Written by: Steve Johnson.
“My home is my prison. I have no rights and am a shame to the family. My life is a constant struggle against the men in it – my father, my brother and my uncle. This is how I am living and this is how many of us here are living. We all live under a lot of pain and suffering. After listening to your programs, I know that Christianity is a loving and forgiving religion. What draws me most is the love that the Master Jesus talked about always -- even loving an enemy.”
This is a letter we recently received from a precious young woman we call “Amira” in a country resistant to the gospel. As I read it, I was deeply burdened by the struggles she faces. At the same time, I’m so thankful that she’s been able to find peace in Christ.
Her story is one shared by millions of women around the world, most of them in locations where access to the gospel is limited, if available at all.
Consider these disturbing facts:
- In the Middle East, the literacy rate is only 58% compared to more than 90% among men. This is largely due the cultural and religious restrictions placed on the role of women. This makes reaching them with the gospel more challenging.
- Every year and estimated 800,000 women and children are sold into the sex trade across international line. Only a fractional percentage are ever rescued or are able to break free.
- In Africa and Latin America, the burden of caring for children falls almost exclusively to the women, especially in locations where this is limited if any access to clean water, hygiene and medical care.
- Women and children make up more than 76% of refugees fleeing war-torn areas of the Middle East, as many of the men are killed or involved in the conflict.
- These facts break my heart. I know they break your heart too. Think about your daughter, your mother, your wife, your precious granddaughter having to survive like this.
But there is hope….
In the midst of these difficulties, Amira found Jesus, as have thousands of other women trapped in poverty, social injustice and conflicts.
God has not forgotten their needs. Neither can we. I’m asking you to stand with us at Reach Beyond as we work together to help change the lives of any many unreached women as we can.
Whether it’s hygiene training in Africa, ministry to trafficked women in Nepal, clean water in Central Asia or Latin America, they need your help.
Would you help someone like Amira hear the gospel? You can make a huge change in someones life today. Learn more here.
