Responsively YoursResponsively Yours
All these sentences are true. They present the variety of realities throughout the countries of Africa. Let us look at some of these realities.
Reality: Children have served/are serving as soldiers in internal conflicts.
Crisis: Young persons are armed with guns and trained to kill, rob and maim to survive. They terrorize villages and wander the streets looting and destroying.
Hope: Women are being trained about the emotional and psychological injuries these child-soldiers have received so they can work to integrate them back into society. This is a long-term ministry and one that will require forgiveness and reconciliation.
Reality: Refugee women and children are living in camps and villages in Kenya, Ivory Coast, Ghana and other nations not their homes.
Crisis: These camps and villages are overcrowded. Sanitation is poor, children have few or no opportunities for education, and women are often harassed, even raped by camp and village officials.
Hope: The church is present in these situations, often brought by the refugees. With help from partners in churches in the United States, buildings are being erected and schools are opening.
Reality: Land mines are prevalent in Angola.
Crisis: Farmers cannot go to their fields to raise food; children are being maimed and killed by the mines; and there is little or no employment for those without legs.
Hope: Inexpensive prosthesis methods developed in Bangladesh have been exported to Angola by the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries to enable many children and adults to walk. The board is also attempting to find a method to de-mine the fields and roads.
Reality: AIDS is rampant in Zimbabwe, Kenya and many other African countries.
Crisis: Thousands of children are orphaned and many of them have AIDS. The children are living on the streets in extreme poverty. Social services are non-existent to deal with the situation.
Hope: In January 2000, laywomen and pastors of the Zimbabwe Methodist Church held a consultation to assess the needs in their communities and to plan strategies that can help alleviate some of the suffering.
Reality: Women and young girls had their arms and hands cut off by soldiers during the war in Sierra Leone.
Crisis: These women and girls are unable to care for their families. The girls are not likely to marry nor can they find employment.
Hope: Artificial arms and hands are expensive. Corporations are being approached to make large contributions to give aid to these women and girls. Hopefully some will respond. Pray for these women and girls as they struggle to live.
Reality: Although Africa is rich in natural resources, many of these resources have not been translated into prosperity for the people.
Crisis: Many Africans live in severe poverty. Parents cannot afford to send their children to school. Unemployment is high. Cities are crowded with people who have left rural areas because of drought, war or dreams of better lives.
Hope: Women are developing sewing or agricultural cooperatives. They are learning marketing skills and are beginning to receive some cash for their goods. Communities are learning that improvement comes as they work together to better their own situation.
As women committed to mission with women, children and youth, United Methodist Women must continue to follow the teachings of Jesus to bring hope to the women and children of Africa. Jesus taught us to pray, to teach, to heal the sick, to name the evils of society. Jesus taught us to seek justice for all, to bring joy and hope through word and deed.
We must stand in solidarity with the women of Africa who are bringing hope to their communities and assist them as they desire. We must work with others to seek the cancellation of the international debt of many of their nations. We must pray for peace and those involved in peace negotiations. We must acknowledge our country’s involvement in creating dependency and economic chaos in many African countries.
Faithfulness to the Spirit of Christ that is alive and well among God’s people in Africa is required of all of us as we work with the African people to increase hope on the continent.
Responsively Yours ,
Joyce D. Sohl
Deputy General
Secretary
Women's Division