Telephone : +44 (0)23 9287 3277
Address : 1st Floor, All Saints Pastoral Centre, Commercial Road, Portsmouth PO1 4BT
E-mail : mothersunion.portsmouth@virgin.net
PRESIDENT'S LETTER
Dear Friends
This year I have been privileged on a number of occasions to hear Trish Heywood talk of her experiences as our World Wide President. She has spoken of the diversity of members' lives and how they relate to problems and situations in their communities. How our involvement at the United Nations is increasing as it becomes more apparent that we are a global organisation with many members whose daily lives are influenced by situations that the UN Commission on the Status of Women is trying to address, Gender Inequality and Women's Empowerment.
We have to be aware that the Mothers' Union encompasses what each member is able to do in their own community, in their country, by giving a little time to listen offering friendship, moral support and action.
Trish has also spoken of the different types of transport she has experienced during the past six years as she has travelled the world - by boat, when she wondered just how safe the boat was, as so many people were onboard and where the only place to sleep was on the open deck - no cruise ship! - but it was a first for her when she travelled to the Isle of Wight by the Hovercraft! Road transport has not always been in the comfortable, or air-conditioned, vehicles along roads that were free of potholes and the danger of ambush at gun point. Air travel has enabled her to reach many countries and to access the remoter parts of that country and she is looking forward to experiencing her first flight in a helicopter soon.
The difficulties of the journey however, soon disappear with the warmth and joy of the welcome she receives from the local members.
She has also experienced a variety of accommodation from being invited to dinner with the Queen - when they chatted about grandchildren - to a wet journey in an open boat to an island where there was no toilet in the house and the bathroom was the nearby creek!
In Dublin, at the General Meeting, and during her recent visit to Portsmouth Diocese Trish has shared many stories with us, stories of her own experiences and MU members' life changing stories. It is through these stories that we can get a picture of how members are answering God's call.
In the Mothers' Union Annual Review 2005/2006 Reg Bailey (Chief Executive) sees the membership as "a movement of people engaged in mission". A mission that shares something of God's love for the world by encouraging, supporting and strengthening marriage and family life. The easiest way for us to understand the breadth of our work is to listen to the stories of our members around the world.
Perhaps you have a story to tell! - if so please do send it to Social Policy at Mary Sumner House by October 2006, email your thoughts or get a copy of the questionnaire "Tell us your thoughts and stories!" that your Branch Leader will have received and send it off.
By sharing our stories we can begin to see the wider picture of how our projects and concerns have helped others world wide. By helping people in difficult situations, not only to cope, but to move on, encouraging disempowered women and girls to find ways of improving their conditions, by supporting those who feel that no one cares to find a base of hope on which they can begin to build. By working in prisons, with refugees and in contact centres - wherever we see there is a need in our communities as MU members we are committed to restoring hope to those in need……. this is how we are answering God's call.
With my love and prayers,
Pauline
Visit the central Mothers' Union website: www.themothersunion.org This includes the magazine of the Mothers' Union: Home & Family Portsmouth Diocese is part of the: Canterbury Province Visit the Portsmouth Diocese website: www.portsmouth.anglican.org
