> You are very right. It is still the way it
> is in much of the world NOW, and especially
> the ares known as "3rd world".
> Statistics show that 75% of all food
> produced in the world is produced by women;
> From planting to harvesting to marketing.
> And yet for the most part they loose control
> when the profit comes in. They only control
> 20% of the money and those numbers include
> statistics from the western culture where
> many women do have power in their own lives.

> I was in Nigeria in August and saw more than
> I think I can ever tell. I did see an
> amazing group of Women though, the CWFI
> women (Christian Women's Fellowship
> international), who, for 15 years have
> banned together to help one another. They
> are educating, teaching skills (from
> parenting to entrepreneurial business
> skills), as well as building & caring.
> One of their motto's is, "Make your
> Neighbor's need Your need". They saw a
> need and saw that the men, for the most part
> (though there have been a few powerful men
> who have supported and encouraged their
> efforts), were not interested, and even
> opposed them. But, inspire of the odds, they
> got busy and are changing central Africa.

> Nigeria is a country where 40% of the women
> are "circumcised" (or as some call
> it, brutally maimed and destined to life
> long abuse and mutilation). That's a whole,
> and very large ugly subject in it self. It
> has been made illegally in Nigeria, though
> it is still practiced in many areas.

> Why??? Hummmm??? I find that history and
> Genesis 3 holds some clues. The Nature of
> fallen humanity? Murder, Slavery, Abuse,
> genocide, survival of the fittest, biggest
> baddest bruiser on the block Etc. I'll skip
> the sermon here.
> But I Thank God for Christ's Redemption.

I think it's also interesting that in spite of nasty things that have happened due to Christianity in the hands of evil men, Christianity, in and of itself has procured some of the greatest changes in socities at large. I hope for the best for the people of Nigeria.

I think your surmise of "the biggest and baddest bruiser on the block" has a lot to it. But then there was the Elizabethen period, wasn't it? where women ruled? Hence the men were being dressed by women (remember the wigs and fancy hats and pants?). So it does happen that women have ruled. Gee, why can't we just get an even balance. Fallen nature comes to mind now.