Page 187 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

capable senior w om en co-w orkers. H e insisted that
it should be the spiritual gifts w hich are the basis of
service, not one's gender. It w as also the
contribution o f early foreign m issionaries w ho in
their high respect for w om en, accelerated the
progress o f w om en's self-developm ent.

D ue to m any influences from our culture, som e
w om en are still deprived o f th eir opportunities to
participate fully in the affairs o f the churches and
the society, even the right to exercise their own
roles. T he W orld C ouncil o f C hurches, seeing the
need to support and to pray for w om en, initiated the
"Ecum enical D ecade o f C hurches in Solidarity w ith
W om en 1988-98" w ithin local and overseas
churches. T hey support the elim inating o f any
unfair treatm ent to w om en, encourage w om en to
develop their spiritual gifts, seek equal
opportunities for w om en in their right to m ake
decisions and help them to be included in the
C hristian com m unity to enjoy doing theology and
sharing spirituality.

T he C om m ittee w ill continue to explore the
situations w hich the local church w om en are now
facing in this transitional period to provide them
appropriate support and training for encountering
different challenges. In addition, the C om m ittee
encourages churches o f H ong K ong to pay m ore
attention to the contributions o f church w om en and
their experiences and conditions. T he C om m ittee
w ill also strengthen our connections w ith the
C hurch in C hina for m utual support and learning.
W e w ant to continue our participation in w om en's
issues on an international level through close
contact w ith overseas partners and organizations.

T he C hurch has given us this aw esom e
responsibility, and at tim es it seem s the tasks are far
beyond our ability. H ow ever, w e are also appointed
by our Lord and through H is loving-kindness and
justice, our w ounds are healed and our paths have
been paved.

(Ms. Ko Siu-wah is Chairperson of the Women's
Committee for 1993-95.)

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