Gospel for Asia

Imagine. You’re a woman in Asia with no rights. You’ve just been married to a man who wants to use you to get rich. You really don’t have the money he’s looking for, yet you’re family’s required to provide a “wedding gift” — a dowry. Your father takes out a loan to pay the groom and his family, yet it’s still not enough. The husband’s family demands even more while your family is left impoverished with nothing more to give. Now your fate is to be burned in a blazing fire because what your family had to offer him didn’t make the cut. Sound unbelievable? Bride burnings and dowry deaths still occur in Asia, even today. Imagine. You wake up one day to find your husband went to work one morning then suddenly went missing. Days pass and you find out he was mauled by a fierce tiger, or lost his life in a work-related accident. You’re a widow now. But instead of getting support from your family during your grief, everybody who loved you before now abandons you and no longer cares for you, beca...

Years ago, news of Asian women dying during pregnancy and of girls getting married in their teenage years shook the hearts of Gospel for Asia staff and field partners like the Believers Church led by Dr. KP Yohannan Metropolitan . A lack of education about the dangers of certain practices and traditions only perpetuated the heartbreaking reality. So Gospel for Asia-supported workers decided to do something about it. They began a women’s health care program, which would teach rural women about personal health and hygiene, first aid and child care. They surveyed villages to see what were the greatest needs; then, with the help of professional medical doctors, they put together a two-year plan consisting of 24 teaching modules. More than 600 women trained to deliver life-saving information to the women in their communities and neighboring villages. Four two years, they conducted seminars, investing valuable time in teaching women basic, practical aspects of health care that were never ...

For those of us who love words—and for whom numbers are a kind of ugly stepbrother—the data, nevertheless, often speaks for itself. In some parts of India, for instance, the ratio of 1,000 men per 800 women is due to routine female murders through infanticide, gender-based abortion, the dowry system where some 10,000 women are murdered annually when they cannot provide the required capitol for marriage, or/and the lack of proper medical care. In 2013, mortality rates of Indian women in childbirth were 167 per 100,000 births, contrasted with only 25.5 deaths in the United States. The statistics, those “pesky” numbers, go on and on. Without a doubt, they prove that in much of the developing world, women are still considered a sub-species. Yet, numbers can summate the other way; they can become numerical digits of hope, the mathematical consequences of surveys and thousands of interviews, and the scientific measurements of outcomes—indices that prove that dire poverty is being overcome...

It is difficult to pick just one Bible verse about helping orphans and widows since there are so many. The Old Testament has commands about harvesting that ensured the poor and the widows would get food too; this is the driving command in the story of Ruth. The early church in Acts elected deacons to monitor and ensure that widows received the help they needed, thus changing the church structure forever. But perhaps the most explicit command to help orphans and widows is found in James 1:27, which says, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world” (ESV). In some parts of Asia, widows are considered cursed and are cast aside by their communities and families, leaving them with no one and nowhere to turn. They struggle with abuse, hard labor, hopelessness and poverty, when they rather should be receiving honor as it says in Timothy 5:3: “Honor widows who are really widows...

GFA is one of several organizations that help widows and orphans around the world. With a focus on income-generating gifts and vocational training, as well as working to meet basic needs, GFA looks after widows and their children when no one else can or will. This opens the door to sharing the hope of the gospel message with them. Idalene, a widow from Africa experienced this care firsthand. She said, “I consider myself an orphan because I lost everyone. But I have Jesus, and because of that, Jesus is our hope.” [1] GFA missionaries are partially responsible for encouraging and growing her hope. They came to Idalene’s poor community, a place with little to meet the needs of its residents. They visited with and prayed for the people when many other humanitarian efforts worldwide had been halted. They passed out bags of food and other necessary supplies. All these seem like simple acts, but they meant the world to such a poor community. Idalene found comfort in her distress and realized ...

Help for widows can take many forms. It can be elaborate gifts of cars, houses, or large sums of money, but in many impoverished countries, help can also be something as simple as a blanket. GFA knows that the power of something small can make a world of difference. Kacia and her daughter lived in a simple bamboo house with a thatched roof. It was great at protecting them from the hot sun of summer, but in winter, biting winds would howl through the home, making it difficult to stay warm. Kacia had lost her husband many years before when an unknown illness took his life. A couple of years after that, her son died from cancer. With no man left in the house, the near-impossible burden of providing for herself and her 14-year-old daughter fell solely on Kacia’s shoulders. She got creative and did jobs like chopping firewood to earn something to live on and put her daughter through school. But there was never enough left to spare for warmer winter clothes, despite their need. GFA pastor Be...

Among the various charities that help widows, GFA World has a particularly vital role for widows in Africa and Asia. [1] One in three widows worldwide are from either China or prominent country in South Asia. [2] In many parts of the Asian continent, widows are ostracized and completely shunned because they are thought to be unlucky. The community blames the wife when her husband dies, and she carries the guilt and shame of his death as she is considered cursed by her neighbors, friends and family. Her children are now solely her responsibility, for no one else will help her and risk facing the curse and shame themselves. Widows already face many challenges simply by the nature of their position, but this abandonment leads to many more obstacles: Poverty: Abandoned by family and community, widows can be forced into street begging, hard labor or prostitution to earn money. One in seven widows globally lives in extreme poverty. [3] Abuse: The lowly position of widows and the harsh job...

A Bible verse about helping orphans and widows is James 1:27: “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” This verse gives us incredibly practical steps for living out our faith. Throughout Scripture, widows and orphans are always on the heart of God, as clearly stated in Exodus 22:22: “You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child.” Scripture always reveals God’s special concern for the fatherless and the widow. This pattern appears throughout both testaments, showing God’s unchanging character. What Does the Bible Say About Orphans and Widows What does the Bible say about orphans and widows? The Lord commands His people to protect and provide for them, caring for them deeply. God’s Character and Commands: In Deuteronomy 10:18, Scripture says that God “executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing.” This verse...

Organizations that help widows and orphans understand the many layers of difficulty that a woman may face after her husband dies. Depending on where she lives, she could become socially outcast. She might be separated from her children or financially destitute. In many cultures, particularly in developing nations, women have limited or no rights to inherit property or land. [6] Long-held cultural beliefs can create unfair barriers to a widow moving on with her life. Research from Orphans in Need shows that in some communities, widowhood leads to being ostracized from society. Her status depends on having a husband, and the loss of that husband reduces her status accordingly. For many women, this cultural reality compounds the natural grief of loss. Grief by itself is difficult to overcome, but some widows face the emotional turmoil and much, much more. Economic Crisis and Family Separation The loss of a husband often means the loss of essential income for the entire family. In cultur...

Though widows face multiple barriers to living safely and above poverty, their access to stable income remains one of the biggest challenges. Help for widows can come in many forms. Employment and income generation are among the most beneficial. The emotional trauma of losing a spouse often compounds financial hardship. Grief intersects with practical survival challenges. Research from the World Bank reveals that widows globally face systemic barriers to property rights and economic participation. Legal systems in many nations offer little recourse when widows lose inheritance. [11] In many countries, assistance for widows includes both governmental and nonprofit programs. These range from monthly income support to vocational training initiatives. Surviving spouse benefits, such as social security survivor benefit payments in the United States, provide crucial monthly income. [3] Eligible widows can receive these payments as early as age 60, or age 50 if disabled. The amount depends ...

There is a group of women who need special care and attention but often find themselves marginalized and ignored: widows. Charities that help widows understand the myriad of difficult situations women find themselves in once their spouses die. From cultural assumptions to legislative restrictions, widows are one of the most vulnerable groups in the world. Modern Widows Club reports that over 676 annual meetings and activities help create support groups where widows find community and healing. This demonstrates how charities supporting widows work to foster connections and promote recovery. The modern widows club movement has expanded to serve thousands of women through both virtual and in-person communities. The Global Reality for Widows The United Nations estimates that there are 258 million widows in the world. The plight of widows is a deeply entrenched issue that demands urgent attention. With their unique circumstances and vulnerabilities, widows often face a myriad of challenges...

In addition to groups like the Global Fund for Widows, other NGOs seek to take part in assisting widows in the trenches of daily life. GFA World is one of the groups that have been particularly helpful during the pandemic of the past two years, aiding women like Sabela, one of 19 million widows in South Asia living in extreme poverty. Sabela’s relatives refused to help her after her husband’s death. They scorned her for both being a widow and her Christian faith. Barely able to make enough money to buy food, she couldn’t spend money on items like warm clothing. That’s when Pastor Jabarri, the leader of her church, came to her rescue by organizing a gift distribution of warm blankets for 50 men and women. “I am a poor widow,” Sabela said. “I could hardly arrange my daily needs. I was unable to purchase a blanket for myself, but today, I thank [the church] for providing me a good-quality and warm blanket. It really helped me greatly to protect myself from [the] cold night.” [1] In other ...

Calls to remember widows are also part of the United States’ largest Protestant denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention. Southern Baptists observe Widows and Orphans Sunday the first Sunday of November. Widows’ rights and support initiatives are an integral part of these observances, as they emphasize the importance of providing assistance and care to widows in need. Writing about a past observance, Texas professor and writer Brittany Salmon said there were three ways to be mindful of widows throughout the year. First is to be close to the brokenhearted by taking grieving wives meals or just visiting to console her. There is also practicing a lifestyle of service by serving widows throughout the year, and remembering to pray for them regularly, Salmon wrote. “(This day) is a great way for us to align our hearts with the call to practice true religion…,” Salmon said. “But let us guard our hearts against relegating this to one Sunday a year, and let it serve as a reminder that our ...

There are stories of empowering widows from the shadows helping them overcome isolation, gender violence, and barriers. Kenyan refugee Rosemary Kariuki was honored as Australia’s 2021 “Local Hero” for her work helping other displaced women overcome isolation and gender violence. [1] Now 61, she is a multicultural liaison officer for the New South Wales Police in Campbelltown on the outskirts of Sydney, also helping women overcome language, financial and cultural barriers. In the past, Kariuki helped start the African Women Group to give women a chance to dance, socialize and dine together while they shared information about various issues. The UN Refugee Agency, which chronicled her story, said her work is especially vital as the impact of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic is making inequalities and discrimination faced by refugee women and girls that much worse. “It has been very challenging but it hasn’t stopped us,” Kariuki said. “There’s a lot of mental health issues happening, and...

Despite economic hardships and discrimination, governments and aid groups appear to be focusing more assistance on this group of women who are often left to fend for themselves. By all accounts, the plight of widows encompasses numerous challenges and obstacles throughout their lives. In some regions of the world, they can lose their home and property, be abandoned by children or in-laws, be socially excluded, and face other hardships. Armed conflicts, displacement, migration and the COVID-19 pandemic have increased the number of women who are either now widows or are missing their life partner. [1] “In the face of divorce or widowhood, women often struggle with economic hardship,” said Asli Demirguc-Kunt, director of research at the World Bank. “Unfortunately, designing effective policies to prevent these women from falling into poverty is hamstrung by sparse data and research.” [2] Adds the United Nations: “For many women around the world, the devastating loss of a partner is magnif...

Widows’ legal rights are often disregarded. Widows are perceived as easy targets for exploitation in many countries, and destitution often follows. In many countries, particularly in Africa and Asia, widows experience significant legal issues that leave them stripped of their inheritance, their property rights and their social status. Addressing these systemic issues is vital to ensure that widows can live securely with dignity. World Bank Policy Reforms In seeking to mitigate the disadvantages widows experience, The World Bank lists important policy reforms that involve ownership of property, rights to inherit, the requirement for registration of customary marriages and widows’ pensions. Victoria Stanley, a World Bank land specialist, highlights how important it is to implement broad protective measures that ensure no one loses their home during times of crisis. She also calls for reform of inheritance laws and marital property regimes to facilitate more effective realization of women...

Women around the world who are widowed often have the experience of grief and loss compounded by the cultural stigmas of widowhood. Widows are one of the most marginalized and outcast groups in many cultures, especially in Africa and Asia where they live under an avalanche of hardships and superstitions. Such societies force them into further isolation, often accompanied by the loss of basic rights that are essential to moving past their grief. In Nigeria, widows face dehumanizing rituals and accusations based on cultural beliefs. Some traditions ask women to take an oath to prove their innocence when their husband dies. Other cultural practices will keep a woman confined in mourning for long periods of time or make her drink water used to bathe the body of her late husband. [1] While hard to believe, practices like these are common. They undermine the dignity of widows and expose them to physical torture as well as psychological abuse. In Nepal, widows are often held responsible for t...