Portion to inspire ‘Suffering
Women’
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Mozambican women like these face hardship brought about by 16 years of civil war, poverty, loneliness and discrimination. To bring them hope the Bible Society in Mozambique recently published a Scripture Portion, entitled Suffering Women, with help from Opportunity 21. Maputo, Mozambique. Photo: UBS/Judith Kendall (MOZ00C-7/23A) |
MAPUTO, Mozambique — A Scripture Portion published by the Bible Society in Mozambique with help from Opportunity 21 and designed specifically to inspire women is having a very positive impact at all levels.
After reading her copy of Suffering Women, which contains texts from the Old and New Testaments, the country’s Minister for Women’s Affairs and Social Welfare, Virginia Matabele, gave it a ringing endorsement. Saying she had found the book helpful, she requested 300 copies for distribution to her department’s offices throughout the country’s 10 provinces.
“We are ready to help and collaborate with the Bible Society in promoting this book,” she added. “Send us more copies and we’ll distribute them.”
Enthusiastic
The country’s Director of Religious Affairs, Job Chambal, was no less enthusiastic. Having distributed some copies to churches in Gaza Province, he rang the Bible Society to ask for more.
Among the problems which women in Mozambique face are those arising in the aftermath of 16 years of war, which ended in 1994, high unemployment, the high cost of living, loneliness and discrimination by men.
Mrs Matabele was among the 3,000 guests who attended the launch of the Portion, in Maputo in October, when she alluded to the persistence of discrimination against women. In churches, in non-governmental organisations and in civil society, she said, women were still fighting for their rights. The government, however, intended to pay special attention to women to try to help improve their situation.
“We have been involved in literacy programs and many women are now able to read and write,” she said. “For all that, I think these books will be useful for Mozambican mothers. I am deeply grateful for the gift and I hope that they may be an instrument to improve the situation in terms of reducing the numbers of single mothers and street kids.”
Neglected
The preacher at the event was Bible Society Board member the Rev Olga Raimundo. “Women are the most neglected human beings in the world,” she said. “There are not equal rights yet between man and woman. Women were the principal victims of the civil war: most of them are widows or have lost their children, others are single mothers abandoned by their husbands, struggling to survive and to educate their children.
“We still have a long way to walk. Let us therefore get up, eat, and walk towards a better life. The book is our spiritual food to strengthen us to continue to play our role in our families, in our churches and in our country.”
In his address, the Executive Secretary of the Bible Society in Mozambique, the Rev Amos B Zitha, said the books would help suffering women understand that God takes care of all those who trust him as their refuge and protection. He challenged all those receiving a copy to read it, understand it, interact with it and to share its message with others.
Big babies
Bringing a touch of humour, the President of the Christian Council of Mozambique, the Rev Arao Litsure, said men generally recognised that “without wives we would not be as we are. Therefore, we would like to ask you to continue to take care of those big babies – your husbands.”Some 110,000 copies of the Portion have been published – 60,000 in Portuguese, 30,000 in Tsonga and 20,000 in Xitshwa. The Bible Society is hoping that, with further funds from O-21, it will be able to translate and publish Suffering Women in other languages such as Xirhonga, Ndau, Chichewa and Makua. (SR 29/2 - 4/5.02) [PHOTOS]