First woman's ordination in Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Republic of Central Africa. (News).

Background biographical information:

Rachel was born in Godro, Central African Republic in 1962, the 4th of 11 children. After her twelfth grade, she completed two years of study at the Bible school in Baboua and then at the EELRCA Theological Seminary from 1993-1999. She currently teaches at the Bible school in Baboua. On April 21, 2002 she became the first ordained woman in the EELRCA. She is widowed and the mother of five children, ages 7-18.

Excerpts from interview with Karon Harden on April 14, 2002 (translated from French)

K: In a church that has never had women pastors, you already had your mother's example as a deaconess, but how did you get the idea of becoming a pastor?

R: In the beginning I was doubtful because I had never seen any women who were pastors, and I thought that women's work in the church was limited to being deaconesses. Since I saw my mother working as a deaconess--visiting the sick, preparing food for a church event with other women--I thought that was the only work for women in the church. I did not think that a woman could also serve as a pastor. But as I grew older, I began to read a lot and think more deeply about the issue. When I was in junior high, I met a woman missionary. She was not a pastor, but she spoke to us often about how women could also be pastors. After that, I started to set my sights in that direction.

K: When you first entered Bible school, was it with the intention to go all the way to seminary?

R: I was already aiming for that, but since they had not yet started recruiting a new class, I went to the Bible school. Two years later, they held an entrance exam to the seminary and were also looking for female candidates, so I applied and took the exam and was admitted along with other women.

K: What will your ordination mean for you?

R: It will mean many things. In the beginning, when I was a student at the Bible school, my professors were doubtful about my situation, since I was a mother with small children and also a widow. They were wondering if l would even finish the first year. But when they saw my work, they were surprised because I had the highest grades. Afterwards, they also accepted the idea that I apply to the seminary. So I was going to school at the same time as my children. It all reminds me of the story in Genesis when the angel came to announce Isaac's birth and Sarah laughed and said, "How could I become pregnant now in my old age?" But the angel said, "Is there something that God cannot do?" So I see myself in those verses too. People thought it was impossible for me because I had too much to do: the children, the housework, the fields, my studies, and I was alone. But now I am very pleased because, on the day of my ordination, many of my classmates, along with my family, my parents who are still alive, my children, all of whom fought together with me for this day, and also my professors, the missionaries, the representatives of the partners who supported my education, and all the church were with me to see this day.

K: What do you feel is the attitude of the EELRCA towards women pastors?

R: I have really appreciated the attitude of the people here towards women pastors. There haven't been any Central African women pastors yet, but there are missionary women who are pastors, and no one makes any distinction between their work and the work of men. If they preach, everyone listens. Even if they give Communion, the people come and receive it from them. And even when we were doing our practice preaching, people were interested.

K: So you have not felt any resistance from the people in the congregations?

R: No, no, I have felt that they accept us like they do the men. But it was a little difficult during some of the past synod assembly meetings when the church leaders were still debating the issue of women's ordination. In the beginning, while we were still in seminary, our director raised the issue at a synod assembly, just to "test the waters". Some people were for ordination but others were against. They failed to make a decision and just postponed it to the next assembly. The next time they did not even discuss the issue, but just sent us to our different posts without talking about our ordination directly. At the third assembly, the delegates voted, and those who were for, were more numerous than those who were against, but even then they decided to wait and see. It was not until the consultation last year that the decision was finally made to ordain me.

K: I'm sure being a pastor has its difficulties in any context, but according to you, what are the difficulties particular to your situation as a woman in the Central-African Republic?

R: For the moment, the work of a pastor is not terribly difficult for me because I've been more or less involved with this work for almost ten years now. But being a mother and also a widow, you see that it has a lot of implications. I have my children's education to worry about. You know the school situation in CAR is very bad, so some of my children are studying a little far away; sometimes I have to travel to see how they are doing. I also have to work in the fields. That takes a lot of time. When I am out, there is no one at home to look after things, only the children waiting for me to come home.

K: You will be the first woman pastor in this church, but we hope you won't be the last! What is your vision for the future for women pastors in this church?

R: I can say I am only like a pioneer. What I am hoping for is that the women will listen to Gods calling and make a commitment to follow it. I want to help the women to understand their situation, to understand that their nature is not bad, that it is God who created the nature of woman, and God cannot create something in God's image that is not good. So their nature is something good, and they too are children of God. I call first of all upon the leaders of the church to help the women see that, because thanks to them and their encouragement, women are going to come out of their present situation.

K: Are there any women in the current seminary class?

R: No, there are not. There are many young women who are educated now in Bangui (the capital), but they are holding back. Maybe they are waiting to see what will happen with me. Maybe my ordination will encourage others to come.

K: What message do you have to share with your sisters?

R: I want to continue to encourage the women. When Jesus was here, he never sent the women away who wanted to follow him. On the contrary, he always respected their dignity. When some men tell us, "See, you all are only a rib of man," I say, "But all men on this earth have come from the womb of woman, and women continue to give birth to men!"