Hope  and  dignity  for  the  ‘blamed  and  rejected’  widows  of  India

Tuesday, 4 March 14

Women  in  India  face  many  challenges.  Although  things  are  slowly  changing  in  some  parts  of  

the  country,  inequality  and  discrimina@on  are  widespread,  with  boys’  educa@on  priori@sed  

over  girls’.  Many  women,  par@cularly  in  rural  areas,  are  

illiterate  and  dependent  on  their  husbands  or  male  rela@ves.  

Tuesday, 4 March 14

Some  end  up  in  desperately  unhappy  marriages  but  have  no  way  out.  Ruth’s  husband  of  50  years  leG  her  with  

physical  and  emo@onal  scars.  She’s  now  a  widow  and  

although  she  has  a  suppor@ve  family,  she  worries  for  other  widows,  who  face  rejec@on,  poverty  and  loneliness.  

Tuesday, 4 March 14

You  are  widowed  because  you  did  something  wrong  in  your  previous  

life:  that  is  the  view  in  this  predominantly  Hindu  culture.  So,  whether  a  widow  is  from  a  rich  or  poor  background,  she  faces  blame,  mistreatment  and  rejec@on.  Many  are  kicked  out  of  their  homes  and  leG  to  fend  for  themselves  and  their  children,  leaving  them  in  a  desperate  situa@on.  That’s  why  we  started  the  

‘Hope  Givers’  program  -­‐  these  women  need  to  feel  loved  and  see  that  their  lives  mean  something.

-­‐  Dr  Leelavathi  Manasseh,  Bible  Society  of  India

Tuesday, 4 March 14

Through  the  ‘Hope  Givers’  program,  the    Bible  Society  of  India  and  its  partners  offer  prac@cal  help  and  hope  to  widows  and  other  women  

facing  difficult  situa@ons.  

Tuesday, 4 March 14

It  runs  workshops  to  teach  the  women  prac@cal  skills  so  that  they  are  able  to  support  themselves.

These  include  candle-­‐making,

Tuesday, 4 March 14

and  pickle-­‐making....juice-­‐making

Tuesday, 4 March 14

It  also  provides  counselling  and  legal  advice,  helping  the  women  to  access  the  government  help  they  are  en@tled  to.

Tuesday, 4 March 14

“We  don’t  start  by  giving  them  the  Gospel,”  says  Dr  Manasseh.  “We  help  meet  their  needs  and  when  they  ask  us  why  we’re  helping  them  we  tell  them  about  Jesus’  love  for  

widows  and  other  vulnerable  people.  It’s  a  surprising  message  for  them  and  many  want  to  know  more.”

Tuesday, 4 March 14

For  those  who  want  to  know  more  about  Chris@anity,  the  program  offers  seminars  and  Bible  study  groups,  helping  the  women  to  understand  God’s  love  for  them.

Tuesday, 4 March 14

Esther  Rani  Lakshmi  lost  her  husband  to  AIDS  four  years  ago,  leaving  her  with  two  children.  Discovering  she  was  HIV  posi@ve,  she  faced  even  more  ridicule  and  

rejec@on  than  other  widows.  She  was  helped  by  the  ‘Hope  Givers’  program.  Esther  now  pastors  a  small  church  and  reaches  out  to  other  widows  

and  suffering  women  through  the  program.

Tuesday, 4 March 14

God  has  worked  so  many  miracles  in  my  life.  I  believe  that  the  Bible  is  God’s  own  

heart  -­‐  that’s  what  I  teach  in  my  church  and  when  I’m  reaching  out  to  other  widows.  They  need  to  be  loved  and  cared  for  and  they  can  find  that  through  the  Bible  and  through  the  love  they  receive  from  us.

-­‐  Pastor  Esther

Tuesday, 4 March 14

Around  5,000  women  are  helped  and  trained  each  year  through  the  program.  Each  of  those  women  go  back  into  their  communi@es  to  help  at  least  another  5  women.  Some@mes  as  many  as  50,000  women  in  

difficult  situa@ons  are  reached.

Tuesday, 4 March 14

I’ve  been  a  widow  for  four  years  and  the  lack  of  money  is  a  constant  worry.  The  skills  I’ve  been  learning  through  this  

program  are  really  useful  because  I’m  able  to  make  a  li[le  money  to  live  on.  I’m  

anxious  about  ge]ng  ill  and  not  being  able  to  support  myself  but  I  have  my  church  

and  my  Jesus  -­‐  he  is  our  Helper.-­‐  Puspa

Tuesday, 4 March 14

My  marriage  was  not  a  good  one.  My  husband  treated  me  badly.  I  now  live  with  my  sons.  I  come  to  the  ‘Hope  

Givers’  program  because  I  need  peace  in  my  heart  that  only  God  can  provide.  My  favourite  Bible  verse  is  Psalm  34:5  -­‐  ‘The  oppressed  look  to  him  and  are  glad;  they  will  never  be  disappointed.’

-­‐  Glory

Tuesday, 4 March 14

I  was  happily  married  for  35  years.  Now  my  husband  is  gone,  I’m  having  a  tough  @me.  I  live  with  my  daughter,  who  makes  life  very  difficult  for  me,  and  I’m  afraid  of  what  will  happen  to  me  in  the  future.  I’ve  been  a  

Chris@an  all  my  life.  This  program  reminds  me  that  I  can  put  my  trust  in  God.  

-­‐  Gracy

Tuesday, 4 March 14

“What  God  the  Father  considers  to  be  pure  and  genuine  religion  is  this:  to  take  care  of  orphans  and  widows  in  their  suffering  and  to  keep  oneself  

from  being  corrupted  by  the  world.”  (James  1:27)Tuesday, 4 March 14

PLEASE  PRAY  FOR  THIS  WORK,  WHICH  IS  BRINGING  HOPE  TO  INDIA’S  WIDOWS  AND  OTHER  SUFFERING  WOMEN

To  find  out  more  about  our  work  around  the  world,  visit  unitedbiblesocie@es.org

Tuesday, 4 March 14