Girls in India today are selectively aborted, killed in their cribs, abandoned as infants, and trafficked as young women. According to savegirlchild.org, one out of six girls in India will die due to gender discrimination. One out of every 10 Indian women report that they were sexually abused as children. What can we do to stop it?
A Home for Girls in India
In 2012, India Connection opened the Girls Home of Pune India (facebook.com/girlshome), which today provides safe haven for 35 girls rescued from terrible poverty and abuse. In addition to providing food, clothing, shelter and education, the girls are taught that God loves them and cherishes them, and that Jesus died to set them free.
By the grace of God, the Girls Home recently moved out of their rented space into a newer, larger facility that we own. We are in a period of rapid growth and are seeking to get the word out about this ministry to your supporters. We could do so much more, with YOUR help!
Here’s what you can do:
- Spread the word – Please pray for the girls and help us raise awareness of this project! We need your help to give these girls the rich, full life God intended for them.
- Save more lives – We have room at our new facility to house over 60 girls. $200/month covers all a girl’s needs. As the Lord provides this support, we will expand.
- Build a school – There is no free education in India; our biggest expense is school tuition for the girls. Starting an English Medium school will generate enough income to make the Girls Home self-supporting.
Changing the Culture
The mission of the Girls Home of Pune is to rescue at-risk girls from poverty, neglect and abuse, show them the love of Jesus, care for them and educate them until they are in a career. If they wish to marry, we will help them. Our hope for these girls is that they will grow up in the knowledge of the truth, and that one day they will help transform India.
The root causes of the terrible problems facing women in India today include poverty and cultural traditions that have led to a deep-seated preference for boys. They are made worse by the lack of educational opportunities and prevalence of underage marriage.
In India’s patriarchal society, many traditions result from the fact that women are not considered the equal of men. Chief among them is the dowry system, under which a bride’s family must make a payment of cash or gifts to the bridegroom’s family. The wealthier a family is, the higher the dowry. This puts a great financial strain on a family, leading some parents to eliminate girl babies.
Throughout their lives, many daughters continue to be treated differently than sons. Families desire to preserve their wealth, which is passed down through the male line. Girls aren’t fed as well, they aren’t sent to school, and they’re only raised to become someone’s wife.
These problems continue despite the rising economic independence of women. A survey by Action India of women in Delhi revealed that even highly educated women have resorted to as many as eight abortions to ensure that they only give birth to a boy.
Crimes against women in India are also on the rise. A Thomson Reuters Foundation expert poll last year ranked India as the world’s fourth most dangerous country for a woman. Rape is widespread. Disputes related to dowry can result in acts of violence against women, including killings and acid attacks. In primitive areas, girl babies are sometimes sacrificed to appease the gods in times of crisis.
Making an Eternal Difference
As Christians, we know that God loves women as much as men. Jesus radically opposed the idea that women were socially, intellectually, and spiritually inferior to men. He showed by his actions that he highly valued women, in contrast to the pagan and Jewish traditions of the time. His teachings raised the status of women to new heights, often to the dismay of his enemies and even his friends.
We are seeking to follow Jesus by teaching the truth and working to improve the lives of women and children in India. We wish to end the dowry system in the Christian community, where it is still widely practiced. We are educating the girls at the Girls Home of Pune to the highest level they can attain, and have a scholarship fund for that purpose. In everything we do, we desire to meet the standard Jesus set in showing the worth and dignity of women.
God bless you, and thank you for your prayers and support.
