Sisters In Service

This summer I embark on one of the most important projects of my life; and we need your prayers for God's favor. In our ministry to destitute women, we have been heartbroken to see that the oppression and exploitation of women starts when they are little girls. Raising a passionate, organized outcry for exploited girls is the road God wants me and SIS to travel next.

This will mean that I begin the journey, as I did for SIS and Daughters of Hope, by going to some of the hardest places on earth to learn firsthand from Christians who live there. I have to see, hear, and touch people as I try somehow to get into the skin of the exploited. I need to face some of these girls with Jesus' love. I'll also be learning of and connecting with best practice implementers in order to empower the most effective local initiatives that have the greatest impact on this plague of injustice.

We are in discussions right now to see who should join this journey: researchers, the co-author for Daughters of Hope, Kay Strom; photographers, and videographers. I'm seeking God for His supply for the initiative we're calling Resist the Darkness, a costly endeavor in more ways than one.

From the Beginning

My heart is heavy every time I think about what we will be seeing. In countries least-reached with the gospel, if it is revealed that the unborn baby will be a girl, the baby is aborted. (Some time I'll have to tell you my story of being spared from being aborted.) Some infant girls are buried alive, or left to die of exposure. The Banjara of India still offer child sacrifices to appease Hindu/animist spirits.

The Early Years

Abandoned little girls are left to wander in India's train stations. They are seen as too much of a burden for impoverished families. I know that their mothers hope that a kind stranger will take them in. Too often, they scavenge for leftover food and coins on the trains until they are sexually abused or exploited for a few rupees. Thousands are now HIV positive.

Most unreached girls who have a family are seen as burdens, commodities, or as virtual slaves. They are denied protein, and become ill very young. Mortality among preschool-aged girls is higher than preschool-aged boys because girls do not receive their nutritional share. And healthcare? Are you kidding? Waste money on a girl?! Education? Not likely. A West African proverb says, "Educating a girl is like watering your neighbor's garden." A foolish investment, some say.

Girls Become Wives

It's true. The Taliban allows the marriage of girls as young as nine years old. Eighty percent of marriages in Afghanistan involve child brides. These are little girls. I am horrified for them, as I hope you are.

A Tibetan minority tribe has a similar custom: trial marriages whereby men "try out" the girls to see who will give birth to sons. If a girl child results, both the "mother" and child are sent out of the community to live in a hovel made of animal skins. This part of the Himalayan Mountains is minus 31 F the majority of the year. They rarely survive. I have to go there. I have to let them know that they were made for better things. I have to record their stories and then come home ready to raise advocates and resources to help them. I have to resist this darkness in practical ways.

I will be uncovering all the hard-hitting issues of exploitation of girls that I can find: denial of education, food, and healthcare; as well as issues of imprisonment, violence, feticide, and the major exploitations that include child brides, child labor, prostitution, and slavery. By revealing the truth about exploited girls, we show their dignity, resilience, value and potential–and we give them a voice. Upon my return, the SIS team and I will work to get the word out about how God's people can join to intervene in the lives of the exploited.

To make this work, we need a small army of "patrons"–churches and individuals that will get behind us in prayer and giving, and stay supportive throughout this project.

Would you consider being one of the supporters of this initiative? You would be on the ground floor of making a difference for unreached and exploited girls. We need praying people to call down God's favor of strength, access, wisdom, grace, boldness, and more. It will take so much that we do not possess in order to press back the darkness from vulnerable girls. If you join this initiative, I will be updating you (first stop Iraq, Lord willing), pulling together avenues for response, and getting the research, stories, pictures and information out. We are in talks with InterVarsity Press to publish the hard facts about exploitation by fall of 2008; and I'll begin sharing my discoveries of ways people can make a difference for exploited and abused girls even before the next book comes out. The second phase for SIS is to provide projects and clear action steps for people who want to change the lives of exploited girls now and forever. Thank you for standing with us.