14 / 16
Mission Journal
14
On my first visit to South Korea
some years ago, I was warmly greeted
by the Methodist Women of the
Korean Methodist Church. Their
intentional hospitality offered to my
traveling companions and I made us
feel very welcomed and secure in a
new cultural setting. This allowed us to
fully experience the church and its
mission projects, and with introduc-
tions to significant leaders we came to
understand and appreciate this new
environment.
Historically women have provided
strength and focus on mission that is
necessary for the nurture of younger
women as they move into full leader-
ship roles in the church. This also
brings a subsequent growth of the
church into broader awareness and
more inclusive involvement of all
persons.
It is this intentional emphasis on
mission and welcoming hospitality that
is a foundation for the long term
success of many women's projects.
Women bring a nurturing and maternal
perspective to mission involvement.
While typical "women's" work of
providing nourishing food and personal
care for those in need is an important
aspect of this perspective, it goes much
further by pressing for holistic organi-
zational efforts that lead to justice for
all persons and reconciliation in society.
Women have always organized
projects to care for the needs of
c h i l d r e n , wh o a r e t h e mo s t
marginalized of every culture. An
example comes from my travels in
Africa.
The rural village of Goma in north-
east Democratic Republic of Congo lies
at the base of an active volcano. Much
of the area is covered with hardened
lava that forms a sharp knife-life stone
surface. The United Methodist Women
of the local church saw the need to
care for war orphans, and other
abandoned children who gathered in
the village. The women created a
compound to welcome these children
with food, clothing, and a place to
sleep. Mostly, the women provided a
safe, secure and loving environment for
the children traumatized by the
violence and uncertainty of their young
lives.
When I visited Goma with others as
represent a t i ves of the Un i ted
Methodist Committee on Relief, I
became aware that the children did not
run to meet us when we arrived, as do
children in villages all around the world.
They just sat where they were, smiling
and eager to meet us, but did not
move they had no shoes. Without
coverings their tender feet became cut,
bruised and infected. Some had
minimal bandages, yet these did not
protect their feet from abuse.
With the help of the women we
determined that the greatest need for
the children was shoes. We were able
to secure a small plane load of shoes
from neighboring Kenya, along with
some soccer balls. We and the women
gently placed shoes on their tiny feet,
with the promise that when their feet
healed they could play soccer, and live
as children in their new home.
This is intentional missional involve-
ment that brings pragmatic results for
the least, the last, and the lone. Being
intentional about long term changes in
society that creates more just and
equitable solutions for God's special
young people is real women's work.
For Jesus said, Who is the greatest in
the kingdom of heaven? He called a
child, whom he put among them, and
said, Truly I tell you, unless you change
and become like children, you will
never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Whoever becomes humble like this
child is the greatest in the kingdom of
heaven. Whoever welcomes one such
child in my name welcomes me.
(Matthew 18:1-5)
We must not simply wander about
with this or that mission idea or short-
term and limited helping effort.
Intentional mission causes us to be
pilgrims in the journey of Christian
faith, looking for root causes of human
injustice and holistic solutions for
human need, particularly for the
marginalized women and children of
God s world. As pilgrims we set off on
extended faith journeys that move us
out of our comfort zones and into God
s Mission. Yet we will often find the
welcoming hospitality of women in
every culture who encourage, comfort
and aid all, just as Jesus set forth in his
calls to live by faith.
Ginena Dulley Wills
is a laywoman retired
from the executive staff of the General Board
of Global Ministries, who also has held many
regional and national leadership positions in
United Methodist Women.
Methodist Women as Pilgrims
in Intentional Mission
From Ms. Ginena Dulley Wills