Some members of my church invited Samuel Stephens to speak at our bible study group about 18 mths ago. Pastor Stephens told us about the work the IGL were doing and that they needed sponsors to support children, especially girls, in their childrens' homes. Since then I have sponsored a little girl and have been impressed by the updates and messages that I have received. Also the online website makes it easy to send gifts and extras whenever I can.
In August, 2009 I visited the IGL campus at Sharon Gardens to learn more about Rural Development and how my handbag business could benefit women's empowerment. After a couple years of prayer, planning & email contact with Becky Stanley, we realized that God was speaking the same plan to 2 women, in 2 different cultures, halfway around the world from each other! Sitting across from her the morning after my arrival, Becky confirmed the name of a women's discipleship program that our Lord had placed on my heart: Lydia's Purse. Though we initially planned to partner my business with their sewing centers as a "traditional", Fair Trade, manufacturing arrangement...we are now discovering that God has His own plan. Lydia's Purse motto is "Sewing Handbags while Sowing Hearts". The mission encourages women to live with Excellence in daily life (as Proverbs 31 women), while learning to sew an exclusively designed handbag pattern (made from recycled indigenous materials). A percentage of profits from the sale of these "skills training", practice bags could benefit the microloan program for women. I speak as much about the future possibility of this venture, as my past experience with this amazing organization, because they are truly committed to furthering the Gospel in/through India. IGL leadership is moving forward, seriously, stepping cautiously, as God clearly leads, protectively shepherding the multitudes in their care. I am humbled to partner with India Gospel League, to see families, regional communities, and a nation TRANSFORMED, through the empowerment of individual women!
I first came in contact with this organization thru my church.I had my kids choose a child for us to support.For a nominal fee each month we can support this child so he can survive and be educated.I have recently donated to help the missionaries start more churches in India and spread the gospel to all who want to hear.I recieve weekly e-mails from them with updates and answered prayers and also prayer requests.Many good things happening thru India Gospel League and many more good things to come.
I have been involved with the India Gospel League (IGL) for over sixteen years. For six of those years I was Director of the Wichita India Project (WIP), a group of churches located in Witchita, Kansas that came together to support the IGL. Though involved with missions for many years, I had never seen the completion of a project in a foriegn country before. The WIP came together with a goal to plant a certain number of churches, support pastors, build a number of Life Centers, teach life skills, and improve village life. IGL came up with a required budget to do all these ministries and in less that three years the money had been raised by WIP and all goals completed. We were able to walk away knowing that the indigenous community was sustainable. Therefore, we decided to do the same in another region of India. During that time period God enabled me to travel to India on two different occasions. I was able to see how God used the local Christian population, not Western missionaries, to accomplish His will. This is how missions should work.
I'm extrememly impressed with the work of India Gospel League. They are involved in key aspects of society: education, medicine, leadership, raising up the next generation, advancing the plight of women and more! While we were with them in India, they had many things going on in the above areas; yet, they took good care of us and were extrememly hospitable. Their service to our team allowed us to fulfill our task: to train and serve the women of India and Sri Lanka. I may have come to bless, but I know I was blessed the more because of watching the Stephans' love, dedication, and unwavering passion to serve India. Women with a Mission in India has hands to do the work and feet to move forward for the betterment of women in India!
IGL is stand-out in the work that it does for women in South India, the way they use investments to transform communities at a grassroots level is encouraging and it is all done with Christian love. Women we met were empowered to start their own businesses or trained for gainful employment. The women I met were proud of their work and thankful for being released from poverty-reinforcing loan-sharks. IGL are also transformative in improving literacy so that future generations will not be left behind and trapped in the poverty cycle. Their commitment to womens transformation groups for 5 years is very positive as it isn't just a once-off investment, but it is long-term and sees through a community to see what needs to be done and how those needs change over time. A worthwhile investment!
This was a great experience, which was organised with India Gospel League. The team taught from the Bible in the mornings and this was followed by group teaching which I helped to run for the women who attended. We hoped to enhance the teaching by encouraging them to share their thoughts on the teaching. Some of the women were not able to read well, so we also used pictorial methods to teach them. It was an enriching experience for me, and all of the team, and we learned much from the women in our groups.
I have been to India four times on short-term mission trips, and every time is better than the previous one. India Gospel League is reaching everywhere in innovative, effective, and long-lasting efforts to build the kingdom of God in India and Sri Lanka.
The funds we provide each year (a 5 year commitment) are being used to provide health care, economic development, womens empowerment, spiritual instruction, child care, tutoring, vocational training and more. One of the best things they do is form Women's Transformational Groups, which focus upon all of the above in small groups of women. If you can reach the women, then you also reach the next generation. We are pleased with the results so far and intend to take our employees (about 10) to visit the village near the end of our commitment.