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The woman with four ears The Revd Ellinah Wamukoya, mother of four and Town Clerk of Manzini Municipal Council, was recently elected Bishop of Swaziland. Ellinah, 61, shared with anglican World her thoughts about becoming Africa’s first female Anglican bishop, and about her future ministry. Aw: how do you feel about your election? Ew: At first I just didn’t know what was involved. Now it’s overwhelming, particularly when you see the magnitude of the work, and when you realise that you have to give direction [to others] when you yourself are looking for direction from God. it’s like you have to have four ears: two to hear from God for yourself, and two to hear from God for the people of God. At the same time, it is also teaching me that when i feel empty and not so useful then i’m learning to be humble. Jesus Christ said to be humble, to keep in constant contact with his father, to be directed by him all the time, and that’s how i feel myself. it’s an opportunity to hear from God. Aw: were you expecting this? Ew: No, not at all. It came as a complete surprise. I never thought growing up that i would be a priest! i was thinking of other things. i was a teacher and from being a teacher i became an urban planner. i was in love with urban planning. But God being God my life just got turned upside down in late middle age. and then i found myself in the pulpit. AW: Now you’re the first female Anglican bishop in Africa... Ew: it’s scary because people are now writing to me asking certain things. it’s not just the Swazis who are looking up to me; it goes beyond the borders of Swaziland. You feel like you don’t want to let down your women folk. at the same time, more than being a woman, you are just a servant of God. Still, you’re a servant of God who has come from the women folk. it puts a lot of responsibility on your shoulders. Aw: what do you enjoy about being a priest? Ew: i love preaching and teaching. i love to see people being healed. the one thing i love in my life is to pray for sick people and people who are in distress and see their situations change. Aw: what are going to be the challenges in your new role? Ew: Helping us as Swazis to be revived spiritually. We are Christians but we need some time to be revived and
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the rt revd Ellinah wamukoya
become more of a church in mission, seeing more souls being healed, and more souls coming to Christ. Also, seeing the financial situation of our diocese change. This economic meltdown has infiltrated the church. We need to see that our assets are put to proper use because we have stipendiary priests who have to be looked after, and they have church projects that need to be supported. We also need to make the church relevant to the young people as they seem to slipping through our fingers. I don’t know how we can do that — it’s something that we has a whole church need to look into. Aw: so you’re looking to recruit others to help you in your new role as bishop? Ew: i’m looking to get people to use their skills for the benefit of the church so we can involve everyone. Our church is rich [in skills], we have people who are learned and are leaders in their own field. I’m looking to see that those skills can be used for the benefit of the church. Aw: do you have anything to say to the Anglican Communion? Ew: i would like to ask us to pray for the church of Christ. as Christians we get bogged down by other issues and we forget the centre. Christ says we should seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and then all these other things that we concern ourselves with — the social things, the political things, the issues that divide us and those that bring us together as the Communion — they will fall into place because Christ has given us direction. all of these other things are important, but the most important thing is not to forget our relationship with our lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
anglican world issue 129 september 2012
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