BIRMINGHAM, England (ABP) – South African Dorothy Selebano was elected president of the Baptist World Alliance's women's department, the first woman from Africa to be named to that post.
Selebano was election to the five-year term in office during the BWA Women's Leadership Conference in Birmingham, England, prior to the BWA's World Congress.
African women danced and cheered loudly when Selebano's name was announced. She is the first president from Africa in the department's 50-year history. She succeeds Audrey Morikawa of Toronto.
Fluent in six languages, Selebano holds bachelor's degrees in nursing, sociology and theology. A nurse and midwife, she now works as an academic advisor at Potchefstroom University, a Christian institution.
Selebano has been president of the Baptist Women's Union of Africa (1992-97) and a vice-president of the BWA (2000-2005). She edits the Baptist Women's Union of Africa newsletter, Organ of News.
Her late husband, Wellington, was a pastor. She and her family endured a difficult life after his death in 1987.
During the revolution against apartheid, her children were in white schools because no schooling took place in black townships. To pay high school fees and other debts, Selebano took four jobs.
Her family never went to bed hungry, she said, and she still seldom missed church and women's meetings.
“I was faithful in my giving in spite of the financial constraints,” Selebano said. “I am a witness therefore that God is faithful. I want to emphasize that he enabled me through his Spirit to lead a Christian life in the midst of problems and struggles.”
Speaking about women's identity at the conference, Selebano said, “In Africa a woman is treated like a child, slave, or piece of property. Our culture teaches that a woman may not ask questions. She must do as she is told.”
She urged the women in attendance to see themselves as the Creator Father sees them.
“We should never allow others to declare who we are,” Selebano said. “We as women should appreciate ourselves. Respect ourselves. Value ourselves. Believe in ourselves. Recognize and utilize the potential in us.”
BWA's seeks to unite women from 132 countries and 229 affiliated national Baptist women's organizations.
In accepting her new responsibilities, Selebano said women must use their potential to fulfill a purpose beyond themselves.
“There's no time to waste,” she said. “The world is dying in sin. God needs women like you and me. … It's up to us to tell the people about Jesus.”
In another action, Donna Groover of Oakton, Va., was named as secretary-treasurer of the women's department for 2005-2010. She has served on the financial advisory council of the BWA women's department for the past four years. She succeeds Alicia Zorzoli of El Paso, Texas.
Groover holds an MBA from George Washington University and has been director of administration at Columbia Baptist Church in Falls Church, Va., since August 1999.
— Esther Barnes writes for Canada Link and Visitor