To obtain your copy of Living a Life of Daily Bread, go to http://www.womenoftheelca.org where you can download a free PDF version.

Linda Post Bushkofsky
Executive director, Women of the ELCA

These are busy days for the group in the Buenos Aires neighborhood, situated in the Soacha municipality, some 40 minutes south of the Colombian capital.  The group consisting of men and women between the ages of 60 to 80, will produce no less than 1,000 handmade bags and 1,000 small typical Colombian fruits for the event in Germany. But, they aren´t the only ones that are involved in this production. Another group consisting of individuals with HIV or AIDS, as well as four Christian local congregations also does their part.  The assignment was agreed with the women delegates at the Latin America and Caribean Pre-assembly, in follow up of the proposal from the Women’s Pre-Assembly meeting who decided to share a gift with each of the 600 delegates in Stuttgart as sign of commitment and church involvement in building gender justice.

Living in tough conditions

Soacha is one of Colombia’s biggest recipients of internally displaced persons (IDPs), as the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that ten displaced families arrive here on a daily basis.  The municipality is also affected by extreme poverty and increasing crime, while many neighborhoods lack daily access to drinking water and electricity. In face of this, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Colombia (IELCO), with the support of ACT, decided to assist some displaced families several years ago. Soon IELCO noticed that many elderly persons from the same neighborhood were living in very harsh conditions, often alone. Martha Wilches is one of the driving forces behind the initiative. ”We started with providing a hot meal on a daily basis for up to 15 individuals, but the need was enormous. Thanks to the Good Samaritan Society in The Unites States of America the Church was able to buy the land and build the house. Today the group consists of 32 men and women, but even though we would like to open up for more people, the economic restraints don´t allow for that unfortunately”. Hebert Antonio Gutierrez works with the department for Mission and Development at IELCO: “It´s not only about catering for a hot meal once a day, but we also provide a psychologist to the group. We work with culture, health and physical as well as with spiritual matters. It´s a combined and integral effort that most of all provides a much needed togetherness for everyone”, he insists.  Maria Segunda Para has been with the group for two years: “I like it here. This makes you forget all the sadness and all the worry that we live in, she says. I have also learned a great deal”.

No handouts

Janine Schneider started to work with the men and women in March this year, giving workshops in hand-craft, providing each and everyone with specific and useful techniques: “Some of them have poor vision but still participates. They are simply given tasks that they are able to carry out. No one is left behind”, she assures. The idea is that each participant works and gets paid a symbolic sum for each item that they produce. On top of that, the income from everything that is being sold is divided amongst everyone in the group equally. This makes them very motivated, raises their self-esteem, and also functions as an exercise in transparency and citizenship. “Here nothing is for free. There are no handouts, and you wouldn´t believe the pride that everyone feel when they sign the receipt and receive their money”, says Janine with a smile.

Even though the group consists of both men and women, several of the gentlemen were a bit hesitant at first claiming that “handcraft was a woman’s work”. But they soon changed their minds and now participate eagerly and with great enthusiasm. Agustin Quintero Arseniegas has been a part of the team for two months and was a bit skeptical at first. “I wasn´t used to this kind of work. You know, I am from the countryside and have worked the land ever since I was 13 years old. But it´s fun, I feel motivated. It´s important for people like us that have experienced so much negativity. I had to leave my home and displace myself some years ago due to the conflict. I now live alone and the loneliness is hard to deal with. I have no one, but here I feel protected”.

There is no doubt that the project has been a great success and there is a great demand for this kind of work.  “This has been our first experience working as IELCO with elderly persons. It has gone so well that we are now in the process of starting a similar process in another city”, tells Hebert Antonio Gutierrez, while Maria, Agustin and their friends prepare yet another beautiful bag for Stuttgart.

Text : Henrik Halvardsson LWF/DWS Colombia

La Fundación Tejedores de  Vida ha dispuesto su equipo de trabajo a la afanosa elaboración de los  bolsos que gustosamente llevarán sobre sus hombros delegadas, delegados, invitadas e invitados a la Undécima Asamblea de la Federación Luterana Mundial. Los artesanos, quienes llevan evidentes secuelas del VIH,  son formidables personalidades sobrevivientes  a la indolencia  y a la ineficacia  de las acciones públicas de salud y a una sociedad que aprendió a señalar antes de amar. A pesar de los aprendizajes logrados en veintinueve  años de convivir con VIH en Colombia,  por falta de conocimiento de sus derechos y por un diagnóstico tardío  de la infección VIH-Sida continúan muriendo a temprana edad muchos nacionales.

Más allá de una labor productiva, es un encuentro de amigos en hogares y lugares de culto. El taller de la Fundación Tejedores de Vida es uno de los seis grupos de maestros y aprendices que entregan horas a esta labor de construcción material de un concepto integral: hacer, saber hacer, saber hacer sustentable su labor.

El Médico Cirujano Cesar Tulio Gallo Meneses de cuarenta y nueve años, es el Director de la Fundación tejedores de Vida, hace una síntesis de la hoja de vida de la colectividad: “En Colombia, la muerte es vista con miedo y rechazo. Los dos factores anteriores generan estigma y discriminación, esto hace que el individuo viviendo con VIH-Sida una vez diagnosticado, rompa todos los lazos que lo integran a una sociedad, tales como: familiares, laborales, educativos, efectivos, religiosos;  excluyéndose de su entorno social. En el año 2003 diez personas afectadas por la infección y sus consecuencias, tres de ellas con discapacidad física (perdida de la visión a raíz de una enfermedad oportunista ocasionada por ausencia de tratamiento, tres mujeres cabezas de familia infectadas por sus esposos que fallecieron,  dejándolas a cargo de sus hogares y de sus hijos, cuatro individuos quienes fueron despedidos de sus trabajos, rechazados por sus familias y sin esperanza) buscamos una alternativa para nuestras vidas, formando en un principio un grupo social de base donde lo más importante era buscar la inclusión social y volver a tejer los lazos rotos por el diagnóstico. De allí nace nuestro nombre “Tejedores de Vida” cuyo trasfondo es entramar la red de la vida ya que somos seres humanos interdependientes.

“Tejedores de Vida” en obediencia a la Palabra de Dios “…tocad y se os abrirá.”  acudió al Fondo de iniciativas locales del Canadá” del cual obtuvieron los medios para iniciar una labor artesanal. Entre los elementos donados estaban: tres telares manuales, cuatro máquinas planas e insumos  (hilazas, hilos, agujas, tijeras, etc.…). Después de hacer un estudio de investigación con distintas personas  viviendo con VIH-Sida, el emprendimiento con tejidos artesanales fue la labor más acogida.

“No solo de pan…”

Además de dirigir la Fundación, el Médico Gallo, quien  perdió la visión hace once años a causa de una enfermedad oportunista; se ha hecho cargo del programa bandera de la Fundación: de promoción y prevención en salud, en este sentido ha creado un proyecto pedagógico denominado “SEXTUPLICAR” al cual se han integrado doce jóvenes hijos e hijas de los beneficiaros de la Fundación Tejedores de Vida, con el fin formarlos e informarlos sobre los temas que atañen a la infección VIH-Sida, con el propósito de prepararlos como generadores mensajes positivos de auto-cuidado para sus pares. Las edades de estos jóvenes oscilan entre los catorce y veinte años. Como resultado de este trabajo  el Doctor Gallo ha escrito dos libros: el primero de ellos “Apostándole a la vida” presenta relatos vivenciales de compañeros afectados por la enfermedad y ha sido publicado en el año 2004 por la “Cooperativa Editorial Magisterio” el último texto lleva por título “Amor, autonomía y prevención” aborda temas álgidos para la sociedad: “de adicciones, infecciones de trasmisión sexual y embarazos en adolescentes”, esta obra también recoge testimonios de vida de beneficiaros e individuos de las comunidades donde se ha realizado los talleres de promoción y prevención, este último se publicó de manera independiente en el año 2009.

El otro líder sobreviviente es Martin Alonso Hernández (44 años) quien funge como Representante Legal de la Fundación así mismo dirige el programa de “capacitación social para el desarrollo” para entregar a las personas viviendo con VIH-Sida y sus familias, una labor artesanal; técnica del telar manual, macramé, máquinas planas y tejedora. En este programa incluye actualmente cuarenta familias con un promedio de cinco integrantes  por cada núcleo familiar. El Director recalca cuan significativo es para la Fundación, trabajar con la familia, porque muchos de los beneficiarios actuales, fueron rechazados por sus parientes, por causa de la ignorancia.  Gracias a esta labor los grupos familiares han mejorando sus relaciones  y convirtiéndose los unos en apoyo de los demás, de igual manera la inclusión familiar hace que un grupo empoderado de su realidad pueda hacer prevención de la infección VIH-Sida en sus comunidades.

“Quiero subrayar en este punto el apoyo invaluable de la Iglesia Luterana, donde en este momento estamos elaborando mil bolsos artesanales,  generando trabajo para 20 familias, viéndose beneficiados de manera indirecta otras cien” puntualiza el Doctor Gallo.

Luis Eduardo Ramírez

IELCO

A continuación detallamos los puntos de debate:
LIDERAZGO DE MUJERES
Celebramos con alegría el proceso que hicieron las iglesias latinoamericanas, de
reconocimiento de los dones de las mujeres al ocupar cargos de liderazgo y ser
ordenadas al ministerio pastoral. Sin embargo, visualizamos que aún quedan grandes
desafíos por delante: la equidad en los llamados a las congregaciones, la equidad en
sueldos u honorarios, la presencia e incidencia de las mujeres en los espacios de
decisión y la adecuación tanto para mujeres como para varones de los perfiles
requeridos para cubrir cargos pastorales.
Reconocemos con gratitud la presencia masiva de las mujeres en la iglesia y que las
mismas no serían sustentables sin la dedicación y el trabajo voluntario, muchas veces no
reconocido de las mujeres. Afirmamos que las mujeres deben poder acceder a la
educación teológica, política, socio-cultural y administrativa que les permita la
autonomía en su pensamiento, toma de decisiones y el apoyo mutuo. Reafirmamos que
las iglesias serán enriquecidas con la mayor incidencia de las mujeres en todos sus
ministerios y espacios de poder y decisión.
Recomendamos:
· que las iglesias desarrollen estrategias para los procesos de implementación de
políticas y prácticas de justicia de género, fortaleciendo MEIS en la región.
· Que los objetivos y programas de MEIS sean incorporados como eje transversal
en la FLM renovada y que nuestro caminar hasta el año 2017, que es cuando
conmemoramos los 500 años de La Reforma, desarrolle un proceso articulado de
evaluación, diagnóstico e implementación de programas de justicia de género en
nuestras iglesias.
· que la equidad de género sea un eje transversal en el programa de
Sustentabilidad de América Latina, articulando con un grupo específico en el
tema.

JUSTICIA ALIMENTARIA
Reafirmamos la urgencia que tienen las iglesias de asumir el compromiso por trabajar
este tema con una perspectiva teológica.
Denunciamos que el sistema económico capitalista neoliberal es fruto del mal y, por lo
tanto, pecaminoso ya que origina el hambre y la violencia en nuestro contexto. Nos
conmovemos ante el hambre que debilita los cuerpos de mujeres y niños. Nos
solidarizamos con las mujeres en situación de vulnerabilidad por el desplazamiento, la
guerra y la violencia.
Recomendamos:
· que las iglesias se articulen en los espacios públicos y políticos en la defensa de
modelos económicos sustentables, que garanticen el uso responsable de los
recursos naturales y la democratización en el acceso a las tierras.
TRATA DE PERSONAS
En primer lugar reconocemos que este tema es invisible en nuestras iglesias y también
en los gobiernos. Así mismo constatamos que es un negocio multimillonario en el cual
hay muchos sectores involucrados.
Notamos con preocupación la banalización del tema que se da a través de los grandes
medios de comunicación con la proyección de telenovelas y comerciales que reducen el
cuerpo de las mujeres a una mercancía y promueven el turismo sexual.
Recomendamos:
· que las iglesias se pronuncien con fuerza en contra de la trata de personas y de la
violencia de género, haciendo redes con organizaciones ecuménicas y de la
sociedad civil que ya estén trabajando el tema.
Como mujeres de la región reunidas en esta Preasamblea afirmamos que no queremos
quedarnos en bellas palabras y promesas, sino ir más allá generando prácticas distintas,
proféticamente comprometidas con la construcción de una comunión inclusiva.

ABUJA, Nigeria/GENEVA, 26 March 2010 (LWI)

In their message presented to the pre-assembly today, the women expressed their conviction about the essential perspectives that women bring to the ordained and lay ministry, especially in an increasingly fractured world.

“We affirm the wholeness of God’s creation; whereby women are integrated within all structures of governance within church and society. Embracing full participation of women and men is a sign of continuous reformation and transformation of the church,” they said. “Women are responsible for the management of their homes and their children’s education, why not in society and the church?” they asked in their message presented at the 24-28 March meeting.

Affirming the message from the October 2009 LWF Women’s Pre-Assembly, they recommended that churches in the region take action also on the issues of human trafficking and food justice and that they continue work on HIV and AIDS, violence against women and children, human sexuality and gender justice.

The women pointed out that poverty in Africa “has a woman’s face,” citing its relationship to harmful cultural practices and traditions, prostitution, human and organ trafficking, child labor, forceful abandoning of the faith, and HIV and AIDS among other issues that require urgent attention from the churches.

They urged the churches to speak out publicly against human trafficking, as “too many women and children are leaving our villages, towns and cities, to be trafficked across our borders within the African continent as well as abroad, being exploited for cheap labor or as sex workers.” The church, they added, “is called to engage in advocacy and awareness programs and developing strategies in order to overcome ignorance and in denouncing the sin of human trafficking.”

Diverse interpretations and application of traditional African culture do not favor women in some parts of Africa, stated the pre-assembly women’s message. The women cited the case of women who are barred from inheriting or owning land, which consequently reduced the once cultivators and food producers to the level of buyers, thus perpetuating a cycle of dependency and poverty.

In a separate pastoral letter addressed to the African church leaders and all delegates to the pre-assembly, the women participants urged “you, our church leaders and bishops, to act in solidarity, encouraging women to take up leadership positions and listening to the female theologians in their call into the ordained ministry.”

They expressed appreciation for the LWF’s longstanding support for the equal participation of women and men in leadership. “We [are] greatly impressed by the expected 40 percent involvement of women, and wish to highlight that the upcoming Eleventh Assembly is a wonderful opportunity for our member churches in the region to mobilize and afford female church leaders an opportunity to attend as delegates.”

The pastoral letter underlined that “there are still voices of women in our region, crying for inclusivity within the church structures, leadership and in the ordained ministry. Women, who have been divinely called by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ are not afforded the opportunity to fully practice their calling.”

The letter was received officially by LWF vice president for the African region Bishop Dr Zephania Kameeta. It will be discussed in the small group sessions and then integrated into the final message from the Africa Pre-Assembly.

The 90 participants in the Africa pre-assembly include 70 delegates from the 31 LWF members in the region. “Give Us Today Our Daily Bread – The Church in Africa Today” is the theme of the gathering to prepare delegates for the July 2010 Eleventh Assembly in Stuttgart, Germany. (655 words)

Even though there is an abundance of natural resources in Africa, the proceeds from these resources remains in the hands of a few people, leaving the majority in Poverty.  Most of the political, ethno-religious conflicts in Africa today are as a result of injustice in the sharing of resources.

In Africa, Poverty has a woman’s face.

Daily challenges facing women includes Poverty, Gender Inequality, harmful Cultural Practices and Traditions, Prostitution, Human and Organ Trafficking, Child Labour, forceful abandoning of faith, HIV & AIDS, Violence Against Women and Children, Human Sexuality, Gender Justice,  amongst others.

Public rejection of Human and Organ Trafficking

Too many Women and Children are leaving our villages, towns and cities, to be trafficking across our borders within the African as well as abroad, being exploited for cheap labour or as sex workers.  Adversely impacting upon the fibres of our communities, churches and family structures.  The voice of the church is too often not heard through the cries of our mothers, fathers, daughters and sons.  This also contributes in the escalation of HIV & AIDS, unplanned pregnancies and other communicable diseases.

The church is called to engage in advocacy and awareness programs and developing strategies in order to overcome ignorance and denouncing the sin of human trafficking.

Diverse Culture practices

Interpretation and application of traditional African culture does not favour women on issues such as land ownership.  Women are not allowed to inherit or own land in some places, affecting especially widows and their children.

Land and Food Justice

The denial of access to land to Women, who once were the cultivators and producers are now reduced to the level of buyers, perpetuating the cycle of Poverty and Dependence.  The right to access of land will ensure Food Justice.

Women in Leadership

Women are created in the image of God with gifts and talents.  Women are responsible for the management of their homes and their children’s education, why not in Society and the Church?  We believe that women bring an essential perspective to all types of ministry – ordained and lay – in an increasingly fractured world.  As delegates and participants of this Pre-Assembly we affirm the wholeness of God’s creation; whereby women are integrated within all structures of Governance within Church and Society.  Embracing full participation of women and men is a sign of continuous Reformation and Transformation of the Church.

We, the Women of the Africa Communion re-affirm the LWF Women’s Pre assembly message and recommend our churches in the region to take action upon the issues of Human Trafficking, Women in Leadership and Food Justice as well as continuing with HIV & AIDS, Violence Against Women and Children, Human Sexuality and Gender Justice.

We strongly recommend that the following actions to be integrated in programs and plans in our region:

-        To strengthen the awareness role of the church, working with parents and children on the dangers of Human Trafficking, publicly condemning this practice and affirming human dignity as God’s gift.

-        To embrace the gift of Women in Leadership promoting inclusivity in all structures of governance

-        Networking with Civil Society and Government Agencies and other Faith Based Organisations

-        To promote Unity amongst Women in the Church

-        To overcome adverse interpretation of Culture, norms and beliefs which perpetuates the oppression and silencing of Women

-        To promote Gender Justice as church practice and witness re-affirming the Biblical understanding of creation in God’s image

-        To strengthen our Women’s network upon the African Continent, in promoting more spaces for encounters and regional reflections upon Contextual Issues.

Submitted by the Female Delegates and Participants of the African Pre-Assembly, 24 – 28 March 2010, The Vines Hotel, Abuja, Nigeria.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Human beings – men, women and children- are profoundly affected by the tragic business of human trafficking. For many of us in Europe, this seems like an invisible problem. In our ignorance and naivite we do not see the fact that people are being trafficked across borders in Europe on a daily basis. This happens for different purposes, all resulting in the violation of human dignity where lives and bodies are bought and sold.

This lack of awareness and coordinated action allows the organized crime of human trafficking to flourish, with the destruction of the minds and bodies of all involved: Victims ending up in virtual slavery, perpetrators destroying themselves as well as their victims.

As a church we believe that all men and women are created in the image of God in body, mind and soul. The loss of human dignity involved in human trafficking, damages the integrity of body and soul and leaves scars of unforeseeable consequences.

This cross-border challenge needs cross-border cooperation, between the worldwide church communions, NGOs and governments to act at a political level. We recognize that in order to deal effectively with this complex issue, it is necessary to understand the driving forces behind this business. It is crucial that the church acts through their congregations in helping all the affected to restore their dignity and in finding ways to make their stories heard.

Women in Leadership

We strongly affirm the LWF PreAssembly commitment “that women bring an essential perspective to all types of ministry – ordained and lay.” As we approach the 2010 Assembly, we deplore the fact that there are still member churches that do not ordain women,  and hinder women from leadership in decision-making bodies in the church. Prayerfully we encourage and continue our solidarity with women who long to live out their God-given vocation, and encourage them not to give up their struggle to serve the church on all levels in an expression of gender justice.

The church’s ‘renewed’ practice in gender justice in lay and ordained ministries and leadership could become a sign and a witness to society for the healing of gender inequalities in our world.

At the present the LWF has operated a quota system for 20 years that has ensured a more equal participation of women and men in its decision-making bodies. We ask the LWF community to evaluate the impact of this practice in its member churches. We also firmly ask to LWF to respect gender balance in all its governing bodies.

We also strongly reaffirm the message of the “Ongoing Reformation of the Church: The Witness of Ordained Women Today” (2008 Ad-Hoc meeting) in English,  French and German and the Message of the Pre-Assembly Women’s Conference in Bossey in October 2009 in English, French, German and Spanish.

FOOD JUSTICE

We praise God for the wonderful gift of food, a source of joy and life. We affirm that this gift is a human right for all people, but it is constantly an object of political and economic interests. Due to unjust systems and structures we see that people suffer from lack of access to sufficiently nutritious food. The need for food justice demands action in Europe in the areas of politics, economics and ecology.

Europe is facing an increase of poverty and malnutrition on one hand, and overconsumption on the other hand. This is a situation that is shared with other continents. However, Europe´s strong position on the world food market demands a particular awareness of the environmental impact at a global level which follows the  habits of consumption and export/import systems in Europe. This awareness needs to be followed by action at all levels.

We call upon all European churches to

-        join the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance

-        consider the promotion of fair trade at every level

-        direct diaconal work to interpret global issues in the local context

We regard all of these issues as not only women’s issues,  therefore we recommend this message to be included in the overall message of this Pre-Assembly.

Women Delegates Urge Lutheran Communion to Address Human Trafficking Issues

Just to Put Food on the Table

KITCHENER, Ontario, Canada/GENEVA, 1 February 2010 (LWI) – Women’s issues should not be just a priority for women throughout the Lutheran World Federation (LWF); being an inclusive communion is the responsibility of the entire communion.

Speaking on behalf of women delegates and advisors attending the LWF North America Pre-Assembly Consultation (NAPAC), Mikka McCracken, female youth delegate from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) urged all LWF North American delegates to take on the issues women delegates have lifted up as priorities within the whole LWF.

“These are issues that we are all called to,” said McCracken. “If only women take them on, this is not full communion.”

Participants were urged to stand in solidarity with women delegates in addressing the issues of human trafficking, women in leadership and food justice. The three priority areas were first prepared and proclaimed at the LWF Women’s Pre-Assembly in Bogis-Bossey, Switzerland, 27-31 October 2009, and were affirmed by North American region women delegates.

Twelve individuals in a variety of roles participated in the NAPAC youth and women’s meetings, which took place one day prior to the 29-31 January regional pre-assembly.

Education was a significant component in the call to address issues around human trafficking. “We have a lot of learning to do about what trafficking really is,” said McCracken. “This is not just something that happens elsewhere. It is the reality within our own context.”

Women delegates joined the LWF Council 2009 decision in absolutely rejecting “the turning of human beings into commodities, especially for the purposes of forced or exploitative labor, sexual exploitation, forced marriage, armed conflict or ‘organ harvesting.’” They called for wholeness for victims and recognition of commodification of human beings as sin.

Harmful Stigmas and Perceptions

“In some places women sell themselves just to put food on the table for their families,” noted McCracken. “The Church must combat the sale of women’s and children’s bodies, particularly at this time of global financial crisis.”

Within the North American context, delegates were urged to explore their responsibility for human trafficking by addressing some of the contributing factors such as increased availability and acceptability of pornography. “These are often considered to be sending countries and destination countries,” noted McCracken, in reference to both pornography and human trafficking. North America is often referred to as a destination country and its contribution to facilitating the demand of humans as commodities needs to be addressed. Delegates were encouraged to address the role they can have in changing the harmful stigmas and perceptions that women and children are dispensable and saleable.

Delegates were also urged to play a greater role in affirming women in leadership throughout the church. Women delegates strongly affirmed the LWF’s commitment to women’s ordination, first made by the 1984 Assembly in Budapest, Hungary. “We, men and women, must raise up and nurture women and know where power and privilege are at work,” said McCracken.

LWF member churches were encouraged to identify processes for naming female candidates to key LWF positions, and create opportunities to see visible change in the Lutheran family, including addressing issues around appropriate legislation and regulations that would enable women to take positions of leadership. The women delegates called for the creation of an LWF task force to organize theological discussions to identify guiding gender justice principles that would help member churches to contextualize and promote gender policies.

“We recognize the importance of modeling,” said McCracken, referring to the North American context, “and we encourage churches worldwide to experience women in the pulpit, at the altar, and in decision-making bodies.”

Turning to the issue of food justice, the changing dynamics within North American households were discussed. McCracken noted a recent statistic indicating that within the United States, 22 percent of women earn more than their husbands and are considered, “the bread winners” in their households. In addition, food production has become more industrialized; farmland is being converted to development and housing and profit is the primary motivator versus nutrition, she said.

McCracken called on delegates to consider that “when we pray, we acknowledge that food is a gift from God.” LWF churches were encouraged to actively participate in the fight for food justice through engagement in campaigns and the search for long-term sustainable change in this area. (725 words)

Womens Pre-Assembly North American Context

“Asian Women Seek Structures That Ensure Visible Inclusion in the LWF

Call to Empower Womens Response to Climate Change, Poverty and Human Trafficking

BANGKOK; Thailand/GENEVA, 8 December 2009 (LWI) Women delegates attending the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Asian region Pre-Assembly Consultation (APAC) commended the LWFs far-reaching advocacy for marginalized groups in church and society, but called for urgent changes to structures and traditions that further perpetuate exclusion.

Making women visible is the first step in reducing their vulnerability, said Ms Dora R. Hemalatha, when she presented the womens perspectives on the keynote address by LWF vice president Bishop Dr Munib A. Younan. The presentation by the bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELJHL) focused on daily bread as a holy call to justice in the Asian context.

Among other issues in his keynote address, the ELCJHL bishop called the church to take a strong stand against the feminization of hunger by educating, empowering and enabling women for full membership in all spheres of society.

The keynote address, said Hemalatha, highlighted how the church could work against hunger and related issues, but it would be strengthened by adding ways in which women in the church in particular can be empowered to overcome these challenges. The womens response underlined the need to provide opportunities for women to participate, speak, act and take a lead in their own churches starting from the grassroots level.

Cultural, traditional and social restrictions often mean that women are more affected by hunger and poverty than men, reported Hemalatha, womens secretary at the Arcot Lutheran Church (ALC) in India. Women are deprived of their status in church and society, she added.

During hard times, the women are the first to give something up: With less food to go around, it is invariably the woman who gives up her food to feed the family, Hemalatha said. This situation also has an impact on womens health, she noted, citing the example of India, where more than 50 percent of women are anemic. Out of 15 women giving birth, eight deliver premature babies with a low birth weight, said the ALC womens leader.

Objects of Entertainment

The Asian region women also pointed out the need for the church to become more involved in efforts to counter human trafficking, of which a majority of the victims are women and girls. Trafficking of girls is at an all time high. Women are being portrayed as objects of entertainment, bonded labor, slave trade and feudalism. Men feel that women [have an obligation] to bring money to the family to support the family needs. We should especially talk about how churches can help women to change this situation.

On climate change, the APAC women delegates emphasized that the impact of our energy-hungry lifestyles are affecting people across the world. They said Dalit and Adivasi (tribal) women were among the most affected as they lack the capacity to deal with climate change.

While the women welcomed Younans invitation to Asian churches to join the 13 December bell ringing to support the global climate change campaign, they urged more serious action beyond this important symbolic expression of solidarity. What should we do to change peoples life styles in a context in which women and children are the victims of this social issue? What as a church is our response to this alarming issue? they asked. (See invitation to the ecumenical bell ringing initiative on the LWF web site at: www.lutheranworld.org)

The women delegates said there were some LWF member churches that still did not recognize womens ordination. We believe that women bring an essential perspective to all types of ministry – ordained and lay – in an increasingly fractured and fractious world, they stated in their response.

We strongly protest that just doing things to fulfill the policy of the LWF and not giving [a] chance to work in their respective places is not just. For example, just giving women ordination and not giving them a real chance in the churches to obtain higher positions in the church council and equal status in the church like the male pastors, said Hemalatha on behalf of the women delegates attending the APAC.

The pre-assembly participants continue deliberations in small group discussions on climate change, human trafficking, and diakonia reaction to exclusion and religious diapraxis. (722 words) “