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She had the kind of eyes people call sad. She carried
her long, slim frame like a supermodel. She was nothing
short of breathtaking.
I met Winnie Kamanga, from Malawi, in November 2008
during a Women of the ELCA study seminar in South
Africa. The goal of the seminar was to give women of
faith an opportunity to meet and discuss common issues
that affect them globally: anti-racism, the education of
women and girls, and HIV and AIDS.
We visited schools, museums, governmental agencies, and
nonprofit organizations in rural and urban areas. We
worshiped in English and in Zulu. We learned about each
other’s faith and the history and the land. In just two
weeks, our group bonded over personal issues, created
inside jokes, and helped to dry tears when we discussed
painful subjects. We vowed that nothing we said would leave our
group. This bond among us was sacred.
A picture on the bus
 One day on the bus, Winnie timidly asked me to take her
photo. It remains my favorite picture from the trip,
because her face is my mental picture of Africa—the
grace and unwavering resolve that has sustained African
women through centuries of pain, poverty, and injustice.
These factors join to give Winnie a tired look, but her
tentative smile is hopeful.
After I took the picture, I showed it to her on my
camera’s digital screen. She smiled brightly and began
to tell me about her children—how she struggled to
provide for them and how she loved them. She believed
God had blessed her.
A single mother, Winnie made ends meet by working as
secretary for the bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in Malawi. She loved to sing songs of praise to
God. And in addition to raising her own child, she had
adopted the son of her deceased sister. She also was not
afraid to fight injustice to make the world better for
her children. She gave herself unselfishly—willing to
share her story with unparalleled bravery. (continued
on next page)
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