WUNRN
World YWCA Week of Prayer Reflects on Women Creating a Safe World - Nov. 14-20
Week of Prayer Booklet - EN - web.pdf 257.92 kB
Week of Prayer Booklet - FR - web.pdf 270.98 kB
Week of Prayer Booklet - SP - web.pdf 267.20 kB
For many
decades in the month of November, the YWCA and YMCA movements issue a joint
call for prayer. This year's Week of Prayer will take place from November 14 to
20, 2010, and will focus around the theme "Women Creating a Safe
World."
The theme for
this year's week of prayer is that of the World YWCA World Council and
International Women's
In the president's message for this year, Susan Brennan World YWCA President and Ken Colloton President of World Alliance of YMCAs, put forward the question "Is a safer world possible? If so how can the YMCA and YWCA movements contribute to build it?" With this question in mind the week presents the opportunity through prayer and fellowship to unite as brothers and sisters to seek a way forward.
What do we mean when we speak about a safe world? What is necessary to make it safe? Ms. Brennan highlights that the definition of "world" may vary from one woman to another from " the intimate spaces of family, home, bedrooms, and kitchens, as well as the public spheres of schools, churches, and friends, groups that offer love, care, healing." However, despite how we define our "world" it is sad that often this is the place where we are not safe, where "women and children experience domestic and family violence, where they are neglected, abused and violated," says Susan.
As we reflect
on making these "worlds" safe we must strive to ensure that we
include all aspects of safety, freedom from violence, universal human rights,
freedom from discrimination and stigma and gender justice.
In this years Week of Prayer booklet, the reflections show rewards that can be reaped when we invest in finding solutions to these issues that contribute to an unsafe world. Throughout the week as we let the scriptures guide our plans for what is necessary for the creation of a safer world, YWCAs and YMCAs are challenged to go forth and grant the dream of a safe world ... " God is with us as we dare to make the world a safer place."
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