Thank you for committing to pray for the team, the logistics and the work of our valued strategic partner, Speak Up for the Poor. By partnering in prayer, you are choosing to walk alongside the team, Troy Anderson and the staff of Speak Up and the families they serve.  
 
Through prayer “God has given you a way to make your presence count, a way to be a true partner in His kingdom’s work.” (Touch the World through Prayer, Wesley Duewell) Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s prompting of the need to pray at different times throughout the trip. Through your prayers, you will accompany the team, contribute to their work, participate in difficulty, strengthen and lift them up in divine moments of opportunity.

The team finally arrived in Khulna yesterday. We were greeted at the Jessore airport by Troy and two GEP junior staff members, whom a couple of us had already spent time with last year. It was a very sweet reunion. Khulna is filled with buzzing markets, busy workers, and curious locals. Along the way, we passed by rice fields and villages. Our hotel is located in the busier part of town, nestled between Western-style shops.

After a quick debriefing and orientation from Troy, the team settled into their rooms for a couple of hours. Then, it was time to meet the girls in the dorm. We walked about 10 minutes along the very busy streets of Khulna, which was both exhilarating and terrifying in its own way. The most beautiful feeling fell upon us as we were greeted and welcomed by a room full of girls. "WELCOME TO BANGLADESH," the sign read, and as we took our seats at the front, the sight of smiling faces and curious eyes became even more apparent.

The night continued with traditional dancing, the singing of a patriotic song, more dancing, and our introductions to the girls. Later, we all got up to dance and take selfies. We then headed upstairs, where the girls eagerly showed us their rooms, library, and the guest room where village girls stay during their dorm visits. The top floor houses the kitchen and dining area, where we enjoyed dinner prepared by the cooks.

My favorite part of the night was when we broke out the Uno deck that Stephanie brought. Some of us played an exciting game of Uno, and a few of the girls turned out to be very competitive! Meanwhile, a couple of us opted for private dance lessons with the girls, and we danced even more.

All in all, it was a wonderful day. God is with us, and we pray that He continues to lead the way.

-Fran

P.S. Outlook seems good for Ivy's luggage—we’re praying it arrives today.

With GEP working in 37 villages there’s always a new experience to be found. We started our day with finishing up some of the tech set up of the Chromebooks in the computer lab in the college dorm. Some of the girls joined us in making posters to decorate the space. We had lots of great conversation and sharing of stories with a few of the staff.

After lunch, Ivy, Britney, Fran and Stephanie all visited a village across the river which meant a boat crossing. We were greeted, of course by a learning center full of girls excited to meet us and share their dances and songs. The purpose of their gathering was for a monthly health seminar. They learned about good and bad touch and how to protect their bodies in addition to the education pathways for nursing, physician assistant and doctors. At the conclusion of the teaching time some of the girls received basic health check ups.

While the ladies were crossing the river by boat, Dave was headed to another village on the back of a motorcycle. He was able to attend two additional meeting of girls. Every day there are opportunities across the Khulna district to visit many of these meetings as they happen in every village regularly.

Personally, I am loving seeing the team engage in unique ways with everything going on. Each team member has such unique personality and gifts that are blessing those around them. There is a lot of laughter and playful banter. I can see the impact of our time spent here last year in some of the more familiar relationships. I can see lasting friendships forming. It’s so special. There is already talk of a return visit. There is certainly not a shortage of work to be done.

- Stephanie

We began the day with a meeting at the chuknagor field office about 15 miles west of Khulna.

Three things struck me about the meeting. First is the competence and professionalism of each team member. Second, each team includes Hindus and Muslims, a strategic decision that enables them to connect with both religious communities. Equally important, they model the ability of diverse individuals to collaborate harmoniously in the shared goal of empowering Bangladeshi girls. Finally, these staff members expressed joy in their work. They are aware of the privilege they enjoy in working for such a great organization. The meeting gave a glimpse of how Speak Up’s fruit will be felt in coming years not just in the lives of individual girls, but through these young staff members’ influence on the education, health, legal, and other fields of the greater Khulna region.

After the meeting, we departed for village visits using a “van,” essentially a motorized tricycle with a small flatbed. The locals seem a bit puzzled by the excessive delight the Americans take in their novel form of transportation.

It’s hard to capture the emotional experience of visiting the village homes of sponsored girls, but I’m struck by the expression of hospitality. At each house, the mothers quickly bring an assortment of fruit, snacks, and baked goods--an abundance of the best they have to offer. Because we see so many mothers, it was especially touching to see one father welcome us to his home. He biked over to pick his daughter up from school so she could see the visitors, including her sponsor, Ivy. I could see his pride in her and eagerness for her success. I shared with him that I was from the Los Angeles area. Despite his limited English (and my non-existent Bangla), he was able to communicate his concern about the devastating fires. At an education center, the teacher led the group in a minute of silence. And a member of the legal team also asked about the situation. I know this is international news, but I was genuinely touched that busy people halfway around the world would show such compassion for my home. It is my prayer that Americans would become so emotionally invested in the beautiful Bengali people.

Dave

This morning the team rose early to attend the soccer practice. Many girls participate three times per week in exercise and soccer or play badminton or just walk around the sport complex. After a bit, we headed back to the hotel for breakfast and showers before going back out to the Chutnagor field office to continue with the computer lab setup. It’s a bit tricky to work around power and internet outages, but we’re getting it done. We’ll go back one final time to test everything before going live with the mobile lab on Sunday. While the women worked on the computer lab, Dave attended a child marriage court hearing with the head of the advocacy team.

After lunch the women attended a meeting in the Khornia village where one of Stephanie’s sponsored girls lives. It ended with quite a party as one of the largest of the village GEP groups. After the meeting we visited the home of Stephanie’s girl, met her family and shared a quick snack before heading back to the dorm. It’s pretty special for the girls to be visited by their sponsors. It is a very rare occurrence and truly a privilege for us and for them.

At the dorm we completed our second set of posters for the field office computer lab while also painting nails and just spending time connecting with the girls. After a quick top off of rice, parathas, veggie hash and eggs, we headed back to the hotel and crashed after a very long day.

Friday was a very special day for the girls at GEP. The office uses university classrooms to host events. About 240 students came to attend English courses and English health lectures. Through the teaching of simple English conversation, students are helped to increase their interest in learning English and have more interactions with sponsors.

The teacher reminds students in the health lecture what they should pay attention to during adolescence. The class also reminds them of the importance of cleanliness and hygiene. In addition, the students are taught how to adapt to their own physical and psychological changes. Every student writes notes carefully. It not only teaches students knowledge, but reminds them of all aspects of life.

After lunch, our team assisted in taking photos of each student. These photos are for records and need to be taken twice a year for student updates. These photos can also be provided to supporters in annual reports so that supporters can get to know the girls better.

Later in the afternoon we were able to watch a soccer game involving some of the students. With training three times during the week, every player works hard to show the results of their practice on the playing field.

I believe that today there will be a rich harvest for every student. Through the health teaching, we were able to understand that the health conditions of this environment are very limited. I'm excited that hygiene and cleaning supplies that the girls need will be given away during every hygiene lecture.

-Ivy

The team had a full and rewarding day that began with an early morning soccer game with the girls. Brittany impressed everyone on the field, and the girls sweetly gave each of us Bangladeshi nicknames: Stephanie became "Sri" (beauty), Brittany "Kota" (knockout), Ivy "Shova" (elegance), Fran "Koli" (flower bud), and Dave "Tall" (greater than average height). After soccer, a good friend Stephanie and Fran met last year took us shopping.

A short, easy bike ride brought us to the bustling "New Market," where the girls shopped for beautiful lehengas to wear for the farewell party. After a fun and fulfilling shopping trip, we returned to the dorm for lunch.

In the afternoon, we spent time at the College Dorm practicing computer skills in their new lab, playing board games, and enjoying henna art. In the evening, we were invited to our friend's house for dinner. The night was filled with delicious food, desserts, and heartfelt conversations, making it a truly wonderful way to reconnect and share updates about our lives.

Fran

Today was an eventful and emotional day. The morning started with Dave shadowing Shibu (see Dave’s update below), while Stephanie, Ivy, Fran and I went to the field office to work on the final setup of the Chromebooks that were used for our mobile computer lab. The GEP staff are incredibly supportive and eager to learn, expressing excitement and appreciation for the project.

In the afternoon, we traveled to Shovna village to introduce the girls to Chromebooks, many of whom were seeing a computer for the first time. Stephanie found a fun typing program that would help them learn the basics of typing while tracking their progress. Each team member taught a small group of girls. After a heartfelt farewell in Shovna village, we returned to the dorms for a grand farewell party. Everyone was dressed in their finest traditional attire—Punjabi, Saree, and salwar kameez—while Stephanie, Fran, Ivy and I wore beautiful lehengas. The girls were thrilled to see us in our dresses. The celebration was filled with songs, traditional dances, speeches of gratitude, and ended with a lively group dance party (my favorite part). After lots of pictures and selfies, we had a wonderful dinner, as always prepared by the incredible cooks at the GEP, who are accustomed to preparing meals for over 107 people!! We left feeling deeply honored and extremely loved.

Visiting Bangladesh in person has been a powerful experience, God has used this time to speak to each of our hearts individually. Spending time with the girls has truly shifted my perspective on how much our financial support means to them and their families. It’s one thing to contribute from afar, but seeing the impact firsthand—through the joy on their faces and the growth they’re achieving—has been transformational. I feel so deeply bonded to these incredible people, and I’ll carry this connection with me always.

- Brittany

Dave had the opportunity to shadow Shibu on two different days to see the advocacy work Speak Up does to reduce child marriage in the Khulna region. The first day, they went to the Khulna courthouse, where they met an attorney friendly to Speak Up who litigates child marriage cases. That day, he was challenging the marriage of a 15-year-old girl in a civil case. The second day, Shibu visited with a local council member sympathetic to reducing child marriages. After that, they introduced themselves to the head of a regional police station, providing information about the work Speak Up does. In both cases, the advocacy team develops ongoing communication with local officials to bring situations to their attention and to ensure follow through. Though less visible than child sponsorship, this element of Speak Up’s work is crucial to the safety and well-being of the girls it seeks to support.