They Are Not Alone

Miriam* is a mother in Papua New Guinea. She is also a survivor of horrific violence at the hands of her husband, who beat her with a wooden plank until she was unconscious.

“He broke my nose right here,” Miriam says, pointing to her face.

“He hit me on the head. I fell down on the ground and he tried to hit me again. I put my hand up and I blocked him. He hit me on my arm,” Miriam says.

“My children saw me. They said ‘Mummy!’ but I was unconscious.”

Despite enduring such horrific abuse, Miriam’s faith has kept her strong.

“I thank God,” she says. “He gives me strength, courage to stand.”

With her husband serving time in jail, Miriam is safe – for now.

But her story is just one of many. Two out of three women in Papua New Guinea like Miriam will be victims of family violence. Too often, when they flee their perpetrators, they have nowhere to turn. No home, no income.

You can provide a place of refuge for women escaping violence, to help them recover from the emotional and physical trauma of abuse, help them to know their worth and live full and meaningful lives free of fear.

Your donation will fund:

• Building renovations, to convert a run-down church wing into a counselling room, kitchen and bedroom.
• Furniture and soft furnishings, such as beds, tables, curtains, kitchen utensils and crockery.
• Care packages for women, including personal hygiene items and linen.
• Small business start-up resources like sewing machines.
• With your help, this centre can be a model for other churches in Papua New Guinea to follow, multiplying your impact and helping women right across the nation.

Let’s show women like Miriam and her children that they are not alone.

Learn how you can support these women.

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August 26 was EndItNow day, as Adventists worldwide spoke out against family violence and abuse.

*Name changed to protect privacy.