24 Jan Helping and Transforming the Lives of Those Without a Voice
Joanne* works among the refugees in Malaysia. She helps to handle a refugee centre and leads a social enterprise. She recently attended an event where she gained fresh, diverse perspectives from leading scholars and teachers of the Word which made her further realize how God uses people with different skills to support various people groups. Joanne also speaks on empowering refugees in shelters and social enterprises at academies, universities, and churches to raise awareness on this issue.
Her dedication to helping refugees has proven life-changing for many including a mother from a neighbouring country. She is one of the centre’s dedicated bakers and has been joining their Saturday thanksgiving nights and Sunday church services. One day, while cleaning a cupboard, she found a Bible in her mother tongue and begun to read it, but it didn’t stop there. God used her as a storyteller because His ways are higher than our ways. As she read, a few children from her homeland eagerly gathered around her to listen to her explain the Bible stories. Joanne relates how God touched the heart of the baker in such an amazing way that she has edged closer to fully receiving Christ into her heart. This is the power of faith displayed in the unique journey each soul encounters in discovering the love of Christ.
Pray for two teenage refugees who are joining the shelter next month. Pray that they will adapt well and be able to focus on their studies as they do not have an educational background.
Intercede for one of the refugees who suffered sexual assault eight months back and has not seen progress in the court case which is continually being delayed. Pray for justice to be served as the prosecutor has done nothing to address the situation.
Pray for a safe, smooth journey for a refugee who is beginning to resettle in Canada.
Pray for Joanne’s plan to create a website for the social enterprise projects before Christmas and for her to be able to sell at least 400 tins of Christmas cookies.
Pray for churches to have Christmas celebrations with the refugees.
Pray for strength for Joanne to handle the shelter and social enterprise and for more manpower to assist with the social enterprise especially in media. Pray for God to send her business-minded people with similar vision as she explores opportunities to help refugees start online businesses. Pray for her future direction and increase of capacity and capability as she considers a leadership position in 2024.
* names changed to protect privacy