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Dear friends,

Since God called me to start Project Hannah, I’ve wanted it to be a ministry by the next generation of women, not simply one for the next generation. That is happening around the world and what a blessing it was to have Morgan Jackson intern with us this year! Be encouraged as you read her column below and her articles throughout this issue.

Marli

What if I told you there was a problem faced by millions of women worldwide that’s capable of negatively affecting almost every aspect of their lives? You would assume it’s a big issue like war, hunger, or poverty, right? It couldn’t be something as “insignificant” as knowing how to read and write …

Turns out, it could – and it is. Countless females have never had the opportunity to learn and discover the joy of reading or the freedom of writing. And this global lack of literacy has staggering repercussions in people’s lives, communities, and entire countries.

Why is it so important for women and girls to be literate and have this ability to understand the written word? Because a chain reaction ripples through a woman’s entire life when she is viewed as worthy enough to receive the precious gift of an education. Educated women tend to marry later and have fewer children. Infant mortality and child malnutrition are therefore halved, and maternal deaths during childbirth decrease drastically. Schooling can also boost a woman’s eventual earnings and lead to an overall increase in her community’s economic productivity.

And it doesn’t stop there! Being able to read has a major impact on one’s spiritual and family life as well. If a woman isn’t literate, she isn’t able to read and understand the Bible, learning biblical principles with which to direct her actions as a wife and mother. Likewise, she can’t pass that valuable knowledge on to her children. If a woman is illiterate, everyday written guides regarding health information, food prices, local laws, and hygiene practices are useless to her. She cannot read for herself even the most basic instructions and as a result is putting the health of her entire family at risk. Are you starting to grasp how far-reaching illiteracy can be in the lives of those whom it affects?

While working with Project Hannah, I have witnessed how powerful the ministry’s tools are in bridging this literacy gap in women’s lives. Women of Hope provides numerous audio programs teaching essential health and spiritual lessons that females would not receive otherwise. And the monthly prayer calendar mobilizes thousands of people around the world to pray for the plight of women who are stuck in illiteracy as well as in many other forms of bondage. If you are able to read this today, know how blessed you are to have the opportunity to master this crucial skill. Also understand how important it is that you be literate regarding the issues other women in this world are facing. God desires that we educate ourselves about global problems and respond to these needs through diligent prayer to Him. So join the movement, start praying with the other 40,000 prayer warriors who have already taken on the challenge, and watch as the Lord displays His life-changing power in women’s lives. What will you pray for today?

Written by TWR Intern, Morgan Jackson. Read Morgan's web series, Intern Insights:  A Prayer Journey.

Read the entire Hannah's Heartbeat newsletter and download earlier newsletters as well.