KGF President, Rebecca Stanley, interviewed Christine Stephens about her life growing up in the northeastern state of Manipur (India). This excerpt comes from the Spring Issue of HERJournal.

Becky: Christine is working with initiatives happening in the northeast and is working with young girls and women. Christine, how has your life journey impacted you in a way that has caused you to want to give back to your community?

Christine: My life journey is an interesting and challenging one. It has been hard. But all my life, God has been so faithful, He is so good. I don’t have very good child memories like others. But God has used it all for good—my heartaches and doubts and he has trained me well. Because of my mom we became first generation Christians. There were so many things that happened in my life that brought me close to God but there are some major events that have impacted me and caused me to want to give back.

When I was in the eighth grade, we experienced hell on earth because my father drank. He would come home from work and drink and was so abusive to my mom—every single night for four long years. I would often think, “How can a man be so abusive, so brutal to his wife?” Every single night, my brothers and I, we were so scared and I was the oldest. We looked for someone to help but there was no one around to help us.

I also experienced sexual harassment so many times, I just felt so broken. I started to hate men and I wondered, “Am I just here for a man? Why is man so brutal and abusive to woman?” During that time, I hated men so much and wondered why was I born as a woman.

But even in these difficult years, God showed His faithfulness. God has saved me so many times in my life. In the northeast, we have drug problems and insurgencies. One day I was traveling with a group of people and the car that I was traveling in was ambushed amidst an insurgency. And the people that I was traveling with were killed. I could see the men who attacked us, but I was unharmed. God saved me for a purpose, still today. 

Becky: What types of opportunities do women have in Manipur? 

Christine: There is very little opportunity for education for girls in the rural Northeast. Most of the parents don’t want to invest in their daughters because they see them as only born to give birth and take care of family. Education is powerful and not for girls. 

Women have very few opportunities. There is no healthcare or mental care and no care from husbands. And there are no job opportunities in the Northeast. Whoever can come down into Central India to get an education does so, but not many have that opportunity. There just aren’t a lot of options for girls or women. 

Becky: This is the case for women in rural areas throughout India. And this is why it is so important for nonprofits like KGF to work in rural areas to provide skills training and microloans. Along with our partners, we provide opportunities for women who have no other options. Providing capital for micro-businesses and helping women to develop skills provides a tremendous value to these women. But also, we are helping women to create a strong network of support. All of which is extremely empowering.

Christine, what advice do you give to young women?

Christine: Just focus on using your pain and suffering for good and to be a blessing for others. Life is unfair but be strong and do not give up. Stand up for what you wish to be. Don’t give up!

Christine and her husband have traveled to Manipur to take relief and minister to the people there where ethnic violence erupted in May of 2023. Many villages have been left in rubble. Hundreds of people have been killed. Children have been orphaned and families are living in relief camps even to this day. Christine shared that every time she saw a little girl, she would think back to her younger years and say, “that was me” and her heart would break. She would think, “I need to do something.”

Becky: What is one thing you would say to women who want to give back, invest and help girls and women?

Christine: We can do so much together. I can’t do it alone. But we can do so much together. Let’s join our hands together and save those little girls…

“I can do somethings but together we can do great things.”

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