We are holding on to hope that the peace treaty in the Middle East will hold and praying with our ministry partners as they draw near and hold fast to Christ! Through the violence, through the tears, we continue to sow seeds of the Gospel together. In these perilous days, we joined together to help our ministry partners care for the tangible needs of women and their families through the Washing Machine Initiative as women were gently introduced to the tangible love of Christ.
The stories of anguish are many, but so are the stories of heartfelt courage and astounding hope. Here is just one story of many, about the way God is work through your offerings and prayers:
Phoebe returned from the market with a small parcel of vegetables and a packet of rice. Due to the war, the market near their home no longer boasted mounds of fresh produce, aromatic spices or bins overflowing with grain.
Yet she would attempt to do what she can to prepare healthy meals. Upon her return, she was greeted with the heart-wrenching news that soldiers had entered her home and taken her husband, Omar, captive. Her daughter sobbed in her arms for a very long time.
Desperate and afraid, they had stealthily crossed the border to Lebanon to find refuge with relatives. “The local church here provides relief,” they were told. Phoebe and her daughter found their way to this church. They were astounded by the love of Christ these believers demonstrated. Their lives were captivating and contagious. Phoebe desperately wanted to experience this life of peace, joy and love.
She was given a Bible and began to read what the Bible says about God’s love for the poor and His passion for justice. Soon she believed. She responded to our ministry partner’s care, including the Washing Machine ministry with enthusiasm and a heart of gratitude.
She is preparing to return to the southern region of Lebanon where she will now be a “missionary” in her own right as she displays the contagious and captivating love of Christ; sure, steadfast and an anchor of hope for her entire family! (Hebrews 6:19)
Your financial offering to Women in the Window touches and transforms women like Phoebe in many nations of Africa, Asia the Middle East and North Africa. May God’s generous grace continue to warm your heart and reward you in ways both visible and invisible. You are the heroes and heroines of this story, and I pray that even today, you are holding fast to the hope of Christ!
Yours because I’m His,
P.S. Mark your calendar for Friday, May 1st, to hear directly from one of our ministry partners in the Middle East during our First Friday Prayer Gathering online and here at our WiW office!
