|
Articles
Kathy
Wozniak is an experienced missionary who the Lord in His mercy sent with
us to Kenya. Through her ministry, Shofar Sounding, she has
traveled to various areas of India and Nepal. Prior to forming her
own ministry, she attended Bible school in Australia and made trips to
the Philippines and India. Today, she ministers not only overseas
but in churches here in the U.S.
Kathy is an accomplished musician who is known as a composer,
teacher, vocalist and worship leader. Her most recent album,
Kathy's Call is a beautiful collection of hymns done with her own
original arrangements. But, it was in her capacity as "experienced
missionary" that God used her to keep us mostly healthy and functioning
in Kenya. She quickly became part of the God's Word to Women team
and we expect to continue to minister together in the future. The
following is her perspective on our trip to Kenya.
Kathy on Kenya
“The Lord gives the word [of power]; the women who bear and publish [the
news] are a great host.” Psalm 68:11, Amplified
When Pat Joyce first told me of the proposed trip to Kenya, two
responses came. First, I was thrilled and tickled to see such a
transformation in my friend. This same lady once said, “I am not called
to go; I’ll be glad to send . . .” She was very adamant about it back
then. Now, more than 15 years later, my friend was like a young child
getting the most precious gift for Christmas and enjoying every minute
of it. The second thing I felt was a tug in my own heart saying “I want
to go, too.” However, being already committed to another country, Nepal,
going to Africa seemed financially impossible, not to mention
impractical. When she invited me to join the God’s Word to Women team, I
said “No.” Fortunately, she listened to God and called me back. This
time I stopped listening to “the practical voice” and actually prayed
with a “listening ear” to the Holy Spirit. God said very definitely,
“Go.” I am still finding out some of the reasons why I was on this
particular team, and some of the reasons why we went at this particular
time.
Let me say, this experience has been wonderful! To be part of a team of
strong women—women who have no problem knowing they are, first and
foremost, called by God. These women know they were formed as women and
move in God as the woman He created. This fact has been “eye-opening”
and freeing. Some might consider it a challenge. I consider it a timely
grace.
When I went to Bible College in 1985, I was taught: “ ‘Ye are dead and
your life is hidden in Christ...’ Col. 3:1-3 What sex does a dead person
have? What feelings does a dead person have? Dead is dead.” According to
Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, there
is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ.” If God calls
you to speak, do so; and don’t let your sex or age be a deterrent. I
never realized that what I did in order to live out this teaching was to
think of myself in the “neuter” sense where “the ordained minister,
Kathleen Wozniak” was concerned and a woman the rest of the time. I was
totally unaware of the dichotomy I was living within myself. I have
followed what the Lord has asked me to do but tried to do it as if I
were “neither male nor female,” and resented the constraints others have
tried to place on me because they saw me as a “female.” It’s been an
interesting walk.
When we started this trip, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I have
known Pat since she was my mentor in 1981. I knew her to be a strong and
outspoken woman; but I had only met and worked with Barbara once last
year. I had no idea what a strong person and woman she was. To watch her
“in action” was “a real kick!”
These two women knew that in order to speak to the African women, we had
to have the support of the male leadership. Otherwise, we’d have
something like the French revolution on our hands which would benefit no
one. That fact did not deter them from bringing correction to both men
and women who kept clinging to their cultural traditions rather than the
word of God by their actions. We even used those “incorrect actions” as
teaching points to illustrate the way Satan has corrupted God’s original
intent.
We see God’s original intent was to give dominion of the earth and the
animals to both male and female in Genesis 1: 27-28. GOD never intended
to give dominion to a human being over another human being. The
domination of male over female was a consequence of the woman’s turning
away from God and turning to her husband. That turning to “man” instead
of to “God” would result in the man taking dominion over the woman and
being as god over her. 1
Today, God is restoring
things to His original intent, and shared dominion is not the final
step. The final step is the unity of each member of the Body of Christ
walking in complete yieldedness to God. (Ps. 133; Eph. 5:21; Eph. 4:12-16) The style of ministry and the changes we made to our format of teaching
demonstrated God’s calling us to this unity and yielding to His Spirit.
When we started teaching in Kitale, each spoke as an individual,
bringing the message imparted into our lives on The Biblical Equality of
Women. Although good, it was not “the perfect will of God.” Rom. 12:2
"God is," as Pat kept saying, “restoring all things,” and we are at the
point of seeing the unity of male and female being “one.” The Hebrew
word is echad-- the one in unity as seen in Deuteronomy 6:4 which speaks
of the unity of the Godhead. That kind of unity can’t happen with a
single, designated person “having it all,” as the saying goes, on any
one subject. The body of Christ is made up of “many members,”
(1 Cor.
12:14), and the message can only be properly brought forth by the multiple
voice sounding as one. That principle began to work out in the meetings
at Watoya in the Bungoma area.
Instead of each person taking a topic and teaching, the three of us sat
together. Whoever had the leading of the Holy Spirit to begin did so. As
the Spirit prompted another of us to speak, we would stand and the
person speaking would complete their sentence or thought and sit down to
let the other speak. By the end of the trip, it felt quite natural. Again, a beautiful visual aid to Paul’s recommendation “whenever you
come together, each of you has a tongue…has a revelation…Let all things
be done for edification…” 1 Cor. 14:26-33 came forth.
Although this style continued in Webuye, those in leadership were not
all “of one heart and one spirit” as we witnessed in Watoya. Where unity
among all the leadership was present, God moved powerfully! Here,
leaders who wanted the preeminence caused more of a struggle for us to
present God’s desire. However, our hosts, Wambeye and Loice,
had open hearts and friends with whom they shared a likeness of heart
who heard the Word and recognized the actions. We know their
“ground is good” which will yield a crop of 30-60-100-fold. For
the others, God will deal with them, for He has called them to
salvation. He will never tire to bring that call to completion.
Was it a good trip? Yes, in every way. Were there challenges? Of course
there were-- both going and coming back. Did we do it perfectly? Of
course not, but we did yield and God did have His way! We were simply
the imperfect vessels the Perfect One chose to use, and we are blessed
He did.
|
