International Women's Day: Tracy Boon on sacred conversations and ugly-face crying

Living through COVID has left many of us feeling vulnerable - and this vulnerability is the key to courage, says Salvationist Tracy Boon. Listen as Tracy shares how the most empowering and encouraging thing we can offer others is the joy of sacred conversations and the art of being heard.

We invite you to download and share this and our other International Women's Day testimonies with your community (link below). The following is a transcript from the video:

When I consider the times in my life when others have contributed to the process of me becoming me, one of the key tools that has helped me to feel empowered and encouraged is the gift of being heard. Even if I have doubted or feared that I have little of value to say. 

We all need to believe that not only do we have a voice, but that our voice is heard. So when asked the question regarding how I in turn might contribute to the empowering and encouraging of others - particularly in this day of COVID when the world has become an unpredictable place and it's easy to feel overwhelmed and vulnerable - I'm not drawn to the programs I run or my schedule or job description, but to the sacred conversations I am privileged to share. Often unplanned, untidy, unscripted but always unbelievably precious. 

Sacred conversations with ugly-face crying and undignified laughter. 
Sacred conversations filled with truth-telling, and woven together with Holy Spirit’s wisdom, healing and power.

I have learnt through the years and through the generosity of those that have gifted the time to hear me, that my story - my thoughts, feelings, fears and hopes - have value and so do yours. 

Just maybe my vulnerability invites your vulnerability.
Just maybe my courage can be the foundation on which your courage is built and vice versa. 

Listening, truly hearing gives power to words. It validates experience, it inspires hope and it empowers change. How do I hope to assist in the empowering and encouraging of others - women, children, young people, men - in this particular day? 

By making time for sacred conversations.
By giving the gift of listening.
By honouring the story.
By encouraging and modelling honest vulnerability in a time of uncertainty and fear - and in doing so, inviting courage.

And most importantly, by trusting Holy Spirit for wisdom, for safety and for healing in both the speaking and the hearing.

Nga mihi nui, ki a koe, haere ra.

We're celebrating International Women's Day by sharing women's testimonies of leadership during COVID in New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory. We will be releasing new videos daily, and joining a worldwide video montage on The Salvation Army International Social Justice Commission's Facebook Page on March 8th. We invite you to share and view these stories with your community, to amplify their voices!

• CHECK OUT the other Salvationist Stories here (updated daily)
• VIEW the videos on Youtube (captions available)
• VIEW and SHARE from our Facebook Page
• DOWNLOAD the video files from OneDrive