6, a Bible can be provided in the local language.

“We need to care for those who are the vulnerable ones in our societies and especially in our churches,” Allen says.

Click here to donate!

Esther Initiative was inspired by Esther 4:14 and its purpose is “elevating women to the areas of leadership for which they are gifted and created”.

Whitney Daugherty, Esther Initiative Coordinator, explains, “The Esther Initiative recognizes that God has raised up women all around the world for his Kingdom purposes.”

Within this initiative’s training process, there are three different aspects through which they empower Christian women as spiritual influencers: conferences, mentoring, and mobilization.

Esther Initiative: Conferences

(Photo courtesy of Esther Initiative with Global Advance)

The conferences are where much of Esther Initiative has women start. Daugherty shares, “At national conferences, we gather women together — women leaders, oftentimes pastors’ wives, women’s ministry leaders — to be inspired, equipped, [and] activated in their leadership roles so they can, in turn, multiply that training and raise up other modern day ‘Esthers’ to advance the Gospel in their nation and beyond.”

The women gathered often come from leadership roles in the Church, in the marketplace, and even in government. “The influence they have is enormous and that’s where we see God doing the most work right on the ground right in front of them in their communities.”

The conferences take place in over 20 different countries around the world. Esther Initiative gives these women encouragement from God’s Word, practical leadership training, and ultimately a commission to spread the Gospel in their communities.

Esther Initiative: Mentoring

Another key aspect of Esther Initiative is mentoring. “As we look at the leadership of Jesus throughout Scripture, we find that he takes opportunities to teach larger groups when those times are strategic. But often, he uses his ministry in a much more personal way, one-on-one, as he trains the disciples to build his Church later on,” explains Daugherty.

“We want to look at that and follow the model of Jesus. So we created the Esther Mentoring Track. In this specific training model, women leaders in specific, strategic global regions are mentored in groups and in one-on-one relationships. We take them through our Esther Initiative Training Manual.”

Part of this training through mentorship includes teaching these women their identity in Christ. “Oftentimes, these leaders are in nations where women are marginalized and not valued and we want them to know that they were created with great purpose. It walks them through nurturing their relationship with God and learning how Jesus was a servant leader, how to follow in his footsteps, how to use their giftings and their personalities and their strengths to advance the Great Commission in their nation.”

Over the years, the Esther Initiative has seen incredible growth through mentorship as women take what they have learned and pass it on to other women. This strengthens the networks within the Church as women encourage each other to be agents for Christ in their homes and neighborhoods.

Esther Initiative: Mobilization

The final, critical piece of Esther Initiative is the mobilization that takes place. According to Daugherty, “This is what I get really fired up about because as these women are inspired and activated in the larger conference setting, and then they are really discipled in a very specific, personal way through our mentoring track, we’re finding that organically they are coming together in unity as leaders and they are being mobilized to be difference-makers right in their community and community transformation is taking place!”

(Photo courtesy of Esther Initiative with Global Advance)

Women who are mobilized as Christian leaders and spiritual influencers with Esther Initiative are taught to recognize how to use their assets and build relationships as women to spiritually impact their circles.

Global Advance is currently focusing ministry in some of the most unreached areas of the world. “We have a focus in the SARC region, which is eight nations in the southern part of Asia where the name of Jesus has not even been heard in some of these places.”

Holistic Collaboration

While Esther Initiative focuses on women in the Church, Global Disciples also encourages women to join arm-in-arm with Christian men for holistic impact for God’s Kingdom.

Daugherty says, “What we have loved seeing God do through Global Advance is really bring [together] all of our initiatives. So we have had opportunities to train women alongside men. An example of this is in our national conferences. Oftentimes with a Church Planting Conference, we will have an Esther Conference as well where we bring them together in unity, we worship together, [and] we have some common training tracks together. Then we break apart and have our individual sessions where we go through the Church Plant Training Manual for the men and the Esther Leadership Manual for the women that can just address specific opportunities for them in ministry. Then we bring them back together on the last day to commission them [and] get them excited about future church planting opportunities together.

“We know that God had created men and women together to work in unity. He’s given us incredible, unique giftings that work well together that reach the community and the lost in a more effective way when we’re working together.”

Esther Initiative In Action

Global Disciples has seen God move in incredible ways through Esther Initiative’s equipping women. Daugherty says, in particular, she was moved by reports they received from Esther Initiative participants in southern Brazil.

“In the nation of Brazil, I was there this summer with our international coordinator from Brazil. She was one of our very first mentees who joined our Esther Mentoring Track several years ago. Since that time, she has hosted a couple of conferences. A really impactful opportunity happened when 26 churches came together in unity to say, ‘We want to impact our community for Christ together.’”

This is a big deal in southern Brazil because churches in this particular region are commonly plagued with disunity. According to Daugherty, it has even been called a “pastor’s cemetery” because of the disunity and strife often seen within and between churches.

“So during our conference this past summer, these 26 churches came together. They repented, they came together and said, ‘We want to do something together. We’re better together than we are apart.’ One woman said it like this: ‘In unity, we are called to serve together. This week, God has generated new dreams in this place.’”

Since then, these women leaders, marketplace leaders, and church leaders have been coming together for strategizing meetings. They decided to start outreach in a local slum where the Jesus is desperately needed. This slum is plagued by drug lords and murders and poverty.

Together, these churches went in to host Christian leadership training, counsel couples, teach about health and hygiene, and minister to kids. The Christian women trained by Esther Initiative even hosted a quinceanera for the girls from the slum and shared the Gospel.

Daugherty says she was encouraged by “so many reports from this one area of women being activated, bringing other community leaders together, and the local church together for community transformation! And that’s just one example of how God is using the Esther Initiative and Global Advance all around the world to shine the light of Jesus in some of the darkest places.”

Future Plans with Esther Initiative

(Photo courtesy of Global Advance)

Last year, over 6,000 women were trained through Esther Initiative. In 2018, Global Advance is excited to equip more women to be spiritual influencers and community leaders where God has planted them through Esther Initiative.

Daugherty shares, “Right now, we have committed to several training events in 2018. But the truth is, we can only commit to about half of the requests that come in just because more partnership is needed.”

One thing they really need is more Ambassadors to join Esther Initiative with Global Advance on conference trips. Ambassadors could serve as speakers who can share wisdom from God’s Word to these women.

And, as Daugherty mentioned, they also need financial supporters to help Global Advance multiply these trainings. Click here if you’d like to sponsor Esther Initiative conferences!

Finally, please commit to praying for Esther Initiative this year. Pray for more women around the world to step into their God-given roles as spiritual influencers and to recognize the vital, vibrant part they have to play in the Great Commission.

(Header photo courtesy of Esther Initiative with Global Advance)