Accompanying Lydia
Posted on 20. Dec, 2007 by Lutheran World Relief in Philippines/Indonesia
The freedom of women in the west contributes significantly to the flourishing of economic life here. I’m not sure whether or not this notion has been statistically verified, but it is my hunch; namely, that even though women in North America and western Europe are far from being fully or fairly empowered, I suspect that they experience relatively fewer encumbrances toward the pursuit of their vocational and life aspirations than they once did, and fewer than others in many places around the world. It therefore follows that if developing countries and communities desire to grow their economies, they will need to find increasingly more venues for and avenues toward female participation.
I’m proud of the way Lutheran World Relief works in emerging lands to gather the hopes and the dreams of all, to give space especially for women, like Lydia, that she might render the sort of leadership I witnessed in Indonesia. Rather than being invidious toward family structures, or invasive toward local cultural contexts, the accompaniment model suggests that we work with and walk with those communities to help them give birth themselves to the miracle of their new way of living; very much like the way the Word became enfleshed in John 1:14.
Lydia Siahaan is the enfleshment of a transformative leader of a Lutheran World Relief partner agency, YSSI (Yayasan Solidaritas Sesama Insani). Her life patterns the biblical prototype of her name’s sake in Acts 16, that mercantilist, church-founder. Though separated by millennia, these women of faith are much alike: well-networked, entrepreneurial, compassionate, and passionately invested in their communities. The loan business of YSSI is like a mission. It’s directed toward those who lost everything that fateful tsunami-Sunday.
Cheng King Long and her husband, Kiulung are two beneficiaries—two heroes, really, who welcomed us into their humble home. Their walls and ceiling are corrugated sheet-iron and plywood. Their living spaces are divided by old shirt-sheet partitions. But because of a micro-loan from LWR/YSSI, they were able to build back what they lost in the tsunami, their tofu business. Additional income has come from the initiative of their daughter, Alehim, who provides tutoring to younger students. Because of Lydia and YSSI and our partnership with them, they have enough money now to move into a new home… much sturdier and safer.
Even more ironically, and perhaps strangely because of the tsunami, Alehim’s dreams may be realized in ways that they were not for generations of millions prior to that dreaded event. You could tell this by the way she took command—her intensity, her pride—as she permitted me to look over their loan repayment schedule. They haven’t missed a payment and are now half way toward full repayment. But I’d say they’ve already traveled the longest journey, the road toward the restoration of their family strength and the acquisition of a new domicile for refuge.
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46
Lutheran World Relief is a nonprofit organization that works with Lutherans and partners around the world to end poverty, injustice, and human suffering.
