Stonecroft celebrates ‘Women’s World’ theme

With August being Women’s Month Stonecroft celebrated all women with the theme of ‘It’s a Women’s World’.

Lee-Ann Buhr and her daughter Emma Buhr opened with the song ‘On top of the world’, specially chosen and apt.

Colleen Haggard, former editor of South Coast Herald, captivated the audience (in which there were a few token males) with a well-researched, thoughtful and humorous address.

She quoted ‘women who want equality with men have no ambition’ which brought much appreciative laughter.

She said that International Women’s Day was founded by the United Nations but that South African Women’s Day commemorates the 1956 silent, peaceful march of 20 000 women to Parliament in Pretoria, protesting extension of the pass laws.

It was organised by women activists of all races, notably Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Tracey de Bruyn and Rahima Moosa.

Colleen reminded the audience of the appalling early list of limitations on women, giving numerous examples.

It was only in 1973 that women could serve on American juries and until recently South African women needed their husband’s signature to open any accounts.

It is only in the last 100 years that women have slowly made progress in education and professions.

As recently as 1960 women were restricted in their career choices and even today senior professional women only earn 83 cents to a man’s R1.

She remarked that during her career she has interviewed well known women but her abiding memories are of the ordinary local women who have done the extraordinary, tirelessly serving their communities.

In closing, Colleen said that even though most of history has told us what we women cannot do ‘Still We Rise’ a reference to Maya Angelou’s poetry championing women and freedom.

The delicious treats prepared and served by the Methodist Women’s Association were enjoyed as were the numerous conversations.

Lee-Anne Buhr, who ministers to her local community and internationally, spoke on ‘How God Uses Women’.

She opened by saying that women ministered to Christ’s physical body while He was on earth but nowadays women can still care for His spiritual body, quoting from Isaiah Ch 61 ‘to comfort all who mourn and bestow a crown of beauty and a garment of praise’.

“God calls us to rebuild, restore, renew and all of us have the opportunity to do that,” she said.

“Our identity is in Christ but He made us to be individuals. We have a general calling but we each have our own individual calling using our spiritual gifts.”

Lee-Ann shared that one of her gifts was cooking which God used, particularly many years ago, to minister to a young missionary couple from the Netherlands who were enduring a traumatic period.

She didn’t realise it then but only 14 years later when she met them again did they share that those meal times with her family were what sustained them.

In summary, she said: “We can all bring our love to be real and available for our Father’s business anywhere, anytime.”

The next Stonecroft meeting will be at Shelly Beach Methodist Church on Friday, September 19 at 09:30.

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