"Don't sit on a fence!"

Women's Conference
in Riga (Latvia)
19-21 October, 2006

From 19th till 21st of October we had this great opportunity to have in
Riga our president Dorothy Selebano.
Now thinking of her visit we want to
share it with you. And we will let you read one of our sister's opinion and
personal experience.

When in our churches we got an invitation to conference and after we found out that the special guest is going to be the president of Baptist World Women Departament and the theme is going to be: "Don't sit on a fence!" we got a little confused. Some of us made jokes about it, some made comments and others kept silent.

Some of us in our childhood have been shepherds. And there were times when I had to look for a shelter because of some mad cow that was coming straight to my direction. On a fence!! The only shelter.

And now the theme of conference: "Don't sit on a fence!" I will not tell you now how step by step was the programme of conference, but I will let you know my personal impressions. And I will tell you straight away: at this conference I was caught by lightning.

We were in Africa when the president was talking about her home land.

With all our hearts we felt sympathy for black women and their children who are begging for bread but there is no bread to give, when little babies' bodies are covered by purulent abscesses and unclean wounds but mothers don't have any medicine and bandages...

"Give yourself to the Lord... the president was reading from Psalms 37. "Turn away from evil and do good.."

And later she was talking about ourselves. About each of us. Of how specially God created us thinking of each of us individually so that we could serve Him and our neighbours. I doubt if I will ever hear so heatedly spoken word told directly to me: "Don't sit on a fence when the Lord is asking you in His ministry!"

That was impressive! That was something special. Don't sit on a fence! Don't look at one side of a fence or at other. You might protect yourself more by sitting on a fence but God is asking you in His ministry. How many different reflections. Did I catch this inviting word?"

With sincere greetings, Anda Kostanda