I have been living in Honduras for about 11 weeks now and it has been a great experience. I have been working with a Christian micro-lending organization in Tegucigalpa and am learning a lot about the ins and outs of how the organization is run, the day to day tasks of micro-lending and the continual battles the loan officers face with clients. In short, a lot of things that aren't featured in NGO magazines and development articles.
One big piece is the cultural aspects that leave their own impression on this bank program in Nueva Suyapa. Since the bank has been operating for more than 15 years, there is a definite client culture within the program. But apart from that, there are many aspects of Honduran culture that add interesting dimensions to the whole thing; much of which is still new, entertaining, frustrating, and confusing to me.
So, some things I have recently been observing...
While there are some problems with the bank program, a lot of good has come from the program over the years. A lot of the impact is visible--people in the community are able to improve their houses; many started with small businesses that are now much bigger; the health and even safety of the area is markedly improved. But there are lots of invisible changes too. A lot of women come from abusive homes or marriages, and the ministry here has made support groups for these women a priority. Empowering women to become leaders of new projects and take ownership for new business ideas is one of the most exciting things to see.
The bank program is connected to wider ministry program here in the neighborhood. In addition to the loan program, there is a Christian elementary and high school, day care programs, garden projects, support groups for domestic violence, and more. All of these ministries are interconnected, and many of the employees in all the various ministries attend the same church.
The interesting thing is, this church is very conservative. While we could delve into the different levels of conservative-ness, really, there is just one that I'm dwelling on these days. From what I know of the church services, women are not allowed to speak from the pulpit, they do not lead in worship, or really speak in the service at all. They wear coverings on their heads and are only permitted to share when they are in a female-only group. Now, I understand this is also part of my background and heritage, growing up in the Mennonite church. I also realize there are still many churches, even in the US, that would have similar practices when it comes to women serving in the church...
But right now, for me, all of that is irrelevant. In dealing with the tensions of cross-cultural service, I'm finding this irony really frustrating. These coworkers and colleagues work daily to contribute to the education and development of hundreds of families in the community, yet believe women should not be speaking, sharing, or leading in the church. With a mission statement so focused on bearing witness to the life and message of Jesus Christ, I find this dichotomized lifestyle so incredibly...incomprehensible. They are willing and able to empower women in taking control of their finances, emotional health, family problems, health, education...and somehow reconcile this with the silence of women in the church.
I could get into all the theological and hermeneutical reasons for why I believe what I believe...and I have tried to engage a few people on this very topic. However, a debate on Paul's writings is not really what I'm looking for. I guess I'm looking for acknowledgement of this dichotomy...an admittance that maybe it is odd that we work so hard to empower women during the work week, but ignore them in the church. If they have so much to offer this community in their businesses and work-life, do we not also believe they have contributions to make to the life of the church as well?
So, I'm also trying to decide why this bothers me so much. And why there isn't a good word for "empowerment" in Spanish. And how I can express these thoughts in a constructive way. Any one want to help explain all of this to me?
That does seem hypocritical to promote female empowerment except on Sunday's. I wonder if a part of this dichotomy is bound up in our weird extra-biblical practice of "church" as a once-a-week meeting instead of a daily community of believers. What makes it wrong for women to speak in the Sunday gathering but does not apply when they are gathered informally with believers during the week?