Happy Women's Day!

Happy Women's Day to you all! A day to celebrate and honour the wonderful women who have shaped and encouraged us, past and present! And yes, today I want to recognise, celebrate, honour and thank these amazing women pictured below. Women from the Upendo wa Mama group who have struggled through unbearable challenges and persevered through much adversity. Women who have encouraged me and taught me so, so much! I cannot thank them enough! They are truly inspirational women!

Women from the Upendo wa Mama Group with their children
(Photo Credit: Under the Same Sun)

As you all no doubt know from our various social media pages (we clearly didn't give up Facebook for Lent ... I think I have posted more in 2 weeks than I did all year!) the girls and I have been thinking and sharing about women who have inspired us. And we have focussed in particular so far on women we know who have actively been working to see women or girls freed from something. Freed from the threat of FGM, a cycle of crime, the dangers and shame surrounding albinism, and next up on the blog, from the fear and shame of menstruation and inaccessibility of an education. We have celebrated women who have been a voice for the voiceless or sought to help others somehow entrapped in or by something. Bringing freedom. And it raised the question, what is freedom?

At the same time, as part of a series with Holy Trinity Combe Down church, as a family, we have been reading together "The Bible: A Story that Makes Sense of Life" by Andrew Ollerton. It is excellent ... especially if you are really not sure about the Bible ... or life. It makes sense of it all. And right now, we are reading about the great quest for human freedom: The Exodus, "an epic story told from the vantage point of marginalized people overshadowed by empires whom they outlast". 

For some people, international women's day is about women's rights, protests, marches, fighting for equality... But I think that in all this striving for women's choice, self-expression and liberation, many are missing something. And freedom has been confused and meaning lost. Often now freedom is seen to mean the right to autonomy, free choice. It revolves around self, the individual which should have no constraints or limitations. But as Ollerton points out in his book, this has led to a society "drowning in freedom, and yet thirsting for meaning." with "a maximum of choice but minimum of meaning". We see this everywhere ... the high levels of stress and anxiety when self is not in control, in addictions and distractions, escapism and searches for meaning. Again, to quote Ollerton, "increased choices without a greater sense of purpose results in a tremendous, unbearable pressure."  

So we need to define freedom. As Ollerton says in his book, God is the ultimate freedom fighter. He is the one who sides with the underdog against the oppressor. And He sent his son, Jesus as the true freedom fighter for all humanity. The example of this freedom fighter has inspired countless people over the years (William Wilberforce to abolish slavery, Eglantyne Jebb and Dorothy Buxton to "save the children," and many, many more including the women we have shared on this blog). And when it comes to women, in an ancient culture that devalued women, the Bible clearly points to another way. Women are created equal, in the image of God. Women are valued and their lives and their stories are important. Through the example of Jesus and the writings of the early church, we see that the faith of women and their contributions are significant. This is a culturally revolutionary freedom!  

As we look at the example in Exodus, and in Jesus (the true Exodus), we see that freedom means more than just coming OUT of something but also means a way IN. It is far bigger than just escaping something, but a journey of faith into something else. Into knowing the purpose for which we were created ... to be image-bearers of God, reflecting his beauty in a world that is broken and chaotic. As Ollerton says, "Exodus is about humans rediscovering the freedom and exhilaration of our original purpose." We don't need to pretend, to compare, to escape, to hide, to act, to strive. We are all unique; we look different, we have different gifts, different roles ... and that is something to celebrate, as we are all created in the image of God, with a purpose. 

And so I hope that somehow, International Women's Day can be reclaimed in the name of true freedom. As we honour women who have inspired us, celebrate the faith and contributions of women in our lives, as we join with the ultimate freedom fighter against the things we see around us that are breaking and hurting people, we want to show not just a way out, but also the way in. In to being free to be who we were created to be. I think this defines freedom! And it is for everyone!

"The glory of God is a human being fully alive" 

Irenaeus 

And finally, another big thank you for the kind support that is coming in to Help The Hive! If you would like to give something to help the work that The Hive is doing for women in Tanzania, please click here!