In the words of one of our trainers....

Dear partners in ministry, Thank you for your prayers, in-kind and financial gifts, because of God's grace and His stirring in your hearts to partner with GTIW we witnessed His glory manifested in a powerful way in Turkey this past week.  God is faithful!  He brought 15 of our Arab Sisters safely to Turkey from Egypt, Iraq, Jerusalem, Jordan and Sweden.  Many of the women came empty and worn and left filled and renewed in their hearts and minds.  We felt the presence of our Lord and Savior with us every step of the way. To God be the glory! From the bottom of our hearts we thank you and may our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ bless you and your families!  Blessings, Janelle Wood Executive Director GTIW In the words of one of our teachers... Mary with Hanan and Lilian Thoughts from my journal, written somewhere over  the Atlantic. Mary Malouf        The ever present alarm barely got its shrill sound out before our feet hit the floor of room 1408, this time at 3:15 am and this morning our last in Antalya, Turkey.  Really?  Was 11 days of work and presentations, love and sharing, prayers and listening actually coming to a close?  Was I ready to say goodbye to my 15 Arab friends with their resilient spirits and ever ready embraces?  I am tired but more grateful than tired, more in awe of God's faithfulness than my weariness.  Bits and pieces of these days beckon my attention. Camellia, our sweet maid who spoke to us in long and hearty hugs. The passionate praying of Inas and others as she wept over the countries of her sisters with all their bombings, civil unrest and mistreatment of women. One of our single gals living in her parent's Muslim home is so anxious to get out of the oppressive situation.  Her gift from God? She was able to lead her little brother to Jesus this month. Hanaa's sadness as she told of one of her teens at camp finally admitting not only her father but uncle and brother repeatedly using her sexually.  Afraid to report all this lest she be killed for shaming the family, she buries  How sweet it was to greet our dear Arab sisters!  the story in her young soul. Oh how life giving is this camping program where they have been encouraged to tell their story. The ability of the Arab women to engage in amazing worship and even dance the dabke!  Every worship session was led by an Arab. The joy on Azza's face as she told of the faithfulness of God to spare her 8 year old son who was almost kidnapped from their car by the Muslim Brotherhood. They will return again to get him but she is trusting God for protection. She is a brave pastor's wife. To hear of the continually and fast growing church made up of MBB's (Muslim Background Believers) in Jerusalem, acting as family for one another. One of our young women is discipling them. Hanan's generosity to care for her niece and nephew as her whole family has been killed, to share every lesson we teach, to her women at church, all the while restricted to water 3 to 5 hours a day.  Her brother in law was targeted and shot in the head twice while we were together. Yet she smiles, prays fervently and loves with generosity that humbles me. What joy to hear of Bushra's group of praying women called 'Disturbing the Heavens.' This group prays for big miracles like water for Iraq and healings. She serves women all over Iraq. Lilian said that though they suffer under Morrisee's regime in Egypt, the good news is that many Muslims are seeing that Islam for many has produced violence and disrespect and they are   disillusioned. They are pouring into Christian churches and engaging, their Christian neighbors in conversation about Jesus' claims. The environments are harsh and evil.  The injustices are real. Listening to their hearts will suck the air out of your lungs and your tears will only be wiped away by the hand which has a nail piercing. But as we worked through How to Study the Bible, How to Engage in Conflict Resolution and How to Practice the Presence The women spent many hours praying for each other and their countries of God their hearts filled with excitement and they once again were blessed that we came not just to teach them but to be their friend, to enter into their story.  It didn't hurt that we brought them to a lovely resort on the Mediterranean, lush and green, with nice accommodations and good food. But we came having prayed together as a team for hours and God seemed to use that. Grateful to God and you!  Mary

Christian Women Persecuted in Egypt

Below is an article that we would like to share with you and ask that you join with us in praying for our sisters in the Middle East.

Egypt is home to more than 8 million Christians, the largest Christian community in the Middle East. Religious authorities declare that wearing a hijab, or veil, is compulsory for Muslim women, but no one can be forced to wear it. The Muslim Brotherhood has said they will not apply a strict interpretation of Sharia laws with regard to women’s dress.
In total disregard for human respect, a Christian woman was attacked inside Cairo, had her hair cut off by two other women and thrown from a car while being called an infidel.  As a result she also suffered a broken arm. The humiliation, evil, disrespect, hatred, and degradation suffered by this woman was carried out by veiled women who belong to the Organization of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, an underground movement that is not officially sanctioned or supported by the government.
Other such instances have also been reported. A week earlier a veiled woman cut the hair of an unveiled 13-year old riding the subway. In the southern town of Luxor, an Egyptian court sentenced an Egyptian schoolteacher to a suspended prison sentence for cutting off the hair of unveiled 12-year old girls.
Is an Islamist-dominated government fueling an Islamist hardening of Egyptian culture?  Such reported cruel acts to a few Christian women are not the only signs pointing to such domination by the government.  Deepened by fears which came as a result of President Morsi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, declaring new presidential powers, thousands of demonstrators been rioting Tahir Square and in front of the presidential palace to protest his ludicrous decree which has been labeled as a power grab, an “unprecedented assault” on the judiciary.
Muslim Brotherhood leaders have repeatedly said they will not apply a strict interpretation of Sharia law with regard to women’s dress.  But is that true?  In a country that is going through an unstable transition period, who will decide the interpretation of the law?  So far, the Brotherhood’s actions are speaking louder than their words.
Pray for these Christian women living in a hostile nation. Pray for the peace and protection of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6).  If Islamic extremist ever gain control of any or all of Israel, Jewish women will be subjected to humiliation and persecution on a much larger scale. If the Muslim Brotherhood’s plan to take over America comes to fruition, Sharia law will be the rule and American women will suffer the same.  This is not a fantasy. We need to pray.
Source material for this story is found at World Mag and Virtual Tourist.

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Dr. Michael D. Evans is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, having penned 38 books including the titles shown below. You can read his full biography on Wikipedia. Dr. Evans also runs the Israel news site JerusalemWorldNews where you can receive current intel on Israel and the Middle East, as well as the Corrie ten Boom Museum from Haarlem, Holland, found at TenBoom.org