Women's Ministry
"A
young, single girl came to our church and asked for a family
to take her in because she had fought with her parents and
didn't want to go home. One couple agreed to take her. This
couple had not been able to have children for years, which
is a real stigma in this culture. So, just as Sarah did with
Abraham, the woman asked the girl to sleep with her husband
so that the couple could have a child. The girl agreed, got
pregnant, and while in the 4 th month of pregnancy, the married
woman also became pregnant with twins! To protect the girl
from the shame of being an unwed mom, she was hidden till
she gave birth. In the end, the couple had three children
to care for and had negatively damaged the lives of several
people. The girl would never be able to marry properly as
she was no longer "pure". The couple would
most likely struggle with accepting the girl's child as well
as their own biological twins. And all of them had the guilt
that they had taken matters into their own hands without waiting
on God.
"If
only the couple had shared their problem within the church,
we could have prayed for them and encouraged them so their
burden wouldn't be so heavy. These are the kind of problems
we face in our church and we need so much wisdom to deal with
them!"
N.
shared this story with me to illustrate the need for a women's
seminar in the church her husband pastors. She asked for help
to teach, pray for, fund and generally support her efforts.
Such are the situations and needs that we face continually
as we have the privilege to mentor many leaders here. Please
pray for N. and her husband as they deal with many difficult
and sometimes hurtful issues in their church and pray for
their upcoming women's retreat.
-
Anonymous, Asia
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