Email:

Lent Prayer - Women

To

Email address:

Separate multiple addresses with a comma (,). Maximum of 10

From

Your name:

Your email address:

Security test:
Please enter the numbers that appear here in the box below.

Security code:

Details provided here will never be used in any other context

Published: 00:01 GMT Daylight Time - Sunday 03 April 2011

Lent Prayer - Women

Project(s): 11-706, XX-096, 41-465, 56-909, 25-663

Country/Region: Nigeria, Sudan, Iraq, Pakistan, Egypt, Middle East and North Africa, Africa, South and East Asia

“...a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Honour her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.” (Proverbs 31:30-31)

Christian women in queue for aid from Barnabas Fund

Women are treated as second-class citizens in some countries, particularly in Islamic societies, since sharia teaches that women are of less worth than men. When the woman also belongs to a despised Christian minority, her life can be extremely hard. In Northern Nigeria, North Sudan and Iraq women can be attacked or arrested if they fail to follow the sharia dress code, even if they are Christians. In some countries, especially Pakistan and Egypt, Christian girls are kidnapped, beaten and raped by Muslims. Often the intention is to force the girl to embrace Islam and coerce her into a marriage with a Muslim man.

Women have an important place in God’s family, and Jesus considered women of equal worth to men, often inviting them into His circle of followers. He had a number of important encounters with women, praising Mary for listening to Him rather than joining Martha in preparing food (Luke 10); speaking with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4); defending the action of the woman who anointed Him with expensive perfume, saying that she had done “a beautiful thing” (Matthew 26). After His resurrection, He showed Himself first to a woman, Mary Magdalene (John 20:10-18).

Barnabas Fund seeks to serve our persecuted Christian sisters in countries where they are targeted because of their faith and gender. We support programmes to educate and inform women, including literacy classes and health courses, and fund projects to help with income generation. Barnabas also provides accommodation for Christian women from an Islamic background who have nowhere else to live and funds camps and conferences for Christian women to meet together for worship and fellowship.

Pray for all Christian girls and women who have been victimised, that they will remain close to their Father even in their distress. Pray that He will heal all their emotional and physical wounds and that they will know His love in the midst of their trials. Pray that the attackers of young Christian women may be brought to justice. Pray that those facing persecution because of their faith will know that they are dearly loved by the Lord Jesus and are precious to Him. Give thanks for the work that Barnabas Fund is able to do to support those women who suffer because they love the Lord Jesus.