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Dr. Pam Barger
As I reflect on my experience of Micah Global and specifically the “Women Leading in Relief, Development, Creation Care, and Advocacy” group in South Africa, I am reminded of my initial reason for interest in this Stott Fellows Program: because of the theme of women leading. As a professor and educator, I want to partner with women and allies in advocating for practical ways to help reduce gender disparity in education. My hope is to listen, to observe, and to network with others in forging ways to collaborate with them. My desire is to partner with women leaders and others in fostering practical ways to provide educational equity and access to females and under-resourced communities. I am a Thai American, and my interests have been focused on Thailand and Southeast Asia in understanding the role of gender and technology in education. Yet I seek to network and to learn from other women leaders in Africa, Latin America and other parts of the Majority World.
Throughout this journey to Micah Global and South Africa, I did not know what to expect. I had the intention to listen, to observe, and get to know people there. Micah Global was an interesting conference focusing on themes of lamentation, hope, advocacy, storytelling, and reflection. I appreciated seeing the diversity of brothers and sisters in relief, development, creation care, and advocacy. I did not necessarily meet people specifically working on education. I chose the development track to understand more of how the church and Christian community respond to the needs of the local people. A highlight in my conference was the pilgrimage to the “city of contrasts” in Cape Town – from the lavish beaches to the poor communities. I learned about the history of Cape Town with its legacy of colonization, resistance, apartheid, and the church’s role in democracy. I especially appreciated the Living Hope Ministries in the community of Masiphumelele serving the immigrant and refugee populations of South Africans from the Eastern Cape, Zimbabwe, Somalia, and other neighboring countries with agricultural training, health care, life skills, community response, family strengthening, and substance abuse recovery.
Yet throughout the experience, my desire to listen, observe and network with women and allies did not come at the conference itself, but through the meals, the breaks, and the walks with various women in my cohort and at the area where we stayed. I had the privilege of connecting with women from India, Lebanon, Kenya, Tanzania, Sweden, and South Africa and heard their life stories and calling to serve God in diverse ways. Many of these women shared their personal stories of trauma and perseverance to serve their people. I also grew in my relationships with a few of the women faculty in my cohort as we discussed our roles as women, as mothers, as wives, and faculty at Wheaton College.
My continued desire is to listen, to hope, to connect, and to assist with these women colleagues, whether it is here at Wheaton or the world. I hope to be a part in breaking barriers and forging partnerships to serve Christ in ways to help advance His kingdom through these relationships and friendships with the women I encountered.
TESOL, ELIC Program Director, and Fulbright Program Advisor
Reflection written as part of Stott Fellows 2025