wfn.org | STRUGGLES, STRENGTHS OF YOUTH, WOMEN NOTED AT PRE-ASSEMBLY

["Pat Pattillo" <wpattillo@ncccusa.org>]

For Immediate Release  --  21 November 2003
AACC Media Team: (011) 237 966 3059 or 3063

STRUGGLES, STRENGTHS OF YOUTH, WOMEN NOTED AT PRE-ASSEMBLY

Yaounde, Cameroon - Calls to recognize the importance of Africa's women and
youth in church and society marked the joint opening ceremony Nov. 19 of two
pre-assemblies to the All Africa Conference of Churches 8th Assembly, to meet
here Nov. 22-27.

 "Youth aren't just tomorrow's Africa, they are Africa today," said the Rev.
Dr. Mbangue Eboa, Chairman of the 8th Assembly's Local Organizing Committee. 
"African women are no more just women who feed the babies at home.  They are
wives, mothers, citizens, companions, employers, employees, founders of
societies."

For their part, "youth have to struggle with the earth, the forest, the sea
to find what to eat," he said.	"They also have to struggle with scissors,
computers and hammers in order to have a better future.  They struggle to get
better training and to get jobs commensurate with their training."

The ceremonies were hosted by the Messa II Presbyterian Church in Yaounde,
where the Women's Pre-Assembly continues through Friday (Nov. 21).  The Youth
Pre-Assembly moves to the nearby Briqueterie I Evangelical Church for the
balance of its three-day meeting.

As participants arrived, at sunset, for Wednesday evening's ceremonies, they
were greeted in the church's spacious courtyard by more than 200 members of
the Association of Christian Women of Marie Gocker Presbyterian Church in
downtown Yaounde.

Accompanied by drummers, they sang, danced, blew whistles, whooped and pulled
people out of the audience one by one to dance, then as they filed out two by
two, other Christian women's associations took turns singing their welcomed
to all who had gathered.

"In Cameroon, we are in the heart of Africa.  In these coming days the heart
of Africa will vibrate!," proclaimed the Rev. Dr. Andrew Karamaga of the
newly formed Alliance of Reformed Churches in Africa as the opening
ceremonies moved into the church.

The evening's speakers brought both greetings and challenges to those
assembled.  The AACC's President, the Rev. Dr. Kwesi Dickson, said, "The
church is growing very, very fast in Africa.  We keep saying that the center
of Christianity is shifting from the (global) north to the (global) south. 
You are all aware of that fact.

"It is important that we should assess this development very carefully.  We
should constantly examine what we are holding dear as Christians.  Are we
convinced in our daily living that we hold dear to Christ and not to any
other being?"

The AACC's General Secretary, the Rev. Dr. Mvume Dandala, said that without
women, most churches would close down. 

"There is great universal truth in the saying 'the hand that rocks the
cradle, rocks the world' - more especially so in Africa," he said, going on
to affirm the progress being made by more churches that are beginning to
recognize the need to allow women their rightful place in the life of the
church as ordained clergy and leaders. 

Reminding the youth present that leaders like Nelson Mandela, Julius Nyerere
and Patrice Lumumba - in the quest for Africa's liberation - started their
work as young people, he urged that they too should have a vision for Africa
and a plan for the realization thereof.  At the same time, he warned that
effort and commitment would be required of them.  (See related story for more
from Dr. Dandala's address.)

Mrs. Madeleine Sarah Tiki-Koum, President of the Women's Department of the
Federation of Churches and Protestant Missions of Cameroon, challenged women
to work so that "we, our brothers and sisters, our churches and our continent
are always respected.  I ask the AACC to always think of and include women."

For all coming to the AACC Assembly, she said, "May your work be supported by
the three Ps - Peace, God's peace in you so that you may be artisans of
peace; Partnership, so men and women join forces for reconstruction at all
levels, and Prosperity, that your sojourn in Cameroon will be prosperous in
happy events for you, your churches, your countries and the whole world."

Mr. Maxim Ledoux Tapoko, President of the Cameroon church federation's Youth
Department, offered a challenge: "Churches of Africa have a choice," he said,
"to embrace Africa and work for her good, or cross their arms and stand
aside.	Sickness, AIDS, poverty, and misery can't continue."  The AACC's 8th
Assembly "takes place just when Africa needs it," he said.

Carol Fouke   AACC

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