Women's Ministries and ADRA launch campaign to stop violence against women:

Pictures:
• Heather-Dawn Small, Director of Women's Ministries, joins church President Jan Paulsen. (Photo: Katia Reinert)
• Charles Sandefur, President of ADRA International, presents the EndItNow signature banner to Annual Council delegates. (Photo: Matt Herzel/ADRA)

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) and the Seventh-day Adventist Church's Women's Ministries department joined together with the launch of a new advocacy campaign to stop violence against women. The program, enditnow, was presented to church delegates at the 2009 Annual Council meetings in October. enditnow calls on Adventists around the world to work in their communities to stop violence against women and girls.

The enditnow campaign features a petition drive, aiming for 1 million signatures representing each of the 200 countries with an Adventist presence, organizers said. The signatures will be presented to the United Nations.

"It's a global crisis, and as a church we need to be involved and be aware," said Heather-Dawn Small, director of Women's Ministries.

One out of three women around the world is a victim of physical or psychological repression, and approximately 135 million girls have undergone female genital mutilation, ADRA leaders said during the enditnow presentation.

ADRA President Charles Sandefur said violence against women can be a silent and subtle threat that impacts hundreds of millions of lives.

Coordinators asked the delegates to sign the enditnow banner to kick off the signature drive. Adventist world church President Jan Paulsen signed first, saying the campaign was "a strong, powerful" statement.

"I hope and I pray, and I will do my part so that this will make an impact, and that the position that we take as a people, giving the highest value to women, will become widely known and supported across...religious, cultural and national boundaries," Paulsen said.

For more information, visit enditnow.org.

"Enditnow gives us a common voice and calls the rest of the church to follow" Charles Sandefur, President of ADRA International

Source: Adventist News Network

Take a Stand.

Pledge to....

• End Violence Against Women 
• Be Bold
• Not Remain Indifferent
• Stand Firm for Peace 
• Speak Out Against Abuse Promote Civility
• Empower Others to Act

 

FOCUS ON THE NEWS

Friendship Evangelism

Euro-Asia Division

Women in the Euro-Asia Division live and breathe evangelism. There are many challenges to Women's Ministries in ESD: vast distances, areas cannot be reached by train, economic problems, religious prejudice, and language barriers. In spite of the challenge, women are succeeding. Over the past years, women in Euro-Asia have developed a wide variety of ministries, spreading the gospel as they go. Many churches are active in helping orphanages; others are doing prison ministry. Women's Ministries also is carrying on programs on health, tea cup ministry (friendship teas), and other programs. Please, pray for these women and their many Women's Ministries outreach programs, especially the "Tea cup Ministry."

 

Abuse Prevention in Bahrain

Trans-European Division

The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Bahrain held a special program for the Abuse Prevention Emphasis Day. During Sabbath School a presentation with the title "Breaking the Silence" was delivered. The presentation contained material borrowed from the "Breaking the Silence" brochures produced by the General Conference Women Ministries Department. People responded in various ways: some with tears, some with questions, and some commented that they learned something new. The motto of the presentation was, "Let the victims know that their church cares." There was also a flower presentation to all women. The sermon "Love One Another," was prepared by the GC/WM. The single women gave a special song during Sabbath School and the married women sang during the worship service

Source: TED WM

Free Indeed Convention

North American Division

Nearly 2,200 women gathered in Dallas, Texas, for the 2009 NAD Women's Convention September 24-27. Women of diverse backgrounds-Hispanic, Native American, Korean, African American, Caucasian, and others-came to the convention for spiritual renewal, nurturing, and inspiration. There was an impressive lineup of over 40 convention speakers and presenters throughout the weekend.

More than a nurturing event, this women's convention provided unique opportunities for more than 400 women to touch the lives of others in the community. Coordinated by MaryJo Dubs, director of women's and family ministries for the Georgia-Cumberland Conference, on Friday morning the "God in Shoes" community outreach took women to the streets of Dallas and Arlington, to interact with residents of homeless shelters, shelters for abused women, children's hospitals and day care centers, as well as lend a helping hand in food pantries and clothing distribution centers.

Many of the women who attended said they would leave the convention inspired to serve and expressed the desire to return home and implement similar ministries in their own churches. "It's about ministry, it's about evangelism, it's about representing Christ wherever we are," said one of the directors.

"If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed," (John 8:36)

Source: Patricia Humphrey, Southwestern Union

 

INSPIRATION FOR YOU

Are you a SOWER, a REAPER, or BOTH? Part 2

-By Heather-Dawn Small

Last month we began this two part series on the topic of evangelism: the challenges we face and the reason why so many of us don't get involved in evangelism. Are we all called to preach and give Bible studies? Are there other ways to evangelize our communities? Is there something that we all can do? God calls all of His followers to evangelize their world (Matt 18:19, 20), to tell others of the good news about Jesus.

We ended the last article with the question, "What can I do?" Let's begin Part 2 by asking you, what do you love to do? What is there in your life that you are passionate about? Something that gives you joy. God will use whatever gift or talent He has given you so you can tell the world about Jesus.

Remember the text we used from John 4:37. Well, let's look at verses 35-38: "Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.'

I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors."

Amazing! God calls some to reap, some to sow, and some to reap and sow. What has God called you to do? The part I want to deal with is the sowing. We can sow seeds in many different ways. For the cashier in the supermarket, a word of thanks is a seed planted. For the neighbor who is sick, a loaf of bread or home cooked meal is a seed of love. For the woman in the half-way house who feels that life is hopeless and there is no God, a visit or a care package is a seed of love planted in her hurting heart. For the young teenager who is pregnant and has been ostracized by family and friends, a baby shower planned just for her is a seed of love.

What do you love to do? Whatever it is-cooking, sewing, cardmaking, talking, reading, painting, decorating, hairdressing-God will use what you love to do to plant seeds of His love in someone's life.

There are many ways we can sow seeds of love; we can bake or cook a meal, sew a dress, paint a picture, make a phone call, visit a lonely soul, or give a card.

So my sisters, I challenge you to live life as a seed planter. To deliberately and intentionally plant seeds of God's love in someone's life. You plant and God will send a reaper. It may even be you.

 

 

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Christmas Gift

Bless someone this Christmas with Sanctuary, the General Conference Women's Ministries new devotional book for 2010 edited by Ardis Stenbakken. All proceeds from the book go to fund women's scholarships around the world. To order, contact the Adventist Book Center at www.adventistbookcenter.com.

Writers Needed

Stenbakken is already soliciting contributions for the 2012 devotional book (the 2011 book is already in the final editing process). For guidelines on how you may contribute, go to http://women.adventist.org and click on "Resources."

"In celebrations of the greatest JOY, the deepest PEACE and the richest LOVE the heart can ever know. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure." Psalms 16:9

May the GIFT of JESUS, bless your CHRISTMAS.

 

Started on December 1, 1988, World AIDS Day is about raising money, increasing awareness, fighting prejudice, and improving education. The World AIDS Day theme for 2009 is "Universal Access and Human Rights." World AIDS Day is important in reminding people that HIV has not gone away, and that there is much still to be done.

According to UNAIDS estimates, there are now 33.2 million people living with HIV, including 2.5 million children. During 2007 some 2.5 million people became newly infected with the virus. Around half of all people who become infected with HIV do so before they are 25 and are killed by AIDS before they are 35.

Around 95% of people with HIV and AIDS live in developing nations. But HIV today is a threat to men, women, and children on all continents around the world.

Source: http://www.avert.org/world-aids-day.htm

Percent of adults (age 15+) living with HIV/AIDS who are women (2007)

• 59% Sub-Saharan Africa
• 54% Middle East/North Africa
• 54% Middle East/North Africa
• 37% South/Southeast Asia

Useful Links

• http://aidsministry.com/
• http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/
• http://apha.confex.com

 

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Prayer Corner

• To stop violence against women
• Women and children suffering from HIV/AIDS
• Disabled women
• Peace and healing in the home

 

Calendar

December 1: World AIDS Day
December 3: International Day of Persons with Disabilities
December 10: Human Rights Day
February 1: Division Statistical Reports due to GCWM Office