Women are the peacemenkers

Sailing on a boat in 1965 from Singapore to Borneo, Alene Moris had little idea that she was about to have an epiphany that would change her life.

Returning to her children and husband, Walt, an ELCA pastor serving in Borneo, Moris had what she calls a "spiritual awakening." It became clear to her that the only way for the world to reach total peace was by involving women in the decision-making process.

From that point on, this was her goal-and her life's work was recognized when she received the Community Catalyst Award from Mothers Against Violence in America.

The organization that gave her this award would not exist without Moris, said its founder and president, Pamela Eakes. A speech Moris made in 1993 challenging women to take their stand for peace spurred Eakes to form the anti-violence organization.

Mothers Against Violence helped fight for the assault weapons ban and developed the Students Against Violence Everywhere program, which teaches anger management, conflict resolution and peer mediation.

On her part, Moris, 71, a member of Central Lutheran Church, Seattle, earned a master's degree in counseling and created a retreat program in her home for people in moments of spiritual crisis or critical junctures in their lives. She also has served as a consultant to the Association of Junior Leagues, training more than 1,000 women to teach the career planning programs she developed.

In 1995, Moris co-founded the Northwest Women's Institute, which encourages the full integration of women's perspectives, values and priorities into communities.

Moris says women have the key to reaching peace in the world. In her Catalyst acceptance speech, where first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton spoke, Morris said: "I have seen mothers in the news all my life. Mothers weeping over dead sons and daughters or dying husbands and fathers. Whether it is in Seattle or Bosnia, pictures of weeping women are standard fare.

"But today I say to you, I am truly tired of seeing weeping women. Instead, I want to see women standing up and saying, `Enough. This violence must end."'

Until that day, Moris will be on the front lines for women's role in peacekeeping, fighting the good fight.

JOHN WILLIAM PETERSON

Peterson, a pastor and free-lance writer, lives in

Gig Harbor, Wash

Copyright Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Aug 1999
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