My name is Loes Tam. I have been a committed Christian for many years serving in the Church in various capacities. However, my role was still limited to some extent because I was a woman. I could, therefore, serve as a deaconess but could not be ordained as a deacon. The function of deacon was only for men. I remember being somewhat frustrated about it since it meant deaconesses were not allowed to attend the deacons' meetings even though we often ended up doing most of the work. One day I began to understand that my church was wrong in not ordaining female deacons. In fact, I began to understand more issues. Through a thorough study of Old Testament as well as New Testament passages I had discovered that in the Bible God has used many women. From that study I learned that reading these passages through patriarchal lenses was a man-made system not designed by God. Since that time of my discovery, my passion has been to see women set free to serve alongside men in the Church in whatever capacity God calls them to function as equipped by Him.
