Women's History Month with DFWAIC
recognizing and celebrating the experiences and contributions of our female chaplains
The contributions of women in the workplace are far reaching. From the moment WWII required Americans to pull together, and for women to take on jobs traditionally held by men,
there was no turning back. In honor of #WOMENSHISTORYMONTH, the DFW Airport Interfaith Chaplaincy would like to spotlight another impactful area of growth; women as chaplains.
Please enjoy these inspirational snippets from a few of our female chaplains.
Veronica Davidson
The uniqueness of my ministry as a female DFW Chaplain are the skills God has bestowed upon me to readily work with women one-on-one with their spiritual questions. As a female clergy, God affords me the ability to minister to women on levels different from my male counterparts. When I came into this ministry it was during the Iran/Afghanistan war where both men and women were serving. Who better to minister to a woman than another woman? Issues such as loss of children, relationships, self-esteem, sexism, racism, and suicide were faced by the women serving in the military. These same issues plague women traveling, as well as those in the workplace. I have been instrumental in providing ongoing resources for referrals and materials for women’s issues.
Looking back on my time as a female clergy, especially as a DFW Chaplain, I wouldn't give anything for my journey now. God has continued to bless me to be a continued blessing to others, especially to His daughters. Shalom!
Marlyne Roundtree
Chaplain Marlyne Roundtree is truly a leader with the heart of a servant. In business, in her local church and community, nationally, and even internationally — she serves. As a well-respected Reservations Supervisor for American Airlines for over 36 years, Marlyne provided leadership and lent her guidance to one of the company’s most critical business units (SAC) which serves airline customers with disabilities and special needs. Following a distinguished career at American Airlines, Marlyne started Eleemosynary Ministries, which gathers resources from the community to provide food, clothing, and personal care items to those in need in DFW.
In 2023, Chaplain Roundtree once again answered the call to serve — and in so doing fulfilled a lifelong dream — when she joined the DFW Airport Chaplaincy, adding her heart and hands to the office’s mission to share faith and encouragement to travelers from around the globe.
Jacquelyn Martin
Being a survivor means many things. After careful prayer and beating cancer, I overheard someone mention airport chaplains during my chaplaincy training. When I heard this, it was as if bells, lights, whistles and confetti filled the air. I knew exactly where I was supposed to do my chaplaincy work.
Serving as a female chaplain works in my favor, especially when ministering to women traveling alone. I am not seen as a threat. Most individuals I introduce myself to are surprised the airport has chaplains, especially female ones. Their curiosity opens doors to meaningful conversations. What I have come to realize is that many people have no one they can confide in, and that is a very lonely place to be. Additionally, they are hungry for prayer.
Chaplaincy is a ministry of presence, and being present with people, especially other women, to walk with them through what they are experiencing is an honor. Many of the individuals I pray with and encourage I will never see again, but every so often, someone comes up to me and says, “Do you remember praying with me about . . ., well God answered your prayers”. Life doesn’t get much better than that.