Aglow’s National President of Sri Lanka, Vasanthi, shared a report from her nation of God’s faithfulness and grace during a turbulent and difficult time the spring of 2022.
As one of the world’s leading tea producing nations with more than 300,000 people working in Sri Lanka’s tea plantations, the tea pickers and their families struggled during an economic crisis that began in 2021. Tea workers must pick at least 40lb a day to earn 1,000 Sri Lankan rupees (about $3.25) and if they pick less, they get a lower rate. With the depreciation of the rupee causing daily wages to fall $1.70 and with food prices being high the underpaid Sri Lankan tea pickers and their families faced terrible living conditions with many families not having food in their homes, lack of running water or toilets, contaminated water, and mothers making hard sacrifices in order to provide food for their children.
During that trying time, the Lord, in His mercy, directed the Aglow women in Sri Lanka to reach out to the people in the upcountry plantation sector. They were able to gather with women and young girls in 7 or 8 districts of Northern Sri Lanka to share God’s gift of salvation! As the Aglow women discussed Biblical topics with these women such as “Naomi the overcomer,” the Lord began to move in their lives in a mighty way!
Since that time, Sri Lanka has opened 10-12 fellowships in the upcountry districts and are in the process of affiliating even more! We at Aglow headquarters are rejoicing over these new Aglow groups!
The Lord gave Aglow Sri Lanka a Word from Isaiah 42, reminding them (and all of us) that He has given us a light unto the Gentiles to bring them out of bondage. May we all give glory to the Lord and declare His praise!