TWR Women of Hope celebrates 25 years of ministry as they continue to break new ground. For the first time, the Women of Hope radio programme has started airing in Japan.
11 of the 34 Japanese FM stations that carry TWR programming began broadcasting Women of Hope last month, just in time to mark the Nov. 5, 1997 founding of the ministry. Long known as a stony ground for missions, ultramodern Japan is home to the second-largest people group still unreached by the gospel.
Women of Hope’s conversational format provides practical and spiritual guidance in over 70 languages, but why is it an important programme for this country? A TWR Northeast Asia ministry report makes the case that “with 65 million females in Japan, more than half the population, there is a real and pressing need to disciple women, building them up and equipping them to fulfil God’s unique purposes for their lives.”
That’s the kind of impact this ministry, originally called Project Hannah, has been having since its founding by TWR missionary Marli Spieker two and a half decades ago. When Spieker retired in 2016, Dr Peggy Banks accepted the challenge of directing this global organisation that ministers through media, intercessory prayer groups, skills training and leadership development. Dr Banks said three words – reflect, respond and reach – set the tone for the anniversary year.
“We reflect on God’s faithfulness in the way he started Project Hannah through Marli,” she said. “We respond to the movement of God today through our regional coordinators and staff, who are bringing hope in Jesus to women around the world and across generations. We are reaching into the lives of the next generation of young women and young girls with the message of hope, that Jesus loves them and they are not alone to live their lives of freedom, identity and purpose.”
Ongoing growth makes it difficult to be precise about numbers, but TWR Women of Hope today encompasses more than 12,000 groups and 120,000 intercessors who pray every month using a common prayer calendar translated into over 100 languages. It’s the 450 staff and volunteer workers in over 125 countries that make this outreach possible.
Never stagnant, TWR Women of Hope is developing a new programme, called Precious & Beloved that reaches out to women from Muslim and other faith backgrounds. In deep yet simple and unintimidating fashion, the programme teaches women of a loving father who sees them as precious and beloved and can transform their lives.
“Almost everywhere in the world I travel, I see God blessing the ministry of TWR Women of Hope!” TWR President Lauren Libby said. “For the past 25 years, Women of Hope has brought deep, transformational ministry to women. I saw huge evidence this week as I attended our Asia ministry partner conference. Dr Peggy Banks and the global network of WOH leaders are planting and growing spiritual seeds of hope in women and families. Those seeds are yielding lasting fruit!”
“We are looking to grow the ministry in 2023 and 2024,” Dr Banks said. “The harvest is ready and we are trusting God to bring the next generation of workers for the fields.”
