Forgotten Girls: Stories of Hope and Courage

by Kay Marshall Strom, Michele Rickett, Lynne Hybels (Foreword)

Think of the little girls you know: your daughter, a niece, a friend's child. Then think about this: little girls are tossed away every day. All over the world, women and girls face troubles such as starvation, displacement, illiteracy, sexual exploitation and abuse. In fact, statistics show that the world's most oppressed people are overwhelmingly female. Moved by the plight of these neglected girls, advocates Kay Marshall Strom and Michele Rickett took a trip across continents to interview girls and to partner with ministries working to help females in some of the most difficult places in the world. These pages hold those girls' stories: stories of deep pain and suffering, inspiring courage, and incredible hope. They are the stories of girls who have discovered their value in God's eyes, in the midst of cultures that have rejected them. They are stories of rescue and redemption by God working through compassionate people--people like you. These pages might hold pieces of your story as well, as the authors invite you to pray and speak on behalf of the millions of women and girls who still need to know how much they're worth. For each of the five sections of the book--physical suffering, education, sexual protection, prison and war, and spiritual life--the authors provide specific, practical action steps and prayer points that allow you to get involved as God leads. This expanded edition includes updated statistics throughout and a discussion guide to accompany each section of the book, as well as a new preface.

Genres: Nonfiction, Christian, Womens, Inspirational

188 pages, Paperback

First published November 4, 2009

About the author

Kay Marshall Strom is the author of forty published books. Her writing credits also include numerous magazine articles, short stories, curriculum, stories for children, two prize-winning screenplays, and booklets for writers. Kay speaks at seminars, retreats, and special events throughout the country. She and her husband Dan Kline love to travel, and more and more Kay’s writing and speaking take her around the word.

Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

The world’s most oppressed people are mostly female. I’m not making this up. Kate Marshall Storm and Michele Rickett tell us that women and children make up:

80% of the world’s refugees.
70% of the poorest of the poor.
2/3 of the world’s illiterate.
4 million annual victims of human traffickers
80 percent of those who have never heard of Jesus Christ. (15)
Because women and girls are oppressed, focusing on bringing justice to them in their situation improves the lot of us all. Societies which champion justice for women and girls are more just societies than those who don’t. In Forgotten Girls: Stories of Hope and Courage Strom and Rickett share hopeful but heartbreaking and harrowing stories of women around the world. The newly updated edition (the book was originally published in 2009) is expanded and includes a discussion guide for each of the five parts: I. Physical Life, II. Educational Life, III. Sexual Protection for Life, IV. Freedom in Life, and V. Spiritual Life. These broad headings represent the issues that women and girls face in the two-thirds world. Each section tells stories of particular places and women, The discussion guide explores the stories, relevant Bible passages and provides suggestions for taking action.

Issues of global injustice are a big deal but we often like to leave things abstract. The statistics which I quoted above come from the introduction of this book. We hear statistics like these and we don’t know what to make of them. What could we possibly do? That or our eyes glaze over from one more statistic. One of the best things about Forgotten Girls is that Strom and Rickett lift these issues from the realm of abstraction and explores real women’s stories. We don’t just hear about ‘gendercide’ and gender inequity in regards to malnutrition, We hear about Beti’s abandonment and enslavement in Indonesia, and the abject poverty of Sonam and Pema in Tibet. We explore gender disparities in education through Mai Lin’s story as an AIDS orphan in China and Preethi’s experience in India (as an ‘untouchable’). We hear stories of girls breaking free from the sex trade, injustice and experiencing new life in Christ. There are seventeen places profiled and each tells stories of real-life struggles that women face across the nations. Thankfully these are stories of hope so we hear how these women and girls have found help and new life!

One thing I really appreciate about the study guide are the practical steps for action and prayer as we seek to combat injustice. This is a short book which will enlarge your heart for God’s justice to come. I give this book four-and-a-half stars. This is perfect for those wishing to understand the injustices women face across the globe. As the father of two young girls I am saddened and angered by those who would exploit the vulnerability of children, but this book made me grateful for the good work being done in the name of Christ. It also showed me ways to be a part of it! Great stuff.

Thank you to IVP for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review

[Sabrina Rutter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book that both christians and non-christians should read. It's a great book for those who are not aware of many of the issues people face in other countries. It mainly focuses on women in countries where they have little to no rights, and how through christians God has been able to help some of those women.
Many personal stories from all around the world are shared with the reader. Stories about wars devastating effect on women and their childrens lives, human trafficking, forced marriages, child brides, street children, and many others. Though not every topic was brought up in this book it's a very good starting point for someone interested in the plight of others they may have never heard of.
It's a fast read, but not a light hearted one. through out it offers advice on how you just an ordinary person sitting at home thinking about reading this book can help. It also proves that just one person can make a huge impact on the bettering of others lives.

[elisabeth ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of forgotten girls’ stories is so impactful and informative. I’m pretty sure I got this from someone who works with SIS a number of years ago and only just now picked it up. I’m not usually one to love books with a collection of stories, but I really enjoyed this one. The plot was driving... Girls all around the world are being hurt in different ways, and their only saving grace is Jesus. And we as human beings with more privilege need to be there for our sisters, to be ready to help when they ask, and intervene when they cannot for themselves.

I liked this format particularly because of the wide range of stories. It was also well written and very nicely formatted which I love! Now that I have begun to be informed about these issues, I can look more in depth on them, and take action on the ones that hit me the hardest. I thank this book for informing me about the direness of these issues. I intend to read more. To learn more. And to help where I can.

The stories that hit me the hardest were:
Si-Uns story
Zahra and safias story
Nimas story
Majeeda and aliras story
Amina and Khadijah’s story
Yoshis story

[Victoria (hotcocoaandbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading the many stories of how girls in various countries overcame their oppression or at least endured through the pain because of the love of Christ that reached them in some way. Poverty, rape, sex trafficking, physical abuse, verbal abuse, labor trafficking, and hardships in the family are addressed.

I had been wanting to read this book for some time and am really glad I finally did, as it was inspiring and very heart wrenching.

[Angel Flater · Rating 4 out of 5]

This really opened my eyes to what is happening around the world. I knew to some extent but had no clue it was as bad as it is. The authors wrote on the women and girls in different countries and how they are horribly mistreated. This is a book with some sad stories so come prepared that it is hard to read at times, knowing what they went through. I gave it 4 stars because of the grammar errors. There were quite a few which can sometimes make you reread to figure out what they meant.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book destroyed my heart, ignorance really is bliss. I am saddened to know so many truths that poor children endure and it hurts to know some people can never break free from it. The fact that these girls can have such hope after living these lives is truly a testament to their faith.

[Shelly Lizotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked the concept of the stories but I didn't find them to be that well written or emotionally charged / exciting.

[Christina Neely · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reveals stories from all over the world of neglected and abused children and women, and gives concrete advice on how we can help.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book tells the story of forgotten girls in various parts of the world. It is hard for us to imagine what it would be like to live as each one of this courage girls did, under the political unrest, abandonment and martyrdom they actually endure. It is not a happy book to ready you will want to step into action and rescue as many young women as you can...

[Loraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

SUMMARY: Think of the little girls you know: your daughter, a niece, a friend's child.

Then think about this: little girls are tossed away every day.

All over the world, women and girls face troubles such as starvation, displacement, illiteracy, sexual exploitation and abuse. In fact, statistics show that the world's most oppressed people are overwhelmingly female.

Moved by the plight of these neglected girls, advocates Kay Marshall Strom and Michele Rickett took a trip across continents to interview girls and to partner with ministries working to help females in some of the most difficult places in the world.

These pages hold those girls' stories: stories of deep pain and suffering, inspiring courage, and incredible hope. They are the stories of girls who have discovered their value in God's eyes, in the midst of cultures that have rejected them. They are stories of rescue and redemption by God working through compassionate people—people like you.

These pages might hold pieces of your story as well, as the authors invite you to pray and speak on behalf of the millions of women and girls who still need to know how much they're worth. For each of the five sections of the book—physical suffering, education, sexual protection, prison and war, and spiritual life—the authors provide specific, practical action steps and prayer points that allow you to get involved as God leads.

This expanded edition includes updated statistics throughout and a discussion guide to accompany each section of the book, as well as a new preface.

REVIEW: I read this book as part of the United Methodist Women's 2015 Reading Program. This book will bring tears to your eyes as you find how little girls are valued in so many parts of the world. They are devalued through: physical life - abortion, death, malnutrition; educational life - lack of education; sexual life - child brides, kidnapped brides, sex slavery; freedom in life - capture and enslavement during war; and spiritual life - lack of access to knowledge of Christianity or persecution due to become Christian. Strom and Ricket through their programs Sisters in Darkness (now She is Safe) and Resist the Darkness are spreading awareness and help to girls throughout the world. But these stories are of the lost girls throughout the world that they have met in their travels. These young girls' stories will break your heart and help you realize their deprivation as well as the depravation of those whom surround them. This book also includes suggestions for how your church or woman's group can help these girls throughout the world to have better lives. Find out more about how you can help young girls around the world by visiting sheissafe.org. The stories are sad but they leave you inspired to help in some way to bring these girls to better life.

FAVORITE QUOTES: "The village head man told us, 'We thank you for showing us the love of God by giving us clean water.

The village got a well and look what happened:
- the village had water

- far more babies were surviving

- their animals survived in times of drought

- for the first, girls were learning to read and wrie

- basic sanitation methods were bringing greater health to the village

- education came to the village and the girls saw a woman, their teacher, model new life options

- the villagers saw and acknowledged the love of God in action.

All for the price of a well."

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books is written by Michele Rickett who founded SIS (Sisters in Service), the Christian not-for-profit organization which was formed to garner research on the terrible conditions women live under in developing nations. Kay Marshall Strom was also an author of the book.
While this book is written more from a Christian background, it tells essentially the same stories that can be found in the secular book "Half the Sky" by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn; the difference being that "Half the Sky" described the horrors in more detail and told more of them.
Both books come to the same conclusion:
Educating the women of these nations has to be done if any kind of progress is going to be made in these countries. At the same time, their basic needs have to be met and their health issues have to be addressed.
Both books give suggestions on ways to accomplish this and the books agree on many of the same ways to do it plus organizations to contact.
Now, we just have to act; it doesn't have to be a huge deal. If each of us could do just a little, even that would help.
Start by reading these books.
Gave this only 4 stars because I had already read "Half the Sky" which told the basically same stores in more depth and I had given it 5 stars.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sheryl Wu Dunn's Half the Sky broke ground in exposing both the abuses of women and the encouraging efforts, often led by women, in addressing these evils. This book is a great resource from a Christian perspective in the same vein. The authors expose the dangers of abortion and exposure, of educational inequities, of abuse, and forced marriage that face young girls in many parts of the world and the encouraging stories of how Christians have been able to help at least some facing these evils. The authors provide practical ideas after each section of the book as well as a list of resources including their own ministry, Sisters in Service for readers who want to get personally involved.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had already read some on the sexual exploitation of women and children in other countries and human trafficking, but this opened my eyes to even more abuses that women and children suffer elsewhere. It is so sad to read of how females are basically thrown away throughout the world, and while many groups are working to help women and children find a better way of life, I know they are only touching the surface of the injustice. This was a quick read and it really makes you want to act in some way. The book does offer information on different ways to help, and I will be checking out some of the organizations it promoted.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very moving book and unique in it's format. It was divided into sections with short yet powerful stories that related to that section's topic of oppression- physical, spiritual, etc.

What I appreciated most about the book was it took your reading a step further! At the end of each section, there was a couple of pages that gave you concrete and doable ways to get involved and start making a difference!

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not giving this book 5 stars because it's great literature. I am giving it this rating because the information in this book is so important. Now that I have a daughter, I suddenly care so much more about girls lives around the world. This was a tough book to read, but it gave me hope and an avenue to help. If you have a daughter, please read this book.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is divided into different problems that are currently happening to girls around the world. The authors spare no details and it many of the stories are shocking and terribly sad. However, there are stories of hope threaded throughout the book. Really makes me think about where I am from and how lucky I am to be treated with love and respect as a woman. Very faith/Christian based book.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strom and Rickett do a tremendous job of personalizing a very complicated and overwhelming issue. They are empathetic without being overly sentimental and they have a very realistic understanding of the complexities of systemic oppression. They also provide practical things the reader can do to immediately get involved.

Overall, a terrific introduction to the issue!

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartbreaking stories of the way girls and women are abused and exploited all over the world. These questions from one of the stories are playing on my mind. `Do our brothers and sisters know what is happening to us? Can they hear our cries? If they care, why do they not help us?`p120.

[Ardith · Rating 4 out of 5]

The reality of life lived under circumstances unimagined by most of us, combined with life continuing on in spite of one's past, is an amazing testimony of faith.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heart breaking book filled with stories of women and girls from around the world.

[Annie Slagboom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading it to my daughters, I can tell it will be life changing.

[Tara Kram · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eye opening and inspiring to take action