Jane finds support while raising awareness

By Kerry Allan | United Kingdom in Europe

The call to ministry has not been an easy one for Jane*, serving with SIM UK in South Asia, but she has faced the challenges of raising financial support, coping with health issues, and struggling with extensive language learning, with the mission by her side.

Since 2017, she has been working 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 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 … 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 … definitely gives me the feeling of belonging – a family away from family.”

In 2021, Jane will relocate from the capital city to an area where 97 per cent of the country’s majority religious adherents live and where, together with SIM’s local ministry partner, she’ll help to launch a children’s nursery school.

“I’ll be overseeing the building project and also connecting with anti-trafficking organisations working in the various border crossings connecting to a country where human trafficking is a major problem and especially high in children,” she explains.

“The area is known for its harsh climates and there is hostility to the gospel, but I know God is with me and guiding each step daily. He knows my needs and concerns and has clearly to let me know I’m walking on the right path.”

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.

*Names changed.