Pray for South Asia's Widows

The treatment of widows in South Asia is unimaginably horrific. When a woman's husband dies, she is blamed for his death. For some widows, the humiliation starts when she is stripped of her colorful clothing and forced to wear a white sari signifying her new status as a widow. Her glass bangles, which previously let the world know of her marital status, are smashed into thousands of tiny shards. Her life will now be controlled by her eldest son. If she is lucky, she'll get a tiny corner of his house in which to sleep.

More often, though, she is sent out of the family home and ends up working for a few cents a day at a temple or begging on the streets. Many widows live lives of poverty and utter hopelessness. They yearn to know that someone loves them. Here are a few ways that you can pray for the widows of South Asia.

Pray for Widows to Hear about the Love of Jesus

The deepest need of a widow is to know that she is still loved. That's why GFA-supported missionaries and workers spend time listening to widows tell their stories and sharing the story of Christ with them.

Pray for GFA's Christmas Gift Catalogue Gifts for Widows

CMost widows in South Asia do not have the skills or tools they need to earn a living for themselves. Yet Gospel For Asia-supported missionaries are finding ways to help them. Gifts from the Gospel for Asia Christmas Gift Catalogue are some of the most fruitful tools to help widows earn a living.

Pray for Those Who Minister to Widows

Gospel for Asia's Compassion Services Teams meet people at the most difficult times of their lives. These teams go out when there is a natural disaster or other catastrophe and provide immediate assistance to those affected. They minister to thousands of widows each year. Often, their concern and prayers for these hopeless women lead to lasting change in the lives of widows.

Pray for the Widows' Children

The precarious nature of life in South Asia means that millions of children are being raised by their widowed mothers. Their society does not provide a means to care for them, nor do their mothers. So many of these children are forced to work instead of going to school. Others are abused or taken advantage of by unscrupulous adults. Melbin's mother was a widow, and it fell to him, as the oldest son, to take care of her. But he was just a child himself.