Stories

• Reflections from Bolivia from Lindsey Frye, friend of GWP

• If you believe and I believe: Stories of women from Scripture and Sudan from Elizabeth Keller, friend of GWP

• Stories from Pegari and Nimule, Sudan from Nan Erbaugh, Lower Miami CoB Pastor (former GWP steering committee member)

• From a sermon by Carrie Eikler former CoB pastor (former GWP steering committee member) Read the full text on her blog.

…In our haste to be people of service, we can quickly rush to respond without taking the time to listen. Jesus-healing involves first listening and then responding. First listening to our friend who doesn’t know why she is thinking sad thoughts all the time and doesn’t want to get out of bed. First listening to the person in our congregation who feels alienated because they are, for whatever reason, not quite like the rest of us.

The work of Global Women’s Project is not simply to help poor women in poor countries. It is a service of listening. Of hearing what women in various circumstances face in their daily lives, and supporting the work the women decide need to be done. As affluent Western Christians, it may seem like the needy are in our faces, and at our feet. But, they also must be in our minds, our conversations, our decisions. We don’t need to be a voice for the voiceless, as the saying often goes. Everybody in need has a voice—Jesus’ healings gave witness to this. They all vocalized their needs. The difference is, that Jesus listened. Instead of being simply a voice, we need to first be ears that hear, receivers of stories, discerners of how we each can speak with women and men around the world, not speak for them. How we can be healed alongside them, not simply heal them.
But it is true, that we can’t hear the voices of women in the far reaches of the world…giving them voice in some way in order to share there stories is needed. Read stories of women around the world, and how listening have opened Christ-like healing in these women’s lives…. (Read all of Carrie’s sermon.)

• Explore our worship resources for more stories, meaning, and inspiration!