Working together for gender justice through health
Lydia and Marion
‘When my mother was pregnant, she prayed that if her baby was a boy, she would dedicate him fully to God’s service. Sadly for her, I was born a girl and she was a little disappointed.
’Rev Dr Lydia Mwaniki
In 1986, Rev Marion Chatterley met a homeless young man in Edinburgh who had drunk bleach to cleanse himself of his recent HIV diagnosis.
That encounter inspired Marion to find work with an HIV prevention initiative, working with street prostitutes. After her ordination in 1998 she became chaplain at Milestone House, a specialist hospice and care facility for people living with HIV.
Many of the early diagnoses of HIV in Edinburgh were among women, many infected through a positive partner. Women having the power to negotiate safe-sex is a constant challenge both in Scotland and globally.
As a woman priest, working with some of the most vulnerable people in Scotland, Marion is far from a typical priest. But, she has had the privilege of speaking with patients about spirituality in those vulnerable moments between life and death.
‘I offer unconditional care and respect to people who often find themselves disrespected and I try to offer people a glimpse of God's love for them.
’Rev Marion Chatterley
