Tiya had stayed beside the dried-up riverbank for several days. A newly married Arsi Oromo woman, she’d been called to her first ateetee gathering. This ritual of prayer and song was the sacred duty of the married women in her community. Drought had fallen on their region in Ethiopia, so... read more →
Dec
23
Dec
22
In a remote Chinese village, Sonamtso tells the story of three visitors from a distant land. They arrived unannounced one day, accompanied by a nurse working in the area who’d befriended her family. Hospitality is a valued practice among Amdo Tibetans, so Sonamtso quickly ushered her guests into the living... read more →
Dec
21
If you look around the world today, it’s difficult to ignore the discord that divides people and nations. The “peace on earth” we yearn for at Christmas often feels like a distant dream. For all the beauty and intention of God embedded in every culture, sin has caused humanity to... read more →
Dec
20
Lazarus had been dead four days when Jesus met Martha on the road into Bethany. Distraught, she grieved not only her brother’s death, but also her hope that Jesus would save him. “I am the resurrection and the life.” Jesus makes the bold assertion that He Himself is the very... read more →
Dec
19
The global refugee crisis has reached unprecedented levels. Of the world’s 70.8 million forcibly displaced people, 25.9 million—more than half of whom are children—have sought refuge beyond their countries’ borders. More than 41 million are internally displaced, and at least 3.9 million are stateless, denied a nationality and access to... read more →
Dec
18
Professional long-distance runners devote countless hours to training their bodies. Working out to strengthen muscles; eating the proper food; getting enough sleep; mentally preparing for fatigue, weather conditions and opponents’ strategies; even selecting the proper footwear and clothing—these are the things that make for success. And they rely on a... read more →
Dec
17
Alem had a dilemma. As he and Salim shared the Gospel in his southwest Ethiopian village, people were responding in faith. The problem? Many of them were Menja. Alem’s upbringing taught him the Menja were dirty, backward people—even animals. No one would come to a church where the Menja were... read more →
Dec
16
Their four children asleep at last, Aziz and Habiba finally had a chance to sit down and talk with Aziz’s mother, the matriarch of their multi-generational household. Their village in an isolated region of Central Asia had been hit by a measles outbreak. The nearest medical services were a long... read more →
Dec
15
Worldwide, women are disproportionately disadvantaged, abused and exploited. One in three women and girls is impacted by violence during her lifetime (UN Women). Women and girls account for 71% of trafficking victims (UNODC 2016), and at least 12 million girls are married before age 18 each year (UNICEF 2019). Across... read more →
Dec
14
The word “reindeer” often brings to mind images of sleighs, jingling bells and a kind-hearted, jolly old man who delivers Christmas gifts to children all over the world. But to the Nenets of Siberia, reindeer are much more than folklore—reindeer are life. Nenets and their reindeer migrate more than 600... read more →