Genesis 1:27 “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” (NIV)
Today, March 8, is “International Women’s Day.” This annual observance began in the USA in 1909 and became an international event in 1911. Today we memorialize the struggle of women around the world against economic inequality, political underrepresentation, gender-based violence, and other ills that make the lives of women unnecessarily harder.
Over the years, CRM has consistently prioritized providing training and resources to lift women who are underserved and often oppressed due to cultural and religious norms, war, and natural disasters. Women who receive such help are less likely to experience sexual violence. And their suicide rate drops when their children are protected and healthy due to an adequate diet.
Since the war started in Sudan in April 2024, CRM has been at the forefront of providing various forms of disaster relief directly benefitting women and girls. So far, we have evacuated approximately 500 families from places where bombs were falling and bullets flying to places of relative safety. And, to date, we have provided food relief for 950 families, most of whom are led by widows or teenaged girls.
Within Darfur, Sudan, thousands of women-led families currently live exposed to the elements. Women express how much they fear the upcoming rainy season. In response, CRM has provided tarps for shelters and blankets for warmth. Access to potable water is also a major survival issue. In response, CRM has partnered with Filter of Hope to provide water filters to the Sudanese women and girls bearing the burden of cooking and maintaining the health of their children.
But most important, CRM provides women suffering from the horrors of war with God’s Word. Some of the best evangelists in Darfur, a primarily Muslim state, are women. Because many women were denied the opportunity to attend school, CRM provides them with solar-powered devices containing digital Bibles and gospel films. CRM also trains women using the Creation to Christ Story Cloth. Women display a special aptitude for quickly learning the 42 Bible stories and devising ways to utilize the Story Cloths to spread the gospel.
On this International Women’s Day, please donate to CRM, so we may continue standing with marginalized Sudanese women and girls. We are currently seeking funding to provide blankets, tarps, mosquito nets, and sleeping mats for an additional 550 families. Together, in Jesus’ name, we can create a brighter future for oppressed women and girls in Darfur.
With deep appreciation,
David Crane
President, Calvary Road Ministries
