Saturday, April 1, 2023
GFA.org
GFA World Digital Media Room | News, Stories, Press Releases & more
  • Home
  • In the News
  • Leader Bios
  • Press Releases
    • Press Kits
  • Media Library
    • Photo Library
    • Video Library
  • Contact Us
  • Home
  • In the News
  • Leader Bios
  • Press Releases
    • Press Kits
  • Media Library
    • Photo Library
    • Video Library
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
GFA World Digital Media Room | News, Stories, Press Releases & more
No Result
View All Result
Home Press Releases

‘Forgotten Outcasts’ in Asia to Be Helped on International Widows Day Says Gospel for Asia

Event Spotlights Barbaric Treatment of Millions of Widows Around the World, Stigma of Widowhood.

June 23, 2019
inPress Releases
0

Event Spotlights Barbaric Treatment of Millions of Widows Around the World, Stigma of Widowhood.WILLS POINT, TX — Leading faith-based humanitarian agency Gospel for Asia (GFA, www.gfa.org/press/widows), announced today it will provide crucial aid and spiritual support to hundreds of “shunned and shamed” widows to mark International Widows Day, Sunday, June 23.

Gospel for Asia announced it will provide crucial aid and spiritual support to “shunned and shamed” widows to mark International Widows Day, June 23.

“In some Asian cultures, when a woman’s husband dies, she is often stripped of her dignity, her worth, and her human rights,” said GFA founder Dr. K.P. Yohannan. “Many of these widows are deprived of their home, their property, and their possessions – leaving them destitute. Lacking the ability to earn a living, and with no access to savings or credit, millions of widows all across Asia fight every day for their survival, all the while shunned and shamed. We must stand up for these forgotten outcasts and show them they are precious in God’s eyes.”

To honor International Widows Day, GFA-supported ministry teams across Asia will distribute sewing machines, goats, piglets, hygiene supplies, mosquito nets, sarees, and other essential items to help improve widows’ lives. The Sisters of Compassion teams – assembled by indigenous churches – will also bring spiritual encouragement to women who feel worthless and friendless.

“Nobody loves us,” said 50-year-old Yesoda, a widow in South Asia. “Even our own family members hate us and never care for us. But I thank (GFA) who has taken the initiative to honor the widows in our community.”

Anjola, a 45-year-old widow, said her family refused to buy her a mosquito net to protect her against malaria – but a GFA-supported women’s group from a local church came to her aid. “I thank God and the church for this wonderful gift,” she said.

If all the widows in the world were gathered into one nation, they would make up the fourth-largest country on earth. The United Nations (UN) conservatively estimates one-in-10 of the world’s 250 million-plus widows lives in extreme poverty – facing abuse, discrimination and violence because they have no husband to protect them.

No other social group is affected more by “the sin of omission” than widows, says the UN’s 2018 report on International Widows Day. “They are painfully absent from the statistics of many developing countries, and are rarely mentioned in reports on women’s poverty, development, health or human rights published in the last 25 years,” the UN states, adding that newly-widowed women are even being killed by family members wanting to get their hands on the inheritance.

“In many countries, a woman’s social status is inextricably linked to her husband’s, so that when her husband dies, a woman no longer has a place in society,” the UN report says. “To regain social status, widows are expected to marry one of their husband’s male relatives, sometimes unwillingly. For many, the loss of a husband is only the first trauma in a long-term ordeal.”

In Asia, Gulika’s grief at losing her husband in a tragic accident was compounded by the reaction of others in her village. Believing Gulika was cursed, villagers feared that even passing by her on the street would bring them bad fortune. Shunned by her neighbors, Gulika plunged into despair. Even collecting water from the local well became a walk of shame. Others harassed her, and sometimes wouldn’t allow her to fill her container. But Gulika’s situation changed when a GFA-supported pastor arranged for a well to be drilled in front of her home. Gulika was overjoyed that someone – a Christian – showed compassion toward her, a despised widow.

The abusive treatment of so many widows has a far-reaching impact on children, families and entire communities. Because the average widow has three children and several other family members, the neglect and exploitation of widows directly affects more than a billion people, about one-seventh of the world’s population, according to GFA’s report, titled Widows Worldwide Face Tragedy, Discrimination.

Anxious about how she would care for her two young children, Prema – widowed at the age of 22 – was given a sewing machine by GFA-supported workers. “After the death of my husband, I had no source of income,” she said. “I came to the church and learned to sew, but I could not afford a sewing machine. Now God has provided my need.”

“The Bible says that true religion is to care for orphans and widows in their distress,” said Dr. Yohannan, who launched Texas-based GFA 40 years ago. “The challenge facing the church around the world today is to not just read the Bible, but follow its teachings.”


PHOTO CUTLINE: FORGOTTEN OUTCASTS: Faith-based humanitarian agency Gospel for Asia (GFA, www.gfa.org/press/widows) will provide crucial aid and spiritual support to hundreds of “shunned and shamed” widows to mark International Widows Day, June 23.

Media interested in interviews should contact Gregg Wooding at InChrist Communications @ 972-567-7660 or [email protected]inchristcommuications.com


About Gospel for Asia

Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2019, GFA (Gospel for Asia, www.gfa.org) is a leading faith-based humanitarian and mission agency, bringing vital assistance and spiritual hope to millions across Asia, especially to those who have yet to hear the “good news” of Jesus Christ. This has included more than 70,000 sponsored children, free medical camps conducted in more than 1,200 villages and remote communities, over 4,000 wells drilled, over 11,000 water filters installed, income-generating Christmas gifts for more than 200,000 needy families, and spiritual teaching available in 110 languages in 14 nations through radio ministry.


Source: In Christ Communications
Tags: Dr KP YohannanGospel for AsiaSisters of CompassionWidowsWomen's Issues
ShareTweet
Previous Post

Gospel for Asia Feature: The Pastor and the Gangster

Next Post

Jesus Well Relieves Water Crisis

Related Posts

GFA World (also known as Gospel for Asia) spotlights hidden epidemic of missing women and girls on International Women’s Day
Press Releases

GFA World (also known as Gospel for Asia) Spotlights ‘Hidden Epidemic’ of Missing Women On International Women’s Day

March 16, 2023
GFA World (Gospel for Asia) relief teams are distributing vital aid to traumatized survivors of the massive earthquake & aftershocks in Turkey
Press Releases

GFA World Aids ‘Traumatized’ Turkey Quake Survivors

March 8, 2023
GFA World has seen significant growth in the reach of GFA Minute, its rebranded radio program – now on 250 radio stations across the U.S.
Press Releases

New GFA World Radio Program Challenges Listeners to Reject ‘Mediocre Christianity’

February 21, 2023
Every year GFA World and their mission partner, St Cyprian BEC, work together to bring beauty and light to their neighbourhood.
Press Releases

Lighting Up Stoney Creek

January 5, 2023
GFA World Canada celebrates 38 years of serving God and humanity alongside local churches serving as a collection centre for OCC shoeboxes
Press Releases

GFA World Celebrates 38 Years of Serving Alongside Local Churches

December 17, 2022
Child sponsorship makes university dream alive for world's poor, escaping the generational poverty trap, says Gospel for Asia (GFA world)
Press Releases

Child Sponsorship Makes University Dream Come Alive for World’s Poor, Says Gospel for Asia [GFA World]

November 30, 2022
Next Post
“Please pray for several other villages that are going through water crisis,” Vimal shares, “that we will be able to install Jesus Wells like this, in such places … Pray that through this Jesus Well many will see how God loves them and they will experience … God’s faithfulness and God’s loving kindness.”

Jesus Well Relieves Water Crisis

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent News

GFA pastor Sothear gazed at the church building before him. Thirty years. He had waited 30 years for this moment, and now it was reality.
Featured Stories

Pastor’s Prayers Answered After 30 Years

March 25, 2023
GFA World (also known as Gospel for Asia) spotlights hidden epidemic of missing women and girls on International Women’s Day
Press Releases

GFA World (also known as Gospel for Asia) Spotlights ‘Hidden Epidemic’ of Missing Women On International Women’s Day

March 16, 2023
In perpetual mourning and separation, Saadet was one widow among 258 million worldwide, and she was bereft of love, helpless and alone
Featured Stories

Wrapping Love Around a Lonely Widow

March 11, 2023
GFA World (Gospel for Asia) relief teams are distributing vital aid to traumatized survivors of the massive earthquake & aftershocks in Turkey
Press Releases

GFA World Aids ‘Traumatized’ Turkey Quake Survivors

March 8, 2023

Press Contact

  • Name: Press Relations
  • Phone: 972-300-3379
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Website: https://www.gfa.org

Social Connect

Contact Us

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-972-300-7777
Website: https://www.gfa.org

Connect on Social

Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube

News Categories

  • Article
  • Featured Stories
  • Field Reports
  • GFA World Magazine
  • In the News
  • Leader Bios
  • Press Releases

News Archive

No Result
View All Result

Recent News

GFA pastor Sothear gazed at the church building before him. Thirty years. He had waited 30 years for this moment, and now it was reality.

Pastor’s Prayers Answered After 30 Years

March 25, 2023
GFA World (also known as Gospel for Asia) spotlights hidden epidemic of missing women and girls on International Women’s Day

GFA World (also known as Gospel for Asia) Spotlights ‘Hidden Epidemic’ of Missing Women On International Women’s Day

March 16, 2023
In perpetual mourning and separation, Saadet was one widow among 258 million worldwide, and she was bereft of love, helpless and alone

Wrapping Love Around a Lonely Widow

March 11, 2023
  • Home
  • In the News
  • Leader Bios
  • Press Releases
  • Media Library
  • Contact Us

© 2020 Gospel for Asia - Transforming Communities through God's Love
GFA Digital Media Room - News, Stores, Press Releases and more

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • In the News
  • Leader Bios
  • Press Releases
    • Press Kits
  • Media Library
    • Photo Library
    • Video Library
  • Contact Us

© 2020 Gospel for Asia - Transforming Communities through God's Love
GFA Digital Media Room - News, Stores, Press Releases and more

Go to mobile version