Neiphrenuo Yase
Modern College, Kohima
Juggling and handling of our problems and taking up responsibilities as women have been one of the most challenging tasks. We all have varieties ways to handle different difficulties in times of crisis, which affects not only emotional but also physically. As Christian women, we are taught in church and by our pastors in biblical ways in which we can handle with gentleness and prayer. Are we after hearing and reading the word of God really able to handle our problems accordingly? Many a times we all forget to act as Christians whenever crisis arises. I am reminded about a particular speaker who shared really well on the topic of crisis and responsibilities as women.
Way back in the year 2010, Madam Kevinourheno Seyie, Advisor, Angami Women Organization (AWO) came to Kijiimetouma village. She shared on the role of Women: Crisis and Responsibilities at Cheriidiki Thenuko Krotho. She stressed on the role of women and said that God entrusted them with special tasks different from men. The obedient women and their descendants are blessed abundantly with physical, spiritual and material health in her honest carrying out of the aforesaid tasks; otherwise they are cursed, condemned and life becomes a 'living hell' . However, the wholehearted and committed women who accept God's purpose and are prepared to take up the tasks get the moral courage, will power and strength to move on and will thank God that her 'yoke' as a woman is not harsh, hard ,sharp but musical, comfortable, gracious and pleasant. With God's grace, her 'burden' as a woman would be light and easy to bear.
Nation building begins from a woman. The good woman begets a good nation through homemaking thereby bringing up 'quality children'. This should not be understood to mean that women alone bear the entire responsibility as men are equally responsible. However, the point is that we should not pin our blames just on our physical weakness and continue to lead a defeated life but instead take up strong discipline and positive stand to fulfil our purpose and meaning as women.
We must remember at all cost that God created us, women to be 'thermostats' capable of changing the climate, with humane qualities and determination like that of Esther, who out of committed love and care for her people said “If I perish, I perish” and went to the King after fasting, meditating and was able to save her people. How should we overcome our crisis and what are the responsibilities of a woman? Should we say that the greatest ignorance is not to be aware of one's potentialities and limitations? In many cases, women fail to realize their full potential to raise her social standard, education and economic standards. Her God given abilities lie dormant and underdeveloped. It is said that the average woman utilizes less than 4 to 10 percent of her intellectual capacity and potentiality. It is the irony of our life that with so much of our capacities lying unutilized in us, we women still talk of poverty, ignorance and sickness as though they are our legacy and something to flaunt about. Our attitudinal change is the only answer to overcome our crisis and the challenges we face. When a woman recognises her weakness, humbles herself before God, grows deeper in prayer, truly seeks the face of God and discovers His plans for her, then she becomes strong and her power lies in her weaknesses.
A community of irresponsible, lazy and dependent persons with no entrepreneurial drive who do not believe in their own sweat and toil will not help a person, but rather diminish herself worth. For a person strongly guided by several forces and values like burning desire to win, sense of responsibility, strength of character, planning with common sense, hard work, commitment, self discipline, etc, success is assured. Women may go through a series of struggle that would not break her spirit. With God's help, she would only get stronger and realize her worth, becoming more responsible and productive in the society she is placed in.
I was truly inspired by her and I believe there were many more that drew inspiration from her too. I wish to meet her someday again and also live to become someone like her.
