Our last day of ministry in Zambia, us girls had the privilege of participating in a women’s conference. It was held at the church, and women from the church and community gathered and worshiped together. As per usual, we were asked to speak at this conference, but unlike other events, we were just a small portion of the conference.
Many of the women from the church and school spoke as well. One woman talked about different qualities of a woman of God. Another spoke on ways to make money ethically and practically as a woman of God. There were talks about being a mother, being a wife, being a widow.
While discussing with the team which two of us were going to speak, none of us felt especially called so Ruby and I both volunteered to prepare something in case no one felt called. Having led many all girls groups at camp and in church, I had lots of material to draw from.
As I sat down to prepare, the Lord started speaking. He took me to a set of verses in Song of Solomon where the beloved (women of God by extension) are compared to expensive herbs and spices, and then to a well and a fountain (4:13-15). Then the Lord brought me to the woman at the well, where Jesus declares that he is the living water.
One of the hardest things to see in Zambia was how useless women were. We are pretty; we are sexual; we keep the home. Women do not lead in church. Women do not lead in school. Women do not work. If we do, we have very few options. All month, as women missionaries, no one knew what to do with us. The only thing we were useful for was the language that we spoke and then only with help.
The Lord had me speak about how every single one of the herbs/spices/fruits listed was not just beautiful and valuable, but each one had a purpose: Somewhere medicinal, somewhere antiseptic, others nutritional. Every single one was valuable because of its purpose and beauty.
Then the Lord started speaking about women as a well or a fountain. As women, we carry Christ as living water in us. The more amazing part is that we are a garden fountain, so we can surround those around us (family, friends, colleges, class-mates, friendly-acquaintances) with Christ. We can intercede and connect them with God until they can connect with God on their own. We have the life source in us, and we can let it overflow out of us to those around us.
It ended up being a really cool God moment not just for the women in the conference but for me as well. Being in Zambia, I realized that I feared others perceiving me as a woman. In many places and to many people being a woman means being useless, being ignored, being purposeless, being sexualized, being weak, being insufficient. The Lord is bigger than fear, and he has a created women in Zambia, women in America, women everywhere, for a purpose.
