Project Hannah
May 2013
Praying—Increasing Awareness—Reaching Out Through Women of Hope Radio Programs
PROJECT HANNAH SWEDEN Sweden is one of the largest countries in Western Europe. Generally, the people of Sweden want for nothing materially, as their government system ensures their needs are provided for. However, social systems cannot provide eternal life, and great loneliness and emp"ness are evident in the way people live. It is a secularized society, with too many having lost their roots and connec"on to Chris"anity. Instead, it is more natural to try to find something spiritual in the occult rather than in church. TWR’s partner, Norea Radio Sweden, is shining the light of the Gospel through Project Hannah ministries in their own country, as well as by reaching out through Project Hannah to women in the Ukraine and Croa"a.
TURNING STRANGERS TO FRIENDS It is es"mated that between 1,100 and 1,300 asylum seekers come to Sweden each week. People are lining up outside the Immigra"on Department’s office to acquire a temporary place to stay. With the great number of immigrants, it is not uncommon for Swedish people to feel as though there are too many strangers coming to their country. Maggan Johansson, Project Hannah Na"onal Coordinator in Sweden, explains her solu"on for reducing the number of strangers: “turn them into friends!” She shares her passion and call to minister to immigrants in her country. “As a church, I believe we have a wonderful opportunity to spread the Maggan Johansson Gospel among immigrants. We can treat them kindly and welcome them. We can show the love and the light of the Lord. When I meet with women of another religion, it’s important to show God’s care and love through my ac"ons … First our understanding of the needs increases. When we start to pray, God moves our understandings to our hearts. And from the heart, He moves everything out to our hands and His will of ac"ons becomes ours.” One of the unique and highly effec"ve out-reach concepts they have is Hannah’s House. Rather than an actual shelter where immigrants live, Hannah’s House is a group that creates a friendly place to gather for support, help and friendship. For example, some women a?ending are pregnant and have no one to support them during pregnancy or delivery. Many others come because they simply need a friend. Maggan shared: “We started ‘Hannah’s House’ in my church. It’s a growing group with both Chris"ans and people from other religious backgrounds. We show the ‘Mary Magdelena’ film. I have discovered that women, even with another background, love when we are praying for them even if we pray in the name of Jesus! We also include Project Hannah’s prayer calendar [in our "me together].
“There is an inner circle of Chris"an refugees in the group. This sets the standard for everyone a?ending Hannah’s House, but all are welcome in an equal way. The concept is that a friend brings another friend. The mission field is right outside our door now. My prayer is that this concept will spread throughout our country.”
“There are many opportuni es today even if we can’t talk their language. The only thing we need to do is show hospitality and then God will provide.”
Today there are three Hannah’s Houses (groups not actual houses) in Sweden, and they are praying that new groups will be established. Each Hannah’s House group looks slightly different, based on the needs in the community in which it is located. However, all have the same goal: showing vulnerable women and their families the love and hope of Jesus Christ. Maggan has learned that you need to minister to women where they are and on all levels: physical, emo"onal, and social. She has seen that when you are aware of their physical needs, and you love and serve them, THEN you can create fellowship and share the Gospel. But how can this be done when there are so many language barriers? Their solu"on is to provide each Hannah’s House group with mp3 players containing Chris"an programs corresponding with the languages of the immigrants. So while people love and serve these women in prac"cal ways, they can also share the Gospel through the use of an mp3-format, even if they can´t speak a single word in the other language. Can you imagine the joy these lonely people experience in having others show love and care and in hearing their own language spoken? Maggan points out that, “There are many opportuni"es today even if we can’t talk their language. The only thing we need to do is show hospitality and then God will provide. When you see what God is doing among you, your faith grows and so does theirs.”
HOW “MARIA” BECAME A FRIEND Maggan shared a story of one stranger who turned into a friend. “It was the first month as Coordinator that I met Maria [not her real name], a refuge woman. She became Project Hannah in the flesh. She was a stranger in Sweden and unwanted, but by God she was highly loved and longed for. Her life was miserable, and she was trying hard to get residence in Sweden. The journey with Maria has really showed me, under my skin, what it is to be a vulnerable woman. “Time passed and Maria’s circumstances became worse. Finally, our home became a shelter for Maria for 1 1/2 years. And the night she moved into our home, we also opened the door to a bunch of angels. They were invisible that night, but became very visible along the journey! “Maria met Jesus! She was like the woman at the well who leQ her water jar and went back to the town and said, ‘Come and see a man who has told me everything I did.’ Maria carried Jesus to other refugees. “I always prayed for protec"on every "me she went out, but Maria said, ‘I am praying in the name of Jesus and then I go.’ She brought many asylum seekers to church, and, at the same "me, some very strong Chris"an women came from Africa. And the first Hannah’s House was born.”
Colleen Shoemaker Canadian Coordinator for Project Hannah TWR Canada Box 25324 London, Ontario N6C 6B1 1.888.672.6510 hannah@twrcanada.org