Photo by r. nial bradshaw

By Melanie Mar Chow

He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time. —2 Timothy 1:9 NIV

Thanks to social media, after being “sprung forward” into March 8, 2015, I was quickly notified that it was going to be a day of shout-outs for women, as it was International Women’s Day.  From Facebook posts about Wonder Woman to friends simply honoring their mothers and grandmothers’ lives was a reminder of the importance of expressing gratitude for women across the planet…and yet the number of posts seemed small from my vantage point.

I could turn this entry into a shout-out for the women who are constantly missing from even social media, or it could easily turn into my list of the top 200+ women friends who have done awesome things amidst challenging circumstances, not to mention unequal pay, under-representation, and under-appreciation. David Wallechinsky and Irving and Amy Wallace are known for their Book of Lists published in 1977, followed by a second in 1980 and a third in 1983.  There was a Book of Lists for the 1990s in 1993, and The New Book of Lists in 2005.  Those books did not have a list of Asian American Christian women.

But even if I don’t mention or list a single name, daily I fail to live fully into Christ’s call for me. Why? Because I don’t respond to one of the major ways that God has gifted me in Jesus. One of my calls is recognizing (and acting upon) the preciousness of being recognized. So for those who read this, will you join me as I overcome my failing and take a moment to empower the godly women and men in our midst by recognizing them?

Lest we feign ignorance or struggle to make sense of our personal limitations, I am thankful that there were many forces at work in history to allow us to honor women.  I want to commend my AAWOL sisters who have contributed to this blog – Diana Gee, Maria Liu Wong, Debbie Gin, Wendy Choy-Chan, Angela Ryo, Ann Chen, Jerrica Ching, Dorcas Cheng-Tozun, Tina Ting Henson, Elizabeth Chang, Chloe Sun, Vivian Mabuni, Joy Wong, Young Lee Hertig, Margaret Yu, Lia Huynh, Uyen Dang, Min J. Kim, Jenn Tai Chang, Aileen Hong, Grace May, Khanh Ho, Anita Liu, Priscilla Chen, Tracy Lee, Tammy Peng, Grace Lung, Sharon Kim, Grace Haah, Christy Hyun, Jeney Park- Hearn, Christine Chou, Joanie Simms, Yonnie Cheng, Melody Chen, and Angela Song.   What an awesome list of women!

Dear friends, we still have time to record and remember those who are essential sisters in the great cloud of witnesses as Asian American Women leaders.  How and why?  Because March is also Women’s History Month and we have the opportunity to recall, record and give recognition to our Asian American sisters who have contributions to history.  Maybe AAWOL should be about recognizing God through the Asian American sisters in our midst. We have the opportunity to bring commendations to women not simply via this website, but daily in our lives.  How many times can you count the random FB posts or emails that commend a woman for how she offers something different to ministry and what she does in life?

As a woman in ministry, much grace has been given to me.  To be able to serve 27 years with Asian American Christian Fellowship, the campus ministry of JEMS (the Japanese Evangelical Missionary Society) is a testimony. Though it has not been an easy road, it has been a road paved by the love and life of Jesus given since “before the beginning of time” as Scripture notes.

One of our goals for AAWOL is that women will no longer be missing from recorded history, so it begins with us to write and record.  I hope to write an update for my personal/organizational blog testifying awesome lists of women who have served in my ministry.

What will you do?  Please share with me any listings you post.  Let’s give credit where credit is due and recognition to those who have lived out God’s callings in their lives, giving Jesus the credit and praise He deserves for those who respond to His gift in their lives.  I hope to see us think “outside of the box” and create lists or records such as “Men Who Empowered Women in Ministry,” “Asian American Christian Women Leaders in National Corporations”, etc.

Rev. Melanie Mar Chow serves God through Asian American Christian Fellowship, the campus ministry division of the Japanese Evangelical Missionary Society (JEMS). She has been an ordained American Baptist minister since 2004. A Pacific Northwest native, she currently lives with her husband and daughter in Southern California.