WORLD - Open Doors Impacts Suffering Women Worldwide
30/06/05 - Women in the UK connecting to persecuted women worldwide gains much support
For accompanying pictures go to: http://www.opendoorsuk.org/media_photos/womens_ministry2/html/index.htm
The Open Doors UK Women’s ministry, launched just over year ago, already has 440 prayer groups throughout the United Kingdom.
Author and international speaker Fiona Castle is honorary president of the women’s ministry and says.
“When we think of those being persecuted for their faith, stories of pastors in prison, evangelists being tortured or leaders beaten for their faith come to mind. Very often these are men, but the women and children who are left at home – penniless, isolated and vulnerable to attack – need our support just as much, but their faces are often unseen, their voices rarely heard. This is why we need the Open Doors UK women’s ministry so much.”
Well over half of those with limited or no religious freedom today are made up of wives, mothers and daughters. These women are also arrested, imprisoned and tortured. Many, whose husbands have been locked up or martyred, are left behind to raise fatherless children in cultures that despise them. Some are illiterate, unskilled and unable to find work.
The plight of women is especially difficult in the Muslim World. Women who become Christians are abandoned by their families and may even be murdered by male relatives.
In Africa, women may be raped, mutilated and sold as slaves. In the 2005 report The State of the World’s Mothers, Africa was listed as the worst continent to be a mother or child.
In China, the wives of evangelists often struggle alone while their husbands are away working for months at a time, or in jail.
Also, according to a recent report, three times more women were killed on average in some tsunami-devastated countries than men and the scarcity of females has led to reports of forced marriages and rape.
In 2005, ministering to these persecuted women is one of the key goals for Open Doors’ during this, its 50th anniversary year.
Open Doors – an international ministry which supports and strengthens Christians persecuted for their faith – seeks to provide literacy classes for women, open safe houses to provide refuge, equip women who are leaders and much more.
Another way of helping suffering women is by equipping them with vocational skills. Through indigenous crafts, often sold abroad, they can earn a living and keep their families together. Products include cards and purses from Vietnam, bracelets from Mexico, pottery from Bangladesh, necklaces from Colombia, oils and jewellery from Sudan etc.
Open Doors also helps by teaching sewing and tailoring skills so the women can support themselves.
Jenny Wales, coordinator of the Women’s ministry, explains how women in the UK have risen up to support their sisters across the world through prayer, fundraising events and themed awareness evenings.
A recent fundraising event called ‘Walk to the Water’ combined prayer, sponsorship and education. Jenny explained: “The average woman in the developing world walks 5 miles just to get water for the family each day. So, armed with a prayer pack, groups of women walked five miles, praying for their persecuted sisters worldwide as they went – and they raised thousands of pounds in sponsorship at the same time.”
Other events have included cycling along the Camel River in Cornwall, trekking along the Thames, walking 70 miles along the wall in Cumbria, holding themed African, Chinese and Mexican evenings and many events organised by local groups.
Future events will include a far more personal feel, Jenny promised:
“The women’s groups write to their persecuted sisters in Christ, they give to them and they pray for them, but now they want more – they especially want to connect directly with the women in closed and restricted countries.
"Plans include a group adopting a pastor’s wife who can keep the group informed of her needs and those of her husband, family, village, even country. They can then perhaps raise funds for a sewing machine which can be used by the women in the village.”
To find out more, about the women’s ministry, call Open Doors on 01993 885400, email info@opendoorsuk.org or go to the UK website: www.opendoorsuk.org.
Ends.
Open Doors strengthens persecuted Christians in over 45 countries across the world by
1. Training Church leaders and Christian workers
2. Supplying Bibles, hymnals, Sunday School materials and other Christian literature
3. Providing livelihood training and self-help opportunities
4. Visiting, comforting and encouraging those who are suffering
5. Raising awareness of the difficulties persecuted Christians face and mobilising prayer for them throughout the western world.
For other articles/press releases on the Persecuted Church, go to:
http://www.opendoorsuk.org.uk/press/articles/
http://www.opendoorsuk.org.uk/press/releases/
http://www.opendoorsuk.org/media_photos/world_watch_list_pics/html/index.htm