Project Hannah
April 2013
Praying—Increasing Awareness—Reaching Out Through Women of Hope Radio Programs
THE WORK OF PRAYER You have o+en heard that prayer is hard work. No doubt you know this to be true from your own personal experience. And it is o+en in mes of spiritual ba-le that we feel this most keenly. I recently read that when we became Chris ans, we le+ civilian life and entered the ba-leďŹ eld. While we know that Christ has the ul mate victory, here on earth Satan works diligently to delay His ďŹ nal defeat as long as possible by engaging in a ruthless ba-le. Some mes it is easy to forget that there is a ba-le raging; yet, there are indica ons of its existence all around us. As part of Project Hannah, you are acutely aware that women suer greatly in this ba-le. This newsle-er briey looks at some current issues—against women directly and situa ons impac ng their lives—that underscore the ba-le in which we ďŹ nd ourselves. Celebra ng the resurrec on of Christ is a wonderful me to reect on the great gi+ we’ve been given, and to renew our passion for prayer on behalf of those who are suering, those who don’t know the love and hope Jesus oers. Let’s make our requests known to our Lord, believing through faith that He is Sovereign, that He will equip us in ba-le and that He does reign! Please con nue to join us in this hard work of prayer. Because He lives, we are victorious! Praying with you,
VIOLENCE IN SOUTH AFRICA In early February, a young girl was gang-raped and mu lated in a small town outside of Cape Town. And the recent convic on of Oscar Pistorius, Olympic and Paralympic athlete—charged with murdering his girlfriend—brought shock waves to South Africa and to the world. These are just two examples, but both highlight the severe, and o+en brutal, violence against women in South Africa. Both tragedies are bringing a-en on to this devasta ng reality. It is es mated that every 17 seconds a woman is raped in South Africa and that over 40% of South African women will be raped in their life me, with only 1 in 9 rapes reported (h-p://www.sapeople.com/2011/03/28/south-african-rape-sta s cs/). According to rape.co.za (Rape Sta s cs South Africa & Worldwide 2011), women born in South Africa have more chance of being raped than of learning how to read.
RAPE AND VIOLENCE IN INDIA This past February, three li-le girls, sisters aged 6 to 11, were raped, murdered and their bodies dumped into a well in a rural village in western India. It is believed that the girls, whose mother is a poor, widowed domes c servant, were hungry and were lured by their a-acker with food. This horriďŹ c news story comes only two months a+er the brutal gang-rape of a young Delhi student, which triggered outrage against not only violence towards women but the discrimina on many live with their en re lives.
FLOODING IN MOZAMBIQUE Mozambique experienced serious oods as a result of a solid week of heavy rain earlier this year. The oods destroyed exis ng infrastructure such as roads and buildings; many crops are destroyed, and over 150,000 people lost their homes. With ooding of this nature, serious health issues become a factor, and cholera has already reportedly killed 98 people. Our Project Hannah Coordinator, Esperanca, writes: “People who are in the government evacua on loca on are not safe. People are cooking, washing clothes and taking baths nearby. However, they do not have water except what is brought in by car. There is lack of proper hygiene, and the people are vulnerable to sickness. “Please pray for us. God is great, and He will help us to ďŹ nd something to give to them. In Xai-Xai, they asked us for food because their livelihood was destroyed by the water. The government gives food to those who lost their houses. Those whose homes were not destroyed are not given food. We need your prayers for wisdom in how to help them overcome this poverty. We thank you all, because your prayers give us strength.â€? Pray for the Project Hannah teams in Mozambique to mobilize the church of Mozambique and Chris an organiza ons to provide basic needs to the vic ms. As well, pray for Esperanca who is coordina ng the work to make sure the vic ms receive proper a-en on, and for Salvador, Director for TWR Mozambique, as he mobilizes teams of pastors and medical doctors to speak on the radio to educate and comfort people during this suering.
POLITICAL UNREST IN MALI CONTINUES Mali has experienced more than a year of occupa on. During this me, many women have lost their husbands, many children have become orphans, and countless women have been raped. The terror and suering are beyond our understanding. One Project Hannah contact writes, “Pray for all those women who have been raped and humiliated. Many of these women [can] no longer raise her head because of the heavy wounds of the heart, and [pray for] their husbands who helplessly witnessed the crimes commi-ed against their wives and even their children.â€?
INTRODUCE YOUR FRIENDS TO PROJECT HANNAH As you know, by praying and partnering together we are making a dierence in this ba-le. Why not introduce Project Hannah to your friends? We are oering a new booklet, designed to provide an overview to Project Hannah and the role TWR Canada plays. It is a great tool to share the ministry with others. Please call or email if you would like to receive copies to share with your friends, Bible Study group members, or prayer partners. We’d love to send them to you. Colleen Shoemaker Canadian Coordinator for Project Hannah TWR Canada Box 25324 London, Ontario N6C 6B1 1.888.672.6510 hannah@twrcanada.org