Here in the West and especially in the US, many are advocating for women's rights. We are calling for pay equity, equal pay for equal work. To protect more girls and women, many want the word "rape" to be expanded as a legal definition for sexual misconduct. Many of us want tougher laws to protect women against violence. The most controversial right that women want is the "right to choose" not only in contraception but also to terminate their pregnancies. Most of these rights we want are good and right. We have come a long way in women's rights but more needs to be done.
We who follow Jesus, for the most part, agree with most of the rights women and their allies are calling for. Women should be paid as much as men for equal work, be protected against any form of sexual abuse, be able to get justice in civil or criminal court, and be safe from all violence. As Christians, we cannot in a good conscience take God seriously and join the culture in calling for the preservation of the "right to choose" to "terminate a pregnancy" when we realize what and who we are calling to be aborted. But the post is not about abortion.
Yes, some things remain unfinished in the women's rights arena even in the US. Also, as this calls for support for girls and women who are sold into sex slavery, human trafficking in the US does need more awareness and support. However, girls and women (by far the most frequent human trafficking victims) fare far worse in many countries outside the West. While we (who are women in the West) are lacking in some rights we want and encounter sexism, women outside the West often have no rights. Many of them, when they are raped, are disowned by their families. They may even be sent to prison! Talk about "blaming the victim"! When they experience abuse in their marriages, many women outside the West cannot get any protection or justice from the courts. Testify in court? They often are not allowed to do that. Two-thirds of the world's illiterate people are girls and women. Human trafficking, terrible as it is for victims in the West, is far worse for girls and women throughout the world. As horrific and tragic as all this is, many of these girls and women have never heard about Jesus' love in a way they can understand. This is true in many countries all over Asia, for example.
Gospel for Asia exists to empower native Asian missionaries to bring the Gospel message to unreached people groups. They sponsor many projects that meet the material and practical needs of Asia's unreached peoples. They pledge that 100 present of money that is designated to go to mission projects or native missionaries in Asia, will all go directly that that project or that missionary. For those of you who prefer to pay by check or money order, Gospel for Asia has a physical address. My first campaign at Gospel for Asia's website is meant to get awareness and funds for hurting girls and women who desperately need not only to be rescued from sex slavery, but also need to hear (often for the first time) about Jesus Who dies for them, loves them and yearns to know them.
Please check out my campaign here. If you cannot give financial support, please share this post widely!
Thank you,
Lisa DeSherlia
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