Literacy is crucial to the wellbeing of women. Why is it so important? Statistics reveal that Papua New Guinea has some of the highest rates of infant and maternal deaths in the world, and research shows a direct correlation between literacy and maternal/infant health. Literacy improves the quality of life for women in many areas, such as finance and health but also their spiritual lives. Yet many women across the nation have never been taught how to read.
I returned from visiting Baptist women in another province. During my visit, I was saddened to see that their Fellowship President was illiterate, and not only her, but also other Baptist women in her province. The President loves the Lord and is very passionate about the work of Baptist women in her province. When I asked how she reads her Bible, she told me she asked her children to read the Bible for her so she could hear the Word of God. The next morning before I returned home I prayed, “Dear Lord, please make a way for me so that we can help train those who are illiterate so that they can read the Bible themselves.”
Mary Napili, President of PNG Baptist Women
The goal is to train Baptist women from each of the nation’s four regions (Highlands, Momase, Niugini Highlands & Southern) to be Adult Literacy Trainers. These women will be equipped to address and eradicate illiteracy challenges in their regions with a vision that every Baptist woman in Papua New Guinea will be literate within the next 3-5 years.
Through your Day of Prayer offering, you are helping women discover the life-changing impact of literacy.