Supporting Widows

India is a very patriarchial society. Women have no status outside that of mother, daughter and wife. When a woman's husband dies, she basically ceases to exist. A widow is regarded as a financial drain on the family. Indeed, a widow is often regarded as the cause of her husband's death; she is considered bad luck and may not even be permitted at her childrens' weddings. She is shunned and socially ostracized.

A widow--

• May not remarry (regardless of her age)
• Expected not to wear jewlery
• Often abandoned by her own children
• Receives no inheritance
• May be forced to wear a white sari (white is the color of death in India)
• Forced to beg-live on charity
• Conditions worse in rural India

Mid-India Christian Services, Bethlehem tries to alleviate the suffering of Christian widows by teaching them skills-giving them the means to support themselves and by providing food and shelter so they do not have to live on the streets, beg for food and wait to die. Currently, our support for widows concentrates on the widows of Christian workers. Although their families are less likely to abandon them, their families are often too poor to support them and they still suffer from societial ostracism.

If you would like to help support a widow, your $20 a month will provide basic care. If you would like to help a widow support herself, consider donating a sewing machine so she can learn to sew and earn a living.

As always, we welcome your prayers.