Because Every Woman Is Part of God’s Beautiful Plan
[Estimated reading time: 6 minutes]
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“And God created mankind in his own image … male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27). On this International Women’s Day, observed annually on March 8, we are again reminded of this divine truth: Every woman is created in God’s image, and each one is valuable, loved and endowed with dignity.
Despite this truth, the sad reality remains that many women around the world do not experience the honor and dignity God has given them. Many suffer from violence, oppression or exploitation and are deprived of the respect they deserve.
That is precisely why TWR Women of Hope exists. Through numerous programs in more than 75 languages, women in over 125 countries are strengthened, supported and reminded of who they are in God’s eyes – so that fear can turn into hope, and past wounds into renewed dignity.
A Life Behind Closed Doors 
When Marta looks at a picture from her wedding day, she sees a young woman full of dreams and expectations. Thirty years later, she sees in the mirror a woman marked by years of violence and deep pain.
It all began so quietly. She grew up in a small town in the Albanian mountains, surrounded by her family. When the day of her arranged marriage arrived, everything seemed perfect. This was to be her future, the path meant for her.
What 25-year-old Marta did not know then was that she would spend her life beside an alcoholic husband. Almost every night he came home drunk — and broke her, not only physically but emotionally. When she sought help, her family would only say, “Be patient. Be humble. A wife must endure.” In her world, leaving a husband was unthinkable. Divorce was not an option.
And so, she continued to stay…and continued to endure.
Finding Healing and Hope
Marta is far from an isolated case. What happens behind closed doors often remains unseen, yet arbitrary violence and oppression is a painful reality for countless women worldwide. According to Germany’s Federal Statistical Office, around 50,000 women and girls are killed each year by someone from their close environment — meaning that approximately every 10 minutes a woman dies at the hands of a partner or family member. But unlike many others, one day Marta finally found the courage to no longer simply endure her abusive marriage, but to break the cycle in which she had been trapped. She went to the police and was taken to a protected shelter, where she met the women from Women of Hope program.
Women of Hope (WOH) is a ministry of TWR that seeks to bring hope and healing through Jesus Christ to women worldwide. Through media outreach and personal interaction, WOH strengthens, educates and equips women so they can rediscover their dignity and gain new perspective.
When Marta joined the WOH small group, she discovered women who listened to one another, prayed together and shared their stories. A safe space where tears were welcomed. A place where no one said, “Just endure it.” There, Marta learned that her worth is not defined by fear. That silence is not her destiny. And that healing through Jesus Christ is possible.
Hidden Treasures: Bringing Hope and Healing
Every woman is a part of God's beautiful story.
However, human trafficking and sexual exploitation have also become a serious global problem, with devastating consequences for women and their families. People are sold like commodities. Their dignity is violated, and their lives — as well as the lives of their loved ones — are often permanently destroyed.
In response, TWR Women of Hope, together with the European Freedom Network, launched the Hidden Treasures program to reach vulnerable women on the streets or behind closed doors in brothels.
Hidden Treasures uses the power of media to bring inner healing and freedom to women affected by sexual exploitation and human trafficking. In sensitively produced audio dramas, based on real experiences and developed with professional guidance, women from diverse cultural backgrounds hear about God’s great love and his good, life-changing plan for them. The programs carefully address sensitive social, physical and emotional issues from a Christian perspective, showing listeners their God-given value and dignity. In 10 different languages, the episodes share the hope of Jesus who meets women in their distress — as a friend, Savior and healer. Today, Hidden Treasures also works with international anti-trafficking organizations to reach even more women across different cultural and linguistic contexts, bringing hope in seemingly hopeless situations.
For women like Marta, who have endured years of violence and exploitation, programs like Hidden Treasures and Women of Hope are life changing. They hear stories of women who have walked similar paths and experienced God’s love, healing and affirmation, which then ignites a spark of hope for change in their own hearts.
Today, when Marta looks in the mirror, she still sees the physical scars of her past, but her soul has been healed through Jesus Christ. Her heart, once full of fear, is now filled with gratitude.
Stories of women like Marta are not only about survival, but also about hope, faith and the power of compassionate people who choose to be present. If you have been touched by her testimony, you are welcome to learn more about these projects and help bring hope and healing to others like her by visiting TWR Women of Hope Hidden Treasures.
Images: (middle) woman in Albania, not the actual listener. Used for illustrative purposes. (credit: Pexels.com)
