I am speaking in a few days, and working on that, I wonder something...
What are the biggest issues women in your area of the world face?
I asked that question of many people when I traveled this past spring and was interested in the answers. But now I wonder about other areas of the world. What are the biggest issues where you live? Be as brief or as long as you want... but would you answer that? Even if you live in the US, go ahead and answer.
I have to speak on the topic of women's needs around the world, and while I think I have some ideas, I'd love to hear from you.
7 comments:
What women face where we are right now is this: not being valued, first and foremost. Women are treated as belongings by men/husbands, not as human beings. The women do all the work. The men sit around and do nothing. Pigs are valued higher than women (remember, this is where we are RIGHT NOW, not in the rest of the country where we serve), even to the extent that we have seen women bre*stfeeding piglets while their children are malnourished! Even in the Christian circles, men still take two (or more) wives, have affairs, etc. I think that the most important thing we can do is to affirm to these women who they are in Christ, despite who the culture around them tells them they are/should be/should act. What a difficult thing to do when their worthlessness is screamed at them from every direction, every day! We want to encourage them in Christ, and build up their worth, as women of God!
Sort of the same as jungle wife except in an urban Chinese environment. Also, no pigs!
Women here are devalued by poor marriages and having their children raised by their parents, thus depriving them of their natural roles as mothers. Infidelity is also very common here.
The damage that abortion has done to women is hard to assess but we believe it to have a huge impact.
The desire for material success here is very high- that is also very damaging to women and family relationship.
Our town is full of single mothers -- whether by "choice" or by abandonment. They have the burden of the whole family on their shoulders, including grandchildren borne by their unwed daughters. It's just the way it is. (Even the Christians fall back into this life view.)
It is so hard to get across to them that they don't need a man or a child to make them a woman. To teach them that God values them as His creations and His daughters.
Sounds like a woman's need to know her value and significance in God's eyes is a common theme in all parts of the world. In the US, it may seem like women know it, but I see so much insecurity in the women around me -- of all ages. If a woman begins to see her true identity as God's redeemed daughter, it brings her amazing freedom and confidence.
I'm in the states now....
but, I am amazed at how many divorced women I have met at our church. Most were left for another woman. That can also cause a women to feel she lacks value. I have wondered how to
stem the tide of divorce among Christians. I don't know.
Also, I know quite a few women who are in deep pain from the things their adult children have gotten into....as you know...I am one of those. I don't have any answers...only observations.
I met someone once who said that they felt that the devil specifically attacks women because women have the power of influence. The devil wants women to believe they are of no value and have no hope.
I wonder where we get this idea from... wondering that the feeling of a lack of value leads women to allow/ accept many things that they would not otherwise accept because they don't believe they are worth standing up for.
And we wonder why fairy tales have he prince riding in on the white horse to rescue.... the desire to be seen of value and rescued.
What if we knew we were loved and valued?
Very interesting discussion!
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