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  • Free youth session download!

    See. Change. session outline!

    Recent research has shown that Christian men and women experience persecution in different ways. In fact, because of their gender, women and girls are doubly vulnerable to persecution. As a response, Open Doors has launched a campaign, SEE. CHANGE. to restore the hope, dignity and identity of women who are doubly at risk of persecution because of their faith and gender.

    And we’ve created a free session for youth and small groups to explore what persecution looks like for Christian girls around the world. The session highlights the cost that some pay for choosing to follow Jesus, and offers the challenge to choose Jesus no matter what we face.

    The session includes an intro game, a real life story to get into, some Bible teaching, a video, an interactive prayer time and two possible actions (though feel free to do both!).

    The outline is downloadable (we don’t have any printed copies, but it should be simple enough to print out yourself or use on your phone/tablet). Simply fill out the form on this page to get access to the outline.

    You may also want to use the links below to access other ideas and resources suggested in the session. Once you fill out the form, we’ll send you a link to these items and the session itself too!

    See. Change.

    Get a See. Change. money box...

    Get your group to use their small change to See. Change. Grab some of these free money boxes to hand out at the end of the session...
    See. Change.

    Order a Handmade Petition pack...

    Encourage your group to do a bit of craftivism as part of the session and spend time designing up some Handmade Petition pieces....
    See. Change.

    Write to Leah's parents

    As part of your session, why not write to the parents of Leah Sharibu who was taken from her school in March 2018...
  • See. Change. Free money box!

    Use your small change to See. Change…

    Leah was taken because she is a girl. She remains in captivity because she’s a Christian.

    In February 2018, 15 year-old Leah Sharibu was taken from her school in Northern Nigeria, along with over 100 other girls by gunmen from an Islamic extremist group. After a month, the girls that were still alive were released, all except one – Leah.

    Leah wasn’t released because she refused to give up her faith. She chose Jesus over freedom.

    Across the world Christian women and girls are doubly at risk: targeted for being female, persecuted for being a Christian. This is a hidden problem. Open Doors’ vision is that every woman who is persecuted for her faith and gender is seen, valued and empowered to reach her God-given potential. And that’s why we want you to get a See. Change. money box. Use your small change to help us See. Change.

    Pop your small change in the money box every few days and fill it up to help raise funds for projects restoring dignity, hope and value!

    Order your See. Change with your Small Change money box using the form…

    See what your small change could achieve:

    Every £9 could provide a monthly food pack to keep a Nigerian widow and her family alive*.
    Every £26 could provide persecution survival training for a woman in India, training her in a biblical response to persecution and helping her to understand her legal rights*.

    Order your See. Change with your Small Change money box using the form…

    Other ideas to help you fill up your money box

    A sponsored challenge: Go silent for half a day, run, walk or cycle 10K, do a swimathon, shave your hair… the choice is yours. Download a sponsorship form to help you collect funds here…

    Do odd jobs for a small fee: Wash cars, clean the windows, cut the grass or baby sit for a neighbour. What could you do?

    Bake off: Cook up some tasty treats and sell them to your mates or at the end of a church service to raise some funds.

    Blackout: Our sponsored digital fast for persecuted, silenced Christians. Find out more here…

    Order your See. Change with your Small Change money box using the form…

    *Any excess funds from this appeal will be used to support persecuted Christians in other countries where there is urgent need.

  • Give to See. Change.

    Esther courageously refused to deny her faith when she was abducted by Boko Haram as a teenager. She was forced to marry one of the militants and faced horrific abuse at his hands. Soon she became pregnant.

    Esther finally escaped and was able to return to her village, but her community mocked her for being a ‘Boko Haram woman’. Even her own relatives called her daughter ‘Boko’ instead of Rebecca.

    There are thousands of women like Esther, who are doubly at risk of persecution, both because of their gender and because of their faith in Jesus. We, the global church, cannot allow the persecution facing our sisters to go unseen and ignored. You can help to bring them hope, healing and support for as long as they need it.

    • Every £9 could provide a monthly food pack to keep a Nigerian widow and her family alive*.
    • Every £26 could provide persecution survival training for a woman in India, training her in a biblical response to persecution and helping her to understand her legal rights*.
    • You can also use this form to send in any money you have raised from fundraising events.
    • Not able to give? Could you raise money using one of our free money boxes?

    *Any excess funds from this appeal will be used to support persecuted Christians in other countries where there is urgent need.

    My Gift to support persecuted women around the world

    Give to restore hope, dignity and value
    From your fundraising efforts
    TOTAL
  • Sign the Handmade Petition!

    When you speak out, our leaders listen. Our persecuted Christian sisters are being ignored. They need to be seen. So let’s do something that is visible, engaging and can’t be ignored. Get involved in a bit of craftivism and sign the Handmade Petition. You’ll need a piece of fabric that you can sign with your own name that will then be sewn with thousands of others into a huge banner that says ‘See. Change.’ This will be presented to the UK Government in November during a conference on preventing sexual violence in conflict, as a unified prayer and plea on behalf of our sisters.

    Sign the handmade petition today to…

    • Bring an end to the silence that isolates persecuted Christian women
    • Ensure that our sisters are seen and recognised in UK government policy on sexual violence in conflict
    • Stand as a church in prayer and unity for these courageous women.

    How to sign…

    You can either pre-order a free pack here, or follow these simple instructions. Thank you for speaking up for your sisters.

    1. Get yourself some white fabric

    It can be patterned, plain, an old white T-shirt – whatever you like! Just try to find a material that isn’t too delicate. Cut it into a square that is 30 cm2 – so each side measures to 30 cm. (Please try to keep to this size so your piece can be stitched into the final banner.)

    2. Write the words ‘I see you’ on the piece of fabric

    Let this be a prayer – that these women would not only be seen by the UK government, but seen by their cultures and communities too.

    You can use these prayer points if you like. Pray that:

    • Governments would recognise the vulnerability of Christian women and this would be reflected in policy
    • Our persecuted sisters would be seen and valued by their communities, so they can fulfil their God-given potential
    • Where Christian women are deprived of basic needs such as food and shelter, that they would be provided for
    • Open Doors trauma workshops and socio-economic development projects would be able to expand and reach more women.

    3. Write your name…

    Charity – who participated in an Open Doors trauma workshop in Nigeria – had never written her name before. She said: “I am so happy, I have never held a pen in my life before and it was the first time I have been able to write my name.”

    God calls us all by name, He knows us. Many of these women are not seen and valued in the way they should be. As you write your name, thank God for your freedom, and perhaps ask Him how you can support your sisters further.

    4. Send your petition to us…

    Pop your handmade petition in an envelope and send it to:

    Open Doors UK & Ireland,
    PO Box 6,
    Witney
    OX29 6WG

    5. Thank you!

    Huge thanks to you for speaking up for your sisters. Your support is restoring hope and dignity to persecuted women worldwide.

  • See.Change Intro

    See.Change.

    Uncover the hidden persecution of women and girls. Act now to see hope restored.

    Leah was taken because she is a girl. She remains in captivity because she’s a Christian.
    In February 2018, 15 year-old Leah Sharibu was taken from her school in Northern Nigeria, along with over 100 other girls by gunmen from an Islamic extremist group. After a month the girls that were still alive were released, all except one. Leah.

    Leah wasn’t released because she refused to give up her faith in Jesus.

    Across the world Christian women are doubly at risk: targeted for being female, persecuted for being a Christian. This is a hidden problem. Open
    Doors’ vision is that every woman who is persecuted for her faith and gender is seen, valued and empowered to reach her God-given potential.

    See.Change. and restore the hope, dignity and identity of women who have faced violent persecution for the faith and their gender.

  • We support people who are beaten, tortured,
    imprisoned, falsely accused, and hated simply for following Jesus.