Teaching women's value and health in a male-dominated culture

In the area where we serve, the culture is male-dominated, and women believe they have no value. Without marriage they are nothing; whether never married or widowed. Without a husband, they have no value and are a burden to their relatives. Even just being born a girl, they become a burden to their family. They think that they'd be loved more if they were a boy.

But in Genesis 1:27, we learn that God also created women in his image, not just men. Women don't have any less value or purpose in life than men.

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Many here believe that a woman is “unclean” and sick when her monthly cycle comes. She is taught that she is not allowed to cook or enter the kitchen on these days, she is not allowed to offer prayers, read or even touch religious scripts, or enter the places of worship, because she is unclean. Many women don't even know why they bleed every month. It is not talked about openly and they can't ask questions to those around them out of fear and shame.

We teach women why we bleed every month—it is not a sickness, but is part of the way we are created by God, and he doesn't make mistakes. One day when they become pregnant, there will be a “safe nest” for their baby to grow and develop inside of them. God created even that part of a woman in a special way and with a unique purpose.

During our health teachings, we share the story of the woman who bled for 12 years (Matthew 9:20–22; Mark 5:25–34; Luke 8: 43–48). This story shows these women a picture of our God. Even though these women haven’t bled continuously for 12 years, this is a context they understand and can relate to. They see a woman who is “unclean” come into the presence of Jesus and even touch Jesus. Jesus searches for her until he finds her. He looks at her, he refers to her lovingly as “daughter” and blesses her. He doesn't scold her; he is not made unclean by her touching him. He shows compassion and love for her. She is healed and blessed because of her faith.

Our hope and prayer is that every single woman who comes would learn and see our God, who loves them and calls them to himself. We pray they will see that—just like with the bleeding woman—he loves and has compassion on them. They can come to him any time, and through coming to Jesus they are made clean, not only of the “physical uncleanness,” but also from their sins and the shame that they carry. We want them to see that God created them beautiful and not of any less worth than men. And we pray they can find life—eternal life—through him.