The writers of "30 Days of Prayer for the Voiceless" describe the lot of women who work too long, too hard and too much, especially in back-breaking manual labour. An example is the typical African peasant woman who works 16 hours daily, trudging long distances to find and carry firewood, animal fodder and water, growing and harvesting food, tending crops, cooking and caring for her family. This leaves little time to seek education and training which would enable her to break free from the cycle of low status and poverty.
The nurse who was linked to my church and went to Africa with a missionary society explained that the small children of these women are often too tired to eat by the time the evening meal is finally cooked and so are malnourished, thus adding another vicious twist to the downward spiral of poverty.
Almighty God, please in your majesty and might act to rescue the poor from those who are too strong for them - especially,Lord, show them ways in which they can help their families to walk free out of poverty.
I pray, Lord, that you would move the hearts of our political leaders to keep working to make such poverty history. Lord, if you want something new to start with me, please show me the part you have for me to play in your rescue plan.
Relevant web sites are:
http://www.unfpa.org/swp/2005/presskit/factsheets/facts_gender.htm#gender_labour
http://unstats.un.org/unsd/mi/goals_2005/goal_3.pdf
http://thp.org/reports/indiawom.htm
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