ProjectGRL

Joyce

When I was a young girl, I remember feeling helplessly trapped in an abusive home. I was desperate, confused and hopeless. I couldn’t possibly have understood during those dark times that God had something marvelous ahead for me—that He loved me and had a plan for my life that included not just escape from the situation but a beautiful purpose.

I don’t dwell on those days but I do remember them, and they have birthed in me a powerful compassion for all who are hurting and a burden for girls and young women. Just like me, far too many girls simply have no idea of their value and it breaks my heart. You and I must do all we can to share with them that they are daughters of the King—highly treasured with limitless potential.

Bhoomika

Bhoomika lives in a small village where water has been scarce and education is non-existent because girls are forced to spend their day making the long, treacherous walk to gather water. Where prostitution has been passed down from mother to daughter, hope is an unknown word.

But a Hand of Hope freshwater well and church—a Well of Life—has saved this precious 10-year-old from so much. The clean water keeps her healthy and is close to where she lives, so she can spend her time getting the education she deserves. Having a well nearby also keeps her out of the dangers of sex-traffcking, which is so prevalent in her area.

And most importantly, this energetic, young girl’s days are full of joy because as she visits the well to draw water, she’s also learning about how much Jesus loves her at the church! She has the beautiful opportunity to be who He created her to be . . . and it all started with clean water.

Addis

The red light district in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, is one of the most horrific places you can imagine. Women with empty eyes line streets with one tiny, dark room after the next. A few colored lights beckon men into the rooms to use and abuse these hopeless women. A young woman named Addis knows those alleys well; she used to work there to survive.

But everything has changed. Addis started a new life when she was taken from that dark place to a rescue home. Not only did she escape the horrors she was forced into before, she now has a future! She went to school to become a hairdresser. But more amazing than that— Jesus met her there and brought healing to her soul.

Today, she owns her own salon and tells her clients about how much Jesus loves them too! You can see from her beautiful smile that she is living her dream.

Julieta

From a young age, Julieta was told she wasn’t wanted, she couldn’t do anything right, she wasn’t pretty and she wasn’t worthy of love. Over time, these lies robbed her of any sense of self-worth and purpose in life. And when all hope was lost, she attempted suicide.

But God had a different plan for Julieta. Through Joyce’s teaching, she’s discovered the truth about Christ’s love for her and has made Bible study a part of her lifestyle. The lies from her past have crumbled. She’s overcoming self-destructive thoughts and is now free to grow in Christ, becoming the amazing woman He’s created her to be.

“God told me I’m His beloved child,” Julieta says, “and He has a plan for my life. It’s so beautiful when you come to realize you are really unconditionally loved!”

Andiswa

Most days, 12-year-old Andiswa went to school hungry. So hungry that she often felt dizzy and couldn’t stay awake in class. She had trouble concentrating—all because she had nothing to eat at home.

That was before. Today, Andiswa is learning and thriving. She eats nutritious meals every day at her school in South Africa provided by Hand of Hope. She is bright and enthusiastic.

Andiswa is happy and has a lot of energy for school. She’s thankful for the feeding program because she’s able to concentrate, and her schoolwork has improved. She plans to continue to study hard so she can become a doctor and help others in her community…a dream that used to feel unattainable, but now she has hope.

Fai

Fai’s story represents so many aspects of why Project GRL exists. As a young girl she wasn’t able to go to school because she had to help the family work the rice fields. At 16, she was thrust into a marriage to a man 15 years her senior. After the birth of their son, he became addicted to drugs and started to beat her regularly. Although she was illiterate and had nowhere to go, Fai made the courageous decision to leave her husband.

Today Fai is living at the Gabrielle House, a home for girls at risk of human trafficking. She’s seeing her dream to be a seamstress and provide for her son become a reality. She’s experiencing the love of Christ, learning to read and write, and gaining the skills needed to experience a full and happy life after leaving the home. A future that once seemed hopeless is now much, much brighter.

Lydia

Udagutuk was given her name by the local witch doctor. She was born into a culture where women are considered lower than livestock, and young girls are forced into horrible sexual rituals. But when she accepted Christ, she changed her name to Lydia. And that’s not all that changed.

Today, she is free from the dangers of being a girl because of a school built by Hand of Hope. Here she receives the education she needs and deserves. She is gaining the skills to experience a full and happy life. And most importantly, this is where she was introduced to Christ. She has learned that she is loved and extremely valuable.