Our Work and Results
Sade, an HIV victim and outcast we met in Nigeria, is a young widow with 3 children. She shared her
gratitude for the love and compassion she had received from those who had “helped her to meet Jesus
twice”. Rescued from a hopeless situation, Sade had been given hope for eternal life but also received
help to live with joy and hope in the present. She is learning to quilt, earn money to pay for her children’s
food and education, and receives nutrition and health care to cope with her disease. In her own words,
Sade told us “Jesus gave me back my dignity; I am not ashamed any longer. Now I have hope for today
and for the future!”
Love UnVeiled (LUV) is committed to reaching others like Sade, revealing God’s love to those who
are hopeless, touching them spiritually, physically and emotionally.
We desire to encourage hopeless, hurting women to become all God intended them to be. In the
last two years, Liz has traveled to Nigeria, China, Argentina, and twice to
Asia, to minister to
“oppressed and needy women.” God has given her a vision and desire to help these women find
their freedom, identity, and purpose in Christ. LUV is supporting Christian women overseas to
provide them with strategic training in principles of Biblical leadership and discipleship,
equipping them to become women of influence in their families, communities and workplaces. As
these women are transformed, they in turn will help meet the spiritual, physical and emotional
development needs of oppressed and underprivileged women in their communities.
December 2007 - Asia
In Asia, we were “seriously disturbed” meeting the women we had previously only read about; women
with beautiful names and faces who bear the pain and suffering brought about by being labeled “Dalit” or
“Untouchable.” God filled our hearts with love for every precious woman we met in the slums, red light
districts, and homes of those we met in Mumbai and Pune.
- In the red light district we met with a group of young girls who asked us for help. Most had been
brought from the villages, their low caste and lack of education condemning them to a life of
prostitution. We were told of children 5-6 years old held captive beneath the floor boards as child
prostitutes. I could hardly breathe thinking of the fear and darkness they lived in. Proverbs 31:8
says “cry out on behalf of those who have no voice.” These children have no voice. Their cries
rang in my ears and I left asking God how we could cry out on their behalf.
- The women we met in one of the thousands of slums in are often labeled scavengers as
they forage among the garbage to try to make a living. Many of their husbands are alcoholics or
drug addicts and the women have no means of support. They are the lowest of the low and are
outcasts in their society. Their living conditions are appalling, their lives hopeless. Again I prayed,
“Lord how can we help?”
- We traveled hours each day meeting women in small house churches all over the city. These were
the most intimate and sweet times of fellowship as we shared stories, prayed and cried together.
These are the women who can reach the oppressed women in their communities, but they
themselves are hungry for love, encouragement and support in the midst of such spiritual poverty
and need. We committed to return and support them by providing Biblical training and resources
that would help them reach out to the lost and hurting women around them.
January 2008 - Argentina
Partnering with Extreme Nazarene and the local Church of the Nazarene, Love
UnVeiled joined Lonna Vopat from In His Grace Ministries leading a team of
over 40 women from the USA, Brazil, Ukraine and Argentina ministering to
women in prisons, abuse shelters and a rehabilitation center. The lives of our
team were changed as much as the lives of the women we served. These were
some of the highlights:
- Leadership Seminar: LUV led a leadership training seminar for over 70 lay women, business and
community leaders and pastor’s wives, equipping them in biblical leadership and discipleship
principals, mobilizing them to reach women in their communities and training them in counseling
and follow up in preparation for the Hope Conferences.
- Hope Conference: Lonna led an evangelistic outreach to women featuring the premiere showing
of the film Magdalena: Released from Shame. Over 1,000 women attended the conferences and
many came forward to pray and receive Christ. Our newly trained leaders were available to pray
with them and follow up with one-to-one discipleship and mentoring after we left.
- Women’s Prison Ministry: We visited two high security women’s prisons where our team was
able to interact with the women, pampering them, massaging feet, painting nails, cleansing faces,
and loving them in practical ways. We hugged and cried together. As we listened to their stories
we shared the love of Jesus with them. Almost all of the prison women expressed a desire to know
more about Jesus.
- Abuse Outreach Program: A day of pampering for abused women in the shelter was followed
by a time of testimony and teaching what God says about our identity and His value and purpose
for each woman.
May 2008 - Asia
Joined by Lonna Vopat of In His Grace Ministries (IHG), Love UnVeiled (LUV) led a 3-day leadership
training seminar for 110 women from multi-denominational churches. It was the
first time most of the women had attended a "women only" seminar. The theme of the retreat was "Life is
Like a Butterfly," focusing on the transformation that comes with freedom and identity in Christ.
Dressed in their colorful saris, the women looked like beautiful butterflies. Sadly, as they shared their
stories we learned that like so many women around the world, many were living like caterpillars,
oppressed in spirit and unaware of their beauty and potential. We had a precious time sharing what God
says about who we are and His purpose for our lives. Our desire was that God would give these dear
women a vision for their own lives and their potential to reach oppressed women in their communities.
God did far and exceedingly more than we could have asked or imagined. The most memorable moment
was when over 95% of the women left their seats to come forward for prayer, waiting silently in line for
over two hours as we prayed with each one individually.
At the end of the retreat we held communion and after they received the elements each lady received a "Nail" as a symbol of the nails which held Jesus to the cross. The nail came with a card saying "Jesus
remember me." It was a real blessing for these women to receive this tangible reminder that Jesus is
“the Nail” that attaches them to God and holds them steadfast and secure in Him no matter what their
circumstances.
Our final session was in breakout groups where the women met to pray and plan future small group
meetings to prepare to reach out together to the women in their communities. We knew the women had
caught the vision for transformation when they named their groups "Butterfly Groups."
We received many letters from women who attended the retreat sharing the impact the seminar
had on their lives:
“The women's conference changed my life. God spoke something very prominent to me. For the
first time I was not confused about the voice, for I knew it was God's voice. Thank you so much for
coming to our country, for our women.” - Disha
“Because of you, many women in this seminar opened their mouth and told you their family
and personal problems. You are making a difference to help transform Christian women's
position. Thank you for your example to lead other women.” - Shobha
“Thank you for helping me in preparing me to impact women in my area.” - Rani
“Thank you so much for coming to bless Asian women. I appreciate the love from the women
behind the scenes who ministered to us with their prayers and their gifts. Thank you for the
courage to share your stories with us.” - Deborah
“Our hearts are overflowing with gratitude for the love of Jesus Christ that you revealed to all of
us through all you have shared. Thank you for being vulnerable with us. You have touched our
hearts and impacted our lives.” - Serena
“Thank you for holding this seminar, it’s the first time I've been to a women's seminar on this
subject. Your testimonies made me realize how small my problems are and I'm encouraged to
believe that nothing is impossible for God, for what He has done for you He will do for me. You
have answered my questions and I gained revelation which helped me see my problems in a
different perspective, they now seem smaller.” - Rebecca
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