Arab Women Learn God Loves Them
by Manda Gibson

Sarab Sarah grew up in Iraq. She had always gone to church and called herself a Christian, but she really understood nothing about the gospel.

“I used to hear some words like salvation and redemption, and I had a lot of questions in my mind with no answers,” she shared. “The only answer I got was that I should have an absolute faith without any inquiries.”

Then she heard a radio program about being saved by grace.

“It was the best news I ever heard,” she said. “I started reading the Bible with a new spirit, the spirit of happiness that was planted in my heart when I accepted Jesus Christ.”

Sarab Sarah is just one of many Arab women whose lives have been touched by AWT (AWT’s full name cannot be listed for security reasons), a group of women from evangelical churches who minister to women in the Arab world. The ministry works throughout the Middle East and North Africa in 22 countries whose primary language is Arabic.

The world is home to more than 300 million Arabs. While most Arabs are Muslims, millions are Christians, and thousands are Jewish (just as there are Muslim, Christian, and Jewish Americans). They come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds; while some Arabs are dark-skinned, others have blue eyes and red hair.

Though there’s much diversity among Arab women, many Arab women face common challenges. In Arab society, women traditionally have been subordinate to men. For example, among certain classes, only men may own property. Most Arab women aren’t permitted to have professional careers, except those related to their roles as daughter, sister, wife, mother, or mother-in-law. Some Arab women suffer abuse, like forced marriages and honor crimes. In 2003, the adult literacy rate of Arab women was 51 percent, while 73 percent of Arab men were literate.

AWT works to meet the unique needs of Arab women through three primary means of ministry:

1. Radio broadcasts. Twice a week, women hear about God’s love and plan for women. They also learn how they’re created in God’s image, just as men are.

2. Seminars and conferences. Christian women leaders receive training in various leadership and life topics such as goal setting and positive thinking. They also talk about issues related to their belief systems.

3. Web sites. AWT has both an Arabic Web site, which addresses issues related to Arab women’s lives, and an English Web site where people from the western world can learn more about Arab women.

• The ministry’s financial needs
• AWT staff members and their families
• The women who hear AWT’s message. Pray they will receive God’s living water and that through it they will refresh their families, other women, and their society.