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contents... issue one |august | twenty-fourteen
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Editor’s Note
08
Girls off the Streets
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Living with the ‘Wow’ Factor
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COVER STORY: Roma Downey
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Article title here
26
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Nicole Danswan
Carly Smith
Sandra Cavallo
Author here
Exclusive interview
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Author here
Author here
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publishers details... 24
Publisher Initiate Media Editor Nicole Danswan Accounts Elizabeth Yeo Advertising Manager Phil Spurr FREECALL 855 254 0905 or 213 814 0584 E phil.spurr@initiatemedia.net Correspondence PO Box, Los Angeles, California 90210
No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or part, without prior written permission. Opinions expressed in this newspaper do not necessarily reflect those of the staff. All attempts are made to verify advertising material, and no responsibilty is taken for misleading or erroneous material. Š Copyright 2014. www.initiatemedia.net www.christianwomanmag.com
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editors note.
born for such a time as this... For if you keep silence at such a time as this, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another quarter, but you and your father’s family will perish. Who knows? Perhaps you have come to royal dignity for just such a time as this.” Esther 4:14 NIV
Welcome to the first American issue of Christian Woman Magazine. It is with such joy that we find ourselves on American soil with our beloved magazine that has been in print for over 60 years! I love the scripture above regarding Queen Esther. What a remarkable woman of faith, born for such a time as to save her people from death and destruction. I wonder what God has called you to do? There are seasons of sowing and reaping, speaking and staying silent or simply standing. Whatever He has called you to do then we stand with you. Prayerfully cheering you on as you walk the road He has carved out just for you. We pray the pages of this magazine will find it’s way into your home and heart. That you will feel encouraged to keep going. That you will learn new things and discover many hidden wonders in His Word. That you will come to the realization that you were born for such a time as this also. We are so blessed to partner with Parable, Mardel and Covenant Bookstores to bring you this publication free of charge. We also have a digital version too so if you miss out on your copy then you can read it online without even leaving your home! Stay connected with us online at www.christianwomanmag.com and ensure you like our Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest pages for all the latest articles, news and general happenings in the Christian market. You can also sign up to receive our weekly email newsletter via our website. Let’s join hands together and make a difference. Let’s spur one another on to great heights and depths in His blessed name. With love, Nicole Danswan Editor
6 Christian Woman: issue one • august twenty-fourteen
Since the fall of Communism in 1989, Mission Without Borders has worked to improve the lives of neglected children in Eastern Europe. In 2014 the need is greater than ever before, the goal of Mission Without Borders is to find Sponsors for 500 more children to support work in six field countries by April.
Sponsor a child or family 02 9647 2022 www.mwb.org.au
The Mission Without Borders sponsored families tell us that our FAMILY TO FAMILY Coordinators are guardian angels. Mission Without Borders helps each of these families become self-sufficient, and teaches them to rely on God and each other. This year across the six field countries we serve in Eastern Europe, 500 more families hope for a better future for their children, and the next generation to follow.
Spotlight.
Girls off the STREETS India: The Power of a Choice When Manju* was 15, her boyfriend tricked her into going on a sightseeing trip and led her to the outskirts of a foreign city. A group of men were waiting there to groom her for prostitution. “They taught me what to do and what to say. They taught me to lie to the police. They abused me every day. It was torture,” Manju said. “I endured this for six weeks before they moved me. “They took me to a brothel… A long line of men stretched out the door. The pimps had set up cameras so there was no hope of escape. I was locked in a small room with a single bed. Between 8 and 10 men would come in and rape me every day – sometimes three men at once. I was trapped.” In India alone, it’s estimated that 200 women and girls enter prostitution every single day. Girls like 7-year-old Laboni who said, “I went to buy an ice cream one day and I never came back.” She was sold four times before she ended up working on the streets of Delhi, India. The figures are staggering and the stories are heart-wrenching, but there is also hope. Christian mission organisation SIM runs Girls off the Streets, a program which cares for dozens of girls rescued from sex trafficking in India and Bangladesh. In India, SIM missionaries run an aftercare home that provides medical care; trauma counselling; legal support; education and income generation opportunities. Above all, they experience Christ as they see and listen to the Gospel. When a girl arrives at the SIM Girls off the Streets aftercare home, sometimes she has just been rescued from a brothel. “Many girls come in looking blank and expressionless, though their eyes may be filled with fear,” said program manager Mina Hess. After a few days of rest, the girl is interviewed and given counseling, an education assessment and medical evaluation. “We always ask the girl, ‘What is your dream? What do you want to be when you grow up?’” Mina said. Sadly, most of the girls don’t know how to answer. They’ve never been given a choice of what they would like to do. “We want the girl to learn. We also want her to catch a taste of both the fun and importance of education.” Mina said. The team faces many challenges in the process. “Because of their trauma, the girls often cannot concentrate ... many police visits, court appearances, and medical trips interrupt their studies. But the women on the team keep motivating them, telling them their potential, and reminding them about the importance of dreaming.” Mina told us about Kushi, a teenager who has been staying at the aftercare home for almost a year. “Before I came here, I went to school, 8 Christian Woman: issue one • august twenty-fourteen
Give Her a
Choice
In India on average, $ 76 will pro a girl with vide housing, m edical care counsellin , g, legal su pport and for one mo education nth. Please help SIM g like Manju ive girls , Kushi an d Tina a ch You can ra oice. ise awaren ess and su for Girls off p port the Streets with your or small gro ch urch up by orde ring your fr special res e e ource kit to day. The k includes tw it o short vid eos about the Streets Girls off , a booklet, instruction and PowerP sheet oint presen tation. Ord your free re er source kit or make a deductible ta xdonation to day at www.sima id.org.au/ For more in girls formation, please con tact us on 02 958 0 1422 or email partner.rela tions@sim .org.au
About SIM SIMaid is the aid and development arm of Christian mission SIM Australia. We minister to human need by directing resources into sustainable aid projects, empowering communities to live with dignity and hope. Individuals are able to access health, education, employment resources and most importantly, the Gospel! For more information, visit www.simaid.org.au Connect with us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/GirlsOffTheStreets; www.facebook.com/simaid
but I did not learn anything, but now I know that I can read a textbook and find answers to questions on my own,” Kushi said with a big smile. “I’ve realised now that I like to study.” Mina asked her about her dreams. Kushi answered, “My Plan A is to be a police woman. My Plan B is to be a nurse. My Plan C is to be a teacher. If none of them work out, I will apply to work here and become one of the caregivers!” A year ago Kushi couldn’t imagine a life without prostitution. Now she is discovering who she is and exploring several possibilities for her future career. This is the power of choice. The care-givers are not able to directly evangelise the girls as India is a restricted nation, however there are Bibles and Christian literature at the home and the staff obtain permission to take the girls to church for Easter and Christmas services where they have the opportunity to hear the Gospel. Despite the limitations, the girls keep asking about Jesus! Mina reported, “Several girls are asking care-givers to tell them about Jesus. Thus, despite the limits… we are seeing God work in the girls’ hearts. We are amazed at how responsive the girls have been to God. They are hearing Him speak directly to them, experiencing answers to prayer, and are spontaneously meeting with one another for prayer. The girls love Jesus and know that He loves them. Girls who have come into our home have said things like, ‘How come you love us so much?’” “This is a home of transformation,” the girls said. One girl added, “And it’s all because of God!” Tina was born into a brothel. Her mother worked in the redlight district. Her father lived off the earnings and beat her mother regularly. “I didn’t want to stay with him… but I still needed somewhere to live,” Tina said. “What choice did I have? The redlight district … or on the street by myself.” When Tina came to the Girls off the Streets aftercare home, she was amazed at the genuine love shown by the care-givers. “Here I heard about a loving God for the first time. A care-giver showed me where the Bible explains how precious we are in the sight of this God … This care-giver talked to God as if He was just there beside us. “Now that I know I am in God’s hands I am happy to talk to Him, and to sing. I know He hears me. I know He is a Father who cares for me. Now I am happy like I never was before. I know I am living proof of a powerful God who is able to bring back what is stolen.” CW *names have been changed
Images from top clockwise: Christian mission organisation SIM runs Girls off the Streets, a program which cares for dozens of girls rescued from sex trafficking in India and Bangladesh; A teenage girl in India. When Manju was 15, her boyfriend sold her to pimps. She was locked in a room and raped by 8-10 men every day; SIM’s Girls off the Streets program also reaches out to young mothers trapped in sex trafficking, providing medical care, housing and income generation opportunities; The infamous GB road in Delhi India, where hundreds of girls and women are held captive in brothels. www.christianwomanmag.com 9
SANDRA CAVALLO shares her motivation to get out of bed every day . . .
Living With the
‘WOWStaying FACTOR’ close to God
I
will confess that when the alarm pierces through my dreams in the morning, every fibre within me says “no, not yet!” and I curl under the blankets. I might not be the sprightliest person first thing in the morning, but I am thankful that once the fog lifts, the drive to start the day is there. My inspiration to get up every morning may be different from yours. Some people are driven by the bills they have to pay. Others are pulled by the responsibilities of their job. Some are gripped by a call to be an influence or a success. There are single women in my world who have what I would call the ‘wow factor’. What I mean is that they are guided by a supernatural God and
therefore walk a life with supernatural results. They are driven by an innate desire to put a smile on the face of their heavenly Father. God has a purpose for each day of our lives. But even when we know what this purpose is, we can lose the drive or the ‘wow factor’ to achieve it. Sustaining it is essential. The source of the wow factor We all know about the Proverbs 31 wife—a woman who is of noble character and worth more than rubies. When you read the attributes of what makes her so great, it can feel a little overwhelming. She doesn’t need anyone to prod her out of bed. She arises before dawn and plans the day ahead. What she does shows
10 Christian Woman: issue one • august twenty-fourteen
the great capacity God has created in women. The Proverbs 31 woman was a wife, mother, a business woman, a tailor and a volunteer. If planting a vineyard was all she did, that would be enough. You certainly don’t have to be married to do incredible things. But why is this woman so incredible? What drives her every day? Some would say she is just a capable woman. Others would say she is compelled to bring ‘good, not harm’ to her husband (Pro 31:12). In Proverbs 31:30 God gives us the reason. He exalts this type of woman because she holds a reverential fear of him that is birthed out of intimacy and love for him. She clings to his goodness. Every woman—married or not—should do this.
Singlehearted.
Hanging out with God, positioning myself to hear and feel his presence is what spurs me on Intimacy with God It is a fact there are many capable women out there in the world who are able to do extraordinary things without God. Convictions can be a powerful force, but nothing is more powerful than the Holy Spirit living and breathing in us. Having a friendship with God is what drives me through every day. Cultivating a friendship doesn’t mean bringing just a list of prayer requests. Hanging out with God, positioning myself to hear and feel his presence, is what spurs me on and brings life to everything I do. When I don’t do this, I feel it. Everything feels hard, dry and plain yuck. Getting out of bed in the morning is not fuelled with excitement and possibility, but rather burdensome and dread. In that secret place with God, I desire to see God place his touch on everything I do—from the mundane tasks to the more extraordinary. I desire the supernatural to flow in creative ways and not limited to just healings. The ‘wow factor’ comes when one delights themselves in God first (Psa 37). When you have an amazing time in God’s presence the chores and tasks that might normally weigh us down, don’t seem to. There is just joy. The ‘wow factor’ can’t be reached without joy. The joy factor For many Christian women, the wow factor has become diffused, simply because they have stopped cultivating joy. The Bible states that, “In his presence there is fullness of joy,” (Psa 16:11). Joy is what gives us the strength to do all that we need to do. God desires that his joy remain in us and that it be full (Joh 15:11). Get your head around the fact that in heaven there is only joy. Would you fit in? I have had times in my life that were joyless. I despised the state I was in, I repented and began to be grateful for the small things and asked the Holy Spirit to fill me again. Joy does not mean you have to laugh all the time, although it can help. Hungering joy which comes in God’s presence is what will sustain us to live out his purpose and ensure we stay on track. Girls, the ‘wow factor’ can be seized once again. CW
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In Cinemas May 15 www.christianwomanmag.com 11