With an entire week of vacation at Thanksgiving, my grand-nieces and I knew they would get bored. I offered them a few hours of work at my office to help me clean out for retirement.
"What do you do?" my
13-year-old niece, Mya, asked. She has been in the family for just three years, and the nature of my employment hasn't been on the top on her to-learn-about-the-family list! Before I had a chance to reply with something simple (e.g., "secretary"), her 11-year-old sister, Shaelea, who has been part of the family since birth, answered, "She works for women and men to be equal."
"Well, not quite," I thought. But, it was an answer they could both get behind.
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| Berni meets Liliana, an IWF recipient, at a Sister Care event in Paraguay |
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That I have been executive assistant of Mennonite Women USA (MW USA) for 16 years is hard to wrap my head around. I signed on soon after the merger. A challenge from the beginning has been convincing our constituency that, because we are women of the Mennonite Church in the United States, we already belong to Mennonite Women USA. W
hether or not we can quilt or like sewing circles is secondary.
MW USA grew out of a group of women's journey to find their place in the church. A century ago, stay-at-home moms were looking for outlets to socialize and use their talents for kingdom building. Women's groups emerged in the Mennonite church as well as in other denominations. To this day, women gather to pray and play together with a focus on kingdom building.
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Gifts from international sisters |
Some of our women still gather to quilt or roll bandages. Others find time after the children are in bed to Skype for prayer and support. In addition to monthly meetings, MW USA women's groups are gathering once or twice a year for weekend retreats that include prayer, support, and service.
Through my years with MW USA, I have come to appreciate women's strength. Observing the resilience of the staff and board, I marvel at women's courage to speak prophetically against violence and injustice in the world. I have met many devoted and faithful women both in my office and in countries around the world. These women have been my teachers. My sisters.
While my time with Mennonite Women USA is coming to a close, I continue the journey to faithfully live out my call while empowering others to do likewise.
When Shaelea and Mya came to work for me during their Thanksgiving break, we stopped at a local coffee shop. When the barista brought us our drinks, I raised my cup. I wanted to speak words of cheer, but I wasn't sure what they should be. Before I could speak, Shaelea raised her cup and said, "To women!"
Indeed, I will journey into retirement "to women!"
Brooke Oyana, Philadelphia, PA, is the new administrative assistant of Mennonite Women USA. You will learn more about her next month!
