ACTION 1: PRAY TOGETHER BEYOND BORDERS

A young girl in Sri Lanka is seen praying. Episcopal Relief and Development programs in Sri Lanka include a partnership with the Ecumenical Church Loan Fund to offer microfinance services through Savings with Education (SwE) groups. Over 95% of this engagement is with women, allowing them to build their personal savings, invest in small business endeavors and earn an income to support their families.

Faith

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.”

Luke 1:46-55

Fact Sheet

  • The United Nations recognized violence against women as a human-rights violation in 1993 when it adopted the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women.
  • Globally, an estimated 35% of women have experienced physical, sexual or psychological abuse.[1]
  • 84% of Native-American and Alaskan-Native women have experienced violence, 56% have experienced sexual violence and, of that second group, more than 90% have experienced violence at the hands of a non-tribal member.[2]
  • Women physically or sexually abused by their partners report higher rates of serious health problems. For example, they are 16% more likely to have a low-birth-weight baby and almost twice as likely to experience depression compared to women who have not experienced partner violence.[3]

Reflection and Action

Join in prayer at the start of 16 Days of Activism.

The heads of communion of Churches Beyond Borders have published devotions focused on gender-based violence (GBV), timed with and inspired by the 16 Days of Activism.

The devotions are written by the four bishops (heads of communion) and others representing each of the Churches Beyond Borders: Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada, Anglican Church of Canada, Evangelical Lutheran Church of America and The Episcopal Church. Each writer has been deeply involved in this work, addressing grave issues such as missing and murdered Indigenous women, human trafficking, women at the borders, exclusion of people because of their sexual orientation or gender identity and domestic violence. Since Advent coincides with the campaign, they chose the Magnificat as their guiding text, offering prayer and reflection alongside the call for awareness and action. The devotions give thanks for the strong and enduring voice of Mary as she says “yes” to the angel’s annunciation and as she greets her sister Elizabeth.

We share the Rev. Joann Conroy’s prayer and reflection. She is the president of the ELCA American Indian Alaska Native Association, Inc. (AIAN) and a chaplain at the Good Samaritan Society/Sanford Health in Maplewood, Minn.

Woyatan lyecheMary

Mary said, “My soul sings praises”

As we gather in your name, Creator God, we face the Four Directions remembering before you all Indigenous women and girls who are missing and murdered. We pray for those who are victims of violence, their families and communities. In Mary’s Song we find our way, loved, blessed, protected and strengthened with God who created us. We breath. Wakan Tanka , wocikiyaye, wocikiyaye. God Hear our Prayers. Amen.

Slow breaths and read:

Luke 1:46-55

46 “My soul magnifies the Lord,

47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

48 for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.

Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

46 ēkwa Mary ōmisi itwēw,

“nitahcāhk mamihcimēw kā‑tipēyihcikēyit.

47 mīna nitahcāhk cīhkēyihtam,

ayisk kisē-manitow ē‑pimācihit,

48 ēkwa nikī-kiskisitotāk, niya ē‑atoskēyākaniwiyān.

anohc ohci kahkiyaw ayisiyiniwak sawēyimikowisiw nika-itikwak.

49 ayisk ana kā‑māwaci-sōhkātisit

kihci-kīkwaya nikī-tōtamāk mīna kanātaniyiw owīhowin.

(Plains Cree)

Slow breaths and read:

50 His mercy is for those who fear him

from generation to generation.

51 He has shown strength with his arm;

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

50 Áádóó dahodísinígíí da’ahílchííhdę́ę́’

áádóó da’ahílchííhgóó hwe’aa a’ááh

hasin bił dahólǫ́.

51 Hagaan bee

hwe’adziil bééhózingo ájiilaa,

Diné bijéí biyi’dę́ę́’ ádaa hodzódlí yee

Slow breaths and read:

50 His mercy is for those who fear him

from generation to generation.

51 He has shown strength with his arm;

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

50 Áádóó dahodísinígíí da’ahílchííhdę́ę́’

áádóó da’ahílchííhgóó hwe’aa a’ááh

hasin bił dahólǫ́.

51 Hagaan bee

hwe’adziil bééhózingo ájiilaa,

Diné bijéí biyi’dę́ę́’ ádaa hodzódlí yee

(Navajo)

Slow breaths and read:

52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,

and lifted up the lowly;

53 he has filled the hungry with good things,

and sent the rich away empty.

52 Tsu-na-li-ni-gi-dv du-we-ka-hv-sv u-na-nv-di-yi,

a-le u-yo i-yu-na-dv-hna-de-gi du-sa-la-da-nv.

53 A-go-nu tsu-ni-yo-si-s-gi o-s-dv ge-sv du-ka-li-i-s-ta-nv,

tsu-ne-hna-i-no a-sv-ha do-u-ne-nv-s-di-yi ni-du-wa-ne-lv-gi.

(Cherokee)

Slow breaths and read:

54 He has helped his servant Israel,

in remembrance of his mercy,

55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,

to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

54 Iye towaonxila kin he kiksuye,ca

Israel ookiyeye cin he ikiye ce;

55 Hunkakewicunyanpi, Aberaham

cinca kici, henan ohinniyan oie

wicakicaton qon hje iyececa ce,

eya,

(Sioux Lakota)

WO CI KI YAYE.

Recommended Reading

The Executive Summary of Canada’s “National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls”

The Declaration of the ELCA to People of African Descent

Seeing the Face of God in Each Other: The Antiracism Training Manual of The Episcopal Church”

Footnotes

[1]https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/85239/9789241564625_eng.pdf;jsessionid=9C0A487649A2AE2B08FAFBE400AEF2C0?sequence=1
[2] https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/249736.pdf
[3]https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/85239/9789241564625_eng.pdf?sequence=1