Did you know that 57% of MedSend grants are for women serving on the field? In the case of these women--MedSend grant recipients—helplessness is not a word that would come to mind. However, they often find themselves called to places that are exceedingly vulnerable. And in these places, the women who are their patients and neighbors are among the most vulnerable.

According to OpenDoors USA, persecution against women is the number one trend in global persecution in 2019. “In many places, they experience a ‘double persecution--’ one for being a woman and one for being a Christian,” the organization reports. The fact that so many women MedSend grant recipients are heading out to live and work in these areas where persecution of women persists, is cause for particular concern. But despite the adversities, MedSend grant recipients are also persistent: many become fierce advocates for their female patients, helping equip them in a myriad of ways, from prenatal care to counseling for those suffering with fistulas, to learning about proper nutrition for their children and families.

Motherhood, in particular, is vulnerable to the extreme. In many cultures, a woman’s value is often assigned based on the number of children she has. When infertility is an issue, a woman can be ostracized or left destitute. The maternal mortality rate in developing countries makes up 99% of the global maternal death percentages. On average, 800 women die from pregnancy-related causes during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum, according to data from WorldBank.org. MedSend healthcare professionals are helping provide care to women at all stages of motherhood, in an effort to prevent and improve these alarming rates.

This week, our prayer focus is Strength. In particular, we ask you to join us in focusing on the Helplessness of Women and on Motherhood in the areas in which our grant recipients serve. Additionally, we pray for the strength of our grant recipients as they care for those most imperiled in the community.

Specific prayer points are:

• Pray for female MedSend grant recipients who are living and working in areas that have hostility towards women.
• Pray for grant recipients who care for women in communities and within cultures who ostracize them based on their gender.
• Pray that the maternal mortality rates in the developing world will continue to improve with increased access to pre-natal and post-natal care.
• Pray for girls, that they will be instilled with resiliency and strength from a young age, and that they will be shielded from those who do not see their true value.
• Pray for economic opportunities for woman and girls living in poverty.
• Pray for girls and women who are trapped in sexual exploitation and forced labor.
• Pray that MedSend healthcare professionals are able to make an impact in the lives of Christian women in cultures that persecute Christians. Pray that the support they give provides comfort and strength as these women grow in their faith.