Women from all denominations in the parishes of Shap, Bampton and Morland gathered in St Michael’s church in Shap for the Women’s World day of Prayer.

This year’s service with the theme ‘Let Everything that has Breath Praise God’ had been complied by the Christian women of Cameroon; a Republic on the coast of Africa; known as ‘Africa in miniature’ it includes every kind of landscape to found throughout that continent.  It has a wide range of natural resources which are used in its economy.  Christianity only arrived in Cameroon in 1841, and sixty per-cent of the population are Christian; the reminder as Islamic or follow indigenous beliefs. There is widespread TB, HIV, AIDS and leprosy; sixty per-cent of the population are under 25 years of age and the life expectancy is only 51 years.

Worshippers were welcomed by Pat Taylor, and the service was led by Helen Farrow of Bampton, the organist was Janet Wood and readers were: Pauline Harron, Avril Rutherford, Dorothy Croasdell, Phyllis Brown, Joyce Thompson, Doreen Lee, Elsie Davidson, Adelaide Collette, Maureen Wilde, Sandra Pearl, Mary Wilcock, Jean Scott-Smith, Janet Wood and Jean Jackson.  The Speaker was Lorna Mullett, who until her retirement had been Student Welfare officer at Lancaster University. Mrs Mullett spoke about the psalms and those who wrote them, saying that they are an inspiring collection of songs praising God. In Cameroon worship is a colourful and noisy affair with instruments and dance just as the psalms say praise should be.  Women have an important role in the county, but there is a need for greater access to education, few girls enter secondary education.

A collection was taken for the work the Movement for Christian literature and for Christian educational projects. Following the service refreshments were served.