From Listening to Leading

World Challenge Staff

Opportunities to Preach the Gospel Open Up for a Bangladeshi Women’s Care Group

Like many women in underdeveloped nations, the women of a Bangladeshi community were isolated, unheard and illiterate. Without the ability to read and write, small things, like going to the market for goods, were an ordeal. They would get robbed by sellers as they didn’t understand basic arithmetic. Going home shortchanged and unable to meet their immediate needs.

One of our Bangladesh teams reached out to the women in the community to bring them together and empower them with training and the life-changing power of the Gospel. They started by listening to their needs, hearing their troubles and conflicts. How they felt there weren’t any solutions within their immediate grasp.

But the team started training them through Bible stories, songs of praise, lessons in reading and writing comprehension and basic arithmetic. This empowered the group of over 50 women, many with small children, and their families to be able to not only make smart decisions at the market but also show entrepreneurship. They now pool their money together for a savings program and every 3 months give a bulk of the money to one of the families to start a new business venture. Imagine the hope these families now have as they step into a brighter future!

Before our team’s God-appointed encounter many of these women had little to no hope of a solution for a better life. But now, many hold to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. They no longer look toward the future with a bleak hopelessness but look to God for continued hope and strength believing in his power to change any situation.

Our team continues to visit this care group every month to encourage them in the faith and teach them more about Jesus. They joyfully watch as these women become a reflection of the Proverbs 31 woman.