Women's skills, hospital visit, leadership & management

Wednesday we had two groups working on parallel paths.  Some of us met for the day with the pastors about leadership and management of the church.  The balance of the group met with the women's skills center and visited a local hospital.


Tony shows off the lunch prepared by the
culinary arts class


The women's skills center was one of the earliest activities started in the Senegal mission, with the intention of educating women so that they could be self-sufficient economically in a society which does not care for women well.  Most girls stop their education in about the 8th grade because it costs money to go on and the family believes the girl will only be getting married anyway.  As a result, most women are not sufficiently educated to support themselves should a problem develop (unmarried or divorce) and fall into crime (drug running, prostitution) - where the prison ministry assists.  To get ahead of the issue, the mission offers a three-year curriculum at a nominal fee to teach sewing and tailoring skills, culinary arts and French language literacy to make it possible for women be in business.  Along with micro-credit programs, this has proven to be very effective in placing women in more confident standing.


The visit to the skills center focused on the activities and their needs for support.  Recent relocation of the mission has depressed registrations for the moment.  The economic downturn in the world economy has reduced contributions, too.  Sewing and tailoring are not as much in demand now as ten years ago due to the influx of mass-produced (especially Chinese) clothing.  Culinary arts remain in demand.  The cooking class prepared two delicious lunches for us on Tuesday and Wednesday.  The skills center is looking to adapt and will need resources to do so.

Carol and Tania, along with the others, visited a local hospital with Valeri from the wellness program.  They saw some very interesting differences between that hospital and our hospital's at home.  Crowding was evident, and maternity patients were given 12 hours to deliver and leave the hospital.


Entry to the hospital

Tom, Tony and Bill Gibson spent time with the ordained pastors talking about (a) the UMC Discipline, and (b) engaging the laity in the administration and leadership functions of the church.  The pastors asked many interesting questions and posed a number of interesting case studies about church life in Senegal - but nothing that Paul didn't cover in his letters!  It was a very lively time together.

-- Tom