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A Letter From Josna Greetings in the precious name of Jesus who is our Lord and Savior. I would like to thank you all for the love you showed me, my family, and my fellow Pakistani women while I was in the United States. I am already missing the time I spent with you all. I thank my Lord for protecting my family while I was away. Things are still quite tense here. Last week there was a terrible terrorist attack in one of the shopping markets in Lahore. Hundreds of people died-mostly women and children. After I got here, within two weeks we had five terrorist attacks. One of these attacks took place in a mosque in Rawalpindi; hundreds of men died while they were offering prayer. These terrorists have hardened hearts, even feeling no loss for these poor families. Many of those who died were the only earning hands in the family, and now the surviving members are left as orphans and widows who have no further means of income. These last days I have been very busy at home as well as with the ministry during Christmas. Aroona Shahrukh, our supervisor, planned and arranged all the programs for children and women’s classes and the teachers’ party and get together. All the teachers and children enjoyed the coming of Jesus as a baby in the manger. In Pakistan, generally 60% of the women are illiterate but in the poor community 80% of the women are illiterate. They do not have any education or skills to work or earn money for their family. So, to help them to become literate, to read their religious books or news paper, to become updated with our society’s activities, to read their house utility bills, CWDA transforms lives of these Pakistani women- from victims into leaders. TODAY, we have 15 women’s literacy classes in function with 5 classes just completed in August and September. 300 students are enrolled in these fifteen classes. TOTAL WOMEN EDUCATED: 2500!  Enlightening & Encouraging Women Developed from local grass roots beginnings, the Women’s Development Association is a non-profit organization whose mission is to train and support women in third world nations by teaching literacy, basic mathematics, health education, legal rights and economic empowerment. The vision empowers illiterate women by giving them reading and writing skills. In turn they grow spiritually, as illiterate women are not able to read the Bible. Literacy gives them respect in society and, by using these skills, they can upgrade their living standards. Additionally, they learn health awareness, specifically reproductive health, in order to improve their health and that of their families. WDA provides employment
skills for the poorest of the poor to improve the economical realities
facing these households, particularly women. As a result of the
skill-based training they receive, 50% of the women realize economic
gain through sewing fine pieces, shoe making and other related areas.
These women gain more than trade skills; they develop self-esteem and
confidence. 1. Lack
of fair employment
opportunities available to poor, Christian women The Pakistani Ministry ... WDA is endeavoring to partner in a relational way with Josna to educate persecuted and abused women. The ways we can accomplish this are:
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