“Now choose life, change our ways and actions”

2018 was a special year for the ICFLC International Committee for the Fellowship of the Least Coin Annual Meeting because it was linked – as every four years - to a special General Assembly of the ACWC Asian Church Women’s Conference. Founded only two years after the start of the Fellowship of the Least Coin from amidst of her members our Asian Christian sisters celebrated their 60th anniversary with a festive 16th Assembly titled: “Now choose life, change our ways and actions” which took place from October 4th to 7th in Bangkok, Thailand, in the premises of the headquarters of the CCA Christian Conference of Asia. About 150 women were present.

Emphasis was laid on choosing as Christian women for the dignity of all and to fight for human rights for women to prevent them from being slaves or victims of all sorts of violence including trafficking of women and girls. Practical examples were given like Talita Kum Thailand, an anti-trafficking movement of catholic women religious, to raise awareness among priests, monks and bishops in this origin, transit and destination country. Other social challenges are: domestic violence, teenager pregnancies, surrogate mums. “Thailand is the womb of Asia.” Through the national reports of the sixteen participating Asian countries - three other member countries could not make it - and the problems and burning issues they brought to the Assembly, it became clear what women and their churches have to (continue to) do in the coming years. Forced and unpaid or underpaid labour of children and women - often to care for their families – as a form of modern economic slavery were brought to the table, as well as poverty being the main reason for social injustice giving no perspective for the future especially for the young generation. Why do often only women feel responsible for their families? Furthermore: the vulnerable position of tribal people and tribal girls in need through domestic violence and forced and early marriages; refugee women, especially Rohinjas fleeing from Myanmar to other countries; the increasing suicide rate of women because of stress and oppression; alcoholism causing many family problems and domestic violence; pollution in quickly developing countries; and the list is even not closed.

It became very clear to me as a European woman how similar and global these social economic problems are and how they are affecting first and foremost women and children all over the world. Solidarity is needed still and more than ever!

In the smaller bible study groups more personal testimonies were spoken out as we explored the theme more in depth. The emphasis was laid on praying and finding more time in our busy lives “to serve the Lord” as it was formulated, meaning: working more in church and Sunday school without neglecting own family life and job. Materialism and big money do not make us happy. We should read more in the bible. Stop the old life and repent. Meaning: to break with the old religion, changing from Buddhism to Christianity because only Jesus can help us. Some women were grateful to the missionaries who brought the Gospel and freed people from Buddhism and Hinduism though it was often by force. The generation of the grandparents were promised a job if they became Christians. They said: the missionaries freed us from the taboo of those religions forbidding for example to go out when the birds are singing or venerating many gods. Now we are true and free Christians while our grandparents had no choice.

On her 60th anniversary great changes were decided to secure the future of ACWC. After a year of transition there will be no more Executive Secretary but a president and four regional vice presidents, one for each part of Asia, all volunteers.

After having been a guest to this festive anniversary event and having brought our greetings and congratulations to the ACWC sisters, ICFLC held her 38th Annual Meeting – for the first time with our new Executive Secretary Lisa Lamis - bringing reports from the regional coordinators and granting more than twenty projects from all over the globe which were presented by the regional coordinators as well as scholarships to several young applicants from Asia, Africa and Latin America. A new chair was chosen, the youngest in the ICFLC herstoy ever: Awit Marcelino (33) from WICC Women’s Inter-Church Council of Canada, who had been vice chair during the last two years. The newly elected vice chair is Lydia Mwaniki from Kenia working with AACC All Africa Conference of Churches on the desk for Theology, Family Life and Gender Justice. Ghana in West Africa will be the place for the next ICFLC Annual Meeting in October 2019. We are happy and excited about this friendly invitation to see how our African sisters are living and working in the FLC movement!