According to the ancient practice of ‘Sati’, when Indian woman’s husband died, she was cremated alive along with his remains. In recent times, this custom has been abandoned. However, now after a woman’s husband dies, although she retains her life, she is left penniless, with no opportunity to work and a family to care. Widows in India almost never remarry. As remarriage is a rare practice, for some families, the death of the father might very well be a death sentence for all. These widows, their children, abandoned by family and country, are the fragments whom Jesus loved and for whom he commanded us to care.
“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction” (James 1: 27).
Keenly aware of this great need, Emmanuel began helping the widows that had no way of providing for their own necessities. Widows are often taught how to become self – sufficient by earning their own living.
In the midst of their suffering, widows and their children are rescued by the Christian love that inspires Emmanuel to take care of them. It is our hope and prayer that with the help of God we will be able to minister many of the widows of India.