Editorial
	Valeria Fidelia—A Voice for Women's Ministries

Valerie Fidelia, an active worker in the Middle East Union Mission (MEUM), is responsible for 4 ministries—Children’s, Family, Health and Women’s.

The first WM director for the MEUM, Fidelia has seen the work established and grow (despite opposition at times). In her WM work, she covers 14 countries, each unique. In the North and South Fields of the Sudan, where the women have least, is where the work is progressing best. Despite physical hardships, the women are enthusiastic and eager to learn and share, and visiting them is inspiring. The challenges are enormous, but God is greater.

One of these challenges is living and working in the 10/40 window and finding ways to reach out to the Moslem women who share the same concerns as Christian women: health, family, and parenting issues. Their belief in God is very strong and opportunities arise to bring God, and trust in Him, into conversations. These women appreciate prayers on their behalf and God is opening doors. By His grace and power the women in this area will reap the harvest!

Fidelia loves working with the women of the Middle East, saying they are “bright and colourful.... a constant source of delight and encouragement.” The women in MEUM are involved in several projects: Literacy (for more than two decades the women in the South Sudan field were denied formal education); soap making; grinding mills; gardening, and sewing. Women in the British and Netherlands unions have provided financial support with some projects, and Fidelia and the women of MEUM are very grateful. Fidelia encourages WM groups in first world countries to support a WM group in the developing world, feeling both will be blessed.

Fidelia has been married to her husband, Roland, for almost 40 years, has 3 sons and 1 daughter, and 6 grandchildren (3 boys and 3 girls). By profession she is a nurse, but she is also a voice and piano music teacher, having trained to be a professional singer. Valerie previously worked as a missionary for 13 years in West Africa and for the British National Health Service as General Manager for Community services

She writes, “Looking back over the years it seems to me that God was preparing me for this assignment all along. He gave me the experience of working with different ethnic and cultural groups, He broadened my horizons, He gave me speaking skills (I used to say that I would prefer to sing 14 recitals than give 1 five minute talk—now I can talk for hours on end!)” By Fidelia’s own admission, becoming a missionary was a much better choice in the long run, and though we’re sure she would have made an excellent vocalist, adding her voice to WM has put a song in the hearts of the women with whom she has worked so faithfully and God is still blessing in countless ways.

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