Helping Widows in India

For several years Global Outreach has supported the Feed My People Widow Ministry in India. Can you imagine the difficult way of life many widows face in India? If they are left without children or other family members to provide for their needs, day in and day out they must resort to begging for food and a place to sleep at night. When a widow is a Christian it often makes her living situation even more difficult as family members who do not approve of her faith in Jesus reject her and refuse to provide any assistance.

When a widow is a Christian in India it often makes her living situation even more difficult.

Such is the story of Satyavathamma. She was born and raised in an orthodox Hindu family. She married and lived in Tenali where she worked selling fabric in a business owned by her husband. After her husband died, her children did not provide for her. She became sick and suffered with blood clots, swelling and muscle pain. Eventually she was unable to continue working due to her illness. She went to several doctors, exhausting all her money in an attempt to get well. They were unable to help her, so she turned to the Hindu practices of appealing to the gods and goddesses and offering gifts to them. Of course, her futile efforts yielded nothing and she grew worse.

Now that she is alone with no home and no income, Reverend Thomas was able to help set her up in business again.

One of her relatives, a member of a church we support through Feed My People, finally convinced her to attend church to seek healing. Reverend Thomas said “they prayed for her and she stayed at church for several days so the prayers could continue. After several days she was totally healed!” She continued to stay at the church and they took care of her needs. Now that she is alone with no home and no income, Reverend Thomas was able to help set her up in business again. They provided a cart and a small stock of items so she can once again have a small business to meet her needs. During the day she sells from her cart and at night she sleeps in the church with the other widows.

Here are just a couple of other stories about widows being helped in India through these ministries.

Dhana: She was born and raised as a Hindu member of an upper caste. After her husband died due to HIV, her two sons left her on her own. She accepted Christ as Savior while her husband was ill. We would like to help her set up a small shop to sell groceries.

Jyothy: Born into a Hindu family, she accepted Jesus before she was married. After five years of marriage, her husband left her and she no longer knows if he is alive. She has one daughter to support. She has been trained as a tailor and needs a sewing machine.

For only $300 we can set a widow up in business.  This relatively small investment will bring a much improved quality of life.

For only $300 we can set a widow up in business. For some this will provide a cart, a sewing machine and a supply of fabric. For others, it will provide start up costs for a small store. This relatively small investment will bring a much improved quality of life and restore dignity to the lives of these precious widows who have suffered so much loss and rejection. If you would like to help with this need, please designate your gift for widows in India.

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress” James 1:27

Learn more about India ministries here.

Make a donation to widows here.

Blog Post Adapted From Global Outreach Inc August 2017 Newsletter

Volume 32  Issue 8

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