Walk to the Water - 13 September 2008
...a five-mile sponsored walk in the shoes of persecuted women
Recovering from a catastrophic earthquake, host of the 2008 Olympic Games, China is in the spotlight as never before. But remember the women of rural China, walking an average of five miles each day to get water for their families.
In addition to bearing this burden, Christian women living in China, India, Africa and the Middle East are persecuted for their faith; disowned and destitute, they walk to the water alone.
Use your freedom to stand up for them! Join us in a five-mile sponsored Walk to the Water. Together, we can make a difference to the lives of persecuted women who may share our faith but not our freedom.
Order your registration pack, including sponsorship forms, a prayer guide and flyers to give out to friends, family and your church fellowship, by filling in this form.
How your Walk to the Water can make a difference
If you are sponsored...
- £1 per mile = £5 can provide a Bible
- £3 per mile = £15 could train a literacy teacher
The Bible tells us that God's Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105). Many Christian women around the world cannot experience the comfort of God's Word because they cannot read. In many communities in the developing world, education is just for men. That is why one of the most precious gifts you can give to a Christian woman is literacy training to help her read the Word of God.
- £3 per mile = £15 a girl can learn to sew and have skills to support herself
Christian women, especially widows with a family to support, struggle to survive in many countries where Open Doors ministers. Their gender and the faith prevent them from finding a job. Your sponsorship will help a Christian woman learn a trade so that she can support herself and her family.
If you raise a total of £260, you could provide a marriage course to help couples learn to respect each other, affirming a woman's worth within Christian marriage.
Women facing persecution
Bangladesh, July 2007: Ten Christians were banned from using the village well because of their faith. The women were forced to walk to the river for water—water shared with animals—putting their families at risk of water-borne diseases. Open Doors was able to provide a tube well closer to home to provide safe drinking water for these families.
Nigeria, March 2008: As an orphan, Patience Yusuf has no one to stand up for her. A Muslim man begged her to marry him but she refused, saying, "Jesus I know, Muhammad I do not." The next day an angry mob gathered outside her home demanding that she be executed for blasphemy. Patience fled and now lives in hiding, but Open Doors has provided food and clothing.
Use your freedom to stand up for these women and take part in a Walk to the Water:
- Stand with persecuted women and walk five miles to a water source near you
- Pray for these persecuted Christian women as you walk
- Get sponsorship to raise funds and make a difference to the lives of women like these.
More about Open Doors' ministry among women »
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