Feature: Like a pearl

by Agnieszka H. Rudkowska

“A capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman—who… can find her? She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls.”
Proverbs 31:10 (Amplified Bible)

This Bible verse, which begins as a beautiful poem giving honour to a mysterious woman, has accompanied me most of my life—even before I truly understood what it meant to be a woman. “Her value is far above pearls” has rung in my ears throughout different stages of my life and if I had to choose a woman in the Bible that inspires me the most, I would turn to the nameless woman in the Book of Proverbs 31:10-31.

The nameless, yet perfect woman is valued. All of her responsibilities as a mother, wife, entrepreneur, advisor and farmer are carried out with excellence and leave her with happiness. She had a voice in the community, unusual at the time, and still had time to stitch handmade clothes for her family. Yet it sounds to me like a recipe for becoming a workaholic and I wonder if there is a deeper message from my nameless friend.

When I read the proverb again, I discovered it was not about how much she worked but rather how wise she was. I realised her good deeds were celebrated to illustrate that we are not valued for our contributions but because of who we are in the eyes of God.

Through my role as General Secretary of the YWCA of Poland, my nameless friend has appeared again and again. I realised that my friends, YWCA members and beneficiaries of our programmes are all like pearls. I have travelled throughout Poland and I’ve met many women. They all work hard, struggle economically, shoulder care giving responsibilities and still find time to be a YWCA member. I have also witnessed strong leaders of communities who set up kindergartens in their garages, when there were none in the village. And then there are the YWCA Warsaw City members, mostly corporate women, busy from morning to evening and yet they have time to support us. I see a precious pearl in each of their faces.

Whenever I am confronted with a challenge, I recall the faces of the YWCA women in my life and I find strength in my precious ‘pearls’ to continue and never give up.

Agnieszka H. Rudkowska, a young woman, is General Secretary of the YWCA of Poland. Rudkowska is a Protestant theologian and holds an Applied Social Sciences degree from Warsaw University. She is currently a student at the Polish Academy of Science Post Graduate studying Gender Mainstreaming and also takes classes at the Fundraising Institute .