An Amazing Year at the Women's Institute
Greetings from Dr. Grace May, Director of the Women's Institute
Dear Friends,
Meditating on the life of Mary and Jael, both of whom the Scriptures call “blessed” (Luke 1:48, Judges 5:24), I’m reminded that the blessing of giving birth to our Lord and Savior took faith and courage. I’d like to commend to you the Advent reflection from last year, which provides a powerful message of hope during discouraging times. Christmas reminds us not to focus on the serpent biting our heels but instead to seize hope in the promise that Jesus came into the world to crush the serpent’s head.
This year, I’ve been privileged to meet people like Mary and Jael, who have made sacrifices to follow God’s call on their lives. Consider two of our WCIU students and how the Global Women’s Empowerment (GWE) Area of Focus have been part of their stories.
Stories of Global Women’s Empowerment Students
Ellen Iyasu
Ellen Iyasu emigrated from Eritrea to the US and during her studies at WCIU felt God’s call to establish an educational center to support Eritrean youth particularly those who were struggling in refugee camps. Ellen took all three GWE courses and is now preparing to graduate. I met her recently in September where she shared at the WCIU Global Impact Forum about her commitment to refugee youth, the subject of her capstone project.
Shade Atanda
Shade Atanda lives and ministers in Nigeria, where she regularly works among women living in areas where the Boka Haram reside. In October, she attended the Biblical Equity Africa Conference in Kenya, where I was blessed to spend time with her before she took off to facilitate a short-term medical missions trip to Togo. I was encouraged to hear how her time in our GWE classes impacted her.
Celebrating the WCIU President’s Inauguration, September 21 - 22, 2023
Celebrating the inauguration ceremony of our university president, Dr. Paul Cornelius, this past September brought together many of our faculty and staff, who work remotely. Women’s Institute (WI) Associate Director Michele Mitsumori hosted a WI book table, and together with WI Steering Committee members Dr. Andrea McAleenan, Rev. Dr. Esther Liu, Thu Ha Chow, and I, we greeted guests and shared about the WI and related publications. Thu Ha joined from Singapore by way of a pre-recorded message of congratulations to our president.
WCIU board member, Dr. Linda Saunders, was so impressed by the concepts and global examples of how governments can use tax revenues to ensure the well-being of women in Tax Justice and Global Inequality, co-edited by WI Steering Committee member Erika Dayle Siu, that she is planning to include the text in her Faith-Based Humanitarian Action and Leadership course at Liberty University. Watch a short interview with Erika about the book here.
We were also pleased to share WI Steering Committee member Saumya Lee’s blog on Sri Lanka with Dr. Nishani Gunasekera and Dr. Richard Gunasekera, a WCIU board member and co-chair of the inauguration planning committee.
By the end of the evening, we had had many rich conversations and had given away almost all of our books, including Biblical Multicultural Leadership by Dr. Sheryl Silzer. In WI’s formative days, Dr. Silzer led a series of trainings on the topic for our Steering Committee and continues as a member of the WI Board of Reference.
Reflecting in Gratitude
Looking back, this year’s inauguration, my trip to Kenya, and meetings with faculty, students, and global leaders continues to inspire, challenge, and lift my hope that though the work in gender equity is far from done, it is a mission and life rooted and grounded in Christ.
Thank you for being a part of building the Women’s Institute and investing in the cause of equality in Kenya and across the world.
I’d like to invite you to consider making an end of the year donation to support the Global Women’s Empowerment area of focus and students like Shade and Ellen.
May the knowledge that our Savior has already crushed the head of our enemy, the ancient serpent, strengthen you in the challenges and struggles you may be facing.
In the victorious name of our Lord Jesus Christ, whose birth gives us hope,
Dr. Grace May, Women’s Institute Director
P.S. Want a good read over the holidays or a Christmas gift? Buy a copy of the newly published Quest for Biblical Gender Equity, which was launched in Kenya this October and which a team of four co-edited, including Steering Committee Prof. Philomena Mwaura and me.