The call to ministry has not been an easy one for Jane*, serving with SIM UK in South Asia, but she faces the challenges with SIM UK by her side.
Since 2017, she has been working with SIM UK to help raise anti-trafficking awareness among women and girls.
“My ultimate goal is to see healing for victims, not only physically, emotionally and mentally, but also spiritually,” she says.
“My ministry has been a full bag of emotions – joy and happiness for the friendships I’ve made; sadness for the dire needs there are in this place and the difficulties of living in a very different country.
“Learning the language was harder than I expected, but being able to have conversations gave me a deeper insight into the culture and God also opened doors for me to help out in a girls’ home, where I came alongside girls who’d been trafficked and sexually abused,” she adds.
Jane admits that living in a very different culture brings many challenges and joys.
“I’m very western-minded and direct, but people here aren’t, so that’s been something I’ve had to bear in mind, but they are inquisitive and do appreciate mission workers being here, although we don’t tell them exactly why we’re here because we can’t share the gospel openly.”
Jane says she is grateful for the prayers of her supporters and the help and guidance given by SIM UK from afar: “Prior to joining SIM, I was working alone in another South Asia country, while supporting the work of local organisations.
“However, gradually the sense of being alone became too great. Also, my home church was very concerned about my well-being, as being thousands of miles away, they realised they couldn’t provide me with the support I needed.
“At first, I was reluctant to join any mission agency as I’d always worked independently, but having been with SIM for three years, my heart is filled with gratitude and thankfulness that it cares so deeply for me.
“The vast variety of support it can offer is definitely something I can’t find myself, or my church could provide. For example, with just couple of emails, I can get in touch with other SIM workers to discuss different ways to approach ministry and to bounce ideas off each other.
“The back-office financial support at SIM UK has also freed up so much valuable time to focus on my ministry and being in a team of like-minded people in a foreign country definitely gives me the feeling of belonging – a family away from family.”
Jane is currently making plans to relocate from the capital city to an area where 97 per cent of the country’s Muslims live to expand her anti-trafficking ministry.
“The area is close to the border with a country where human trafficking is a major problem and especially high in children,” she explains.
“The area is hostile to the gospel, but I know God is with me and guiding each step daily. He knows my needs and concerns and has clearly let me know that I’m walking on the right path.” *Name changed
By Kerry Allan
Please pray
- For Jane as she crosses barriers to demonstrate Christ’s love to communities where he is least known.
- For repentance, reunion and restoration among the victims of trafficking, their families, and their traffickers.
- Give thanks along with Jane for the prayers and encouragement of SIM UK staff and her supporters.