Devon Dick

Today is my wife's birthday. And I have been thinking about her as wife, mother and as a representative of the strength of the Jamaican women.

This thought was spurred by a recent conversation with my friend, Karl, who admitted to me that his wife, Lisa, was a tower of strength in his family. I knew that a long time, not concerning his family, but mine. What I did not know was that my situation was obvious to outsiders. Last month, a retired Baptist minister commended my wife, Mary, for the way she kept the family together during my frequent absence over the last two years.

I vividly recall September 2005, when Mary and our eldest daughter, Deon, were overseas and the home was not the same. Duvaughn, Dana-Marie and I were like fish out of water. And it is not that they were missed because of their culinary skills or homemaking abilities. In fact, the rest of us are domesticated and can cook, clean, iron and wash clothes. What was missing were the vibes. It is as if women are the life of a home. A home and a man do not appear complete without the touch of a woman.

However, too often husbands and fathers have a persona of leaders at work, society and home to the exclusion of women. But if the truth were to be told, many women play an equally vital role and often a more valuable role.

This is especially so with wives of pastors.

History shows that the wives of the missionaries attached to the London Society established infant schools at their various dwellings for young children, and some adults attended. In the 19th century women donated lands for the erection of churches. Anna Johnston, in Missionary Writing and Empire, 1800-1860 (2003) highlighted the fact that many missionaries' wives were invisible and silent. Their thoughts and achievements are not recorded and appreciated.

Significant roles

Jamaican women have played significant roles as missionaries in the 20th century. There have been Linda Lowe in Hong Kong (1963-99), Beryl Christian in Liberia (1963-80), Elaine Huie in Zambia (1973-76), Lillian Black-Miller in Grenada (1996) and others.

Women are often invisible in political parties where they do most of the work and get little praise and few leadership positions.

When men shop, they pretend to have money and will not search for bargains or read labels. Women will make the dollar stretch by comparing prices and ensuring value for money. Perhaps that is why it is said that women always have money.

There are also many homes, and I am not necessarily talking about my home, where if the wives do not come up with investment ideas and business ventures, the family's financial status will not only stagnate but also dwindle into serious debt.

This Advent season, as we recall the birth of Jesus and the significance of that birth in terms of God's solidarity with humanity and God saving humanity, let us also remember Jesus' mother, Mary. So often it is only the Roman Catholics who focus on her. Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a strong woman and she should be recognised as such.

Happy birthday, Mary, a strong woman. And as we hail Mary in church, let us acknowledge the strength of women.

P.S. Outstanding and long-standing Munro old boy, C. Lloyd Allen, pointed out two mistakes in last week's article entitled 'Almost a Munro old boy', namely that Steve Harley was not a Munro old boy and that it was not a windmill at Munro but a wind turbine.

Rev. Devon Dick is pastor of Boulevard Baptist Church and author of 'Rebellion to Riot: the Church in Nation Building'.