Touch a Heart, Tell the World
SSD
(Southern Asia-Pacific Division)
NO FEAR
An evangelistic effort was conducted in the Philippines in August in a remote barangay (village) called Manamoc (a Bicol term for mosquito-infested). This area had no Seventh-day Adventists and was said to be a center for many enemies of the state. The challenge was there, but the mission of preaching the gospel called. The meetings resulted in 53 souls for God’s kingdom.
IAD
(Inter-American Division)
BIBLE STUDIES FOR BAPTISMS
Recently two outstanding women known for soul winning in western Cuba—one older woman and one youth—were recognized for their dedication.
In another area, Women’s Ministries is adopting the plan B=B, Bible study equals Baptism, with great results. Each woman pledges to win another woman for Christ. Three hundred women instructors are working on this plan. They expect many baptisms. Other women are involved in small group evangelism and in Vision One Million.
WAD
(West-Central Africa Division)
MANY METHODS, GOOD RESULTS
The varied efforts of Women’s Ministries are influential in more than 40% of the baptisms in WAD. The women of West-Central Africa Division know that the mission of the church is to preach the everlasting gospel to all the world, beginning in their homes, then their communities, and their nations. For this reason women, who represent more than 60% of the membership of WAD, constantly engage in various methods of evangelism according to their gifts. (Pictures)
SUD (Southern Asia Division)
REACHING HEARTS WITH A BOOK
The women of the Western India Union are spiritually blessed this year, and they are very fortunate as the devotional book entitled Woman, God’s Beautiful Idea, written by Dr.Rohini, has been translated into Marathi. “We were able to reach a number of women,” says Sumitra Jadhav,” as this book has captured the eyes and hearts of many.”
SAD (South American Division)
PRAYER PARTNER MINISTRY
Fernanda, invited by a work colleague, went to a special women’s meeting with some friends. Enjoying it, she began to attend a series of meetings to study church doctrines. As the date for the Women’s Ministries retreat drew nearer, the church women invited her to attend. During the trip, she became friends with the other church women, and during the meetings, her heart was moved by one of the seminars and the Friday evening Communion. When she went back to her room, she couldn’t sleep because she felt God was calling her to make a decision. She kept asking her friend questions until 4:00 in the morning when she was convinced to make her decision. She was one of the first women to arrive in the auditorium to announce her decision: “I won’t leave this place without being baptized first.” Fernanda was baptized in the hotel’s swimming pool, and her new friends promised to assist her with the rest of her studies.
NAD (North American Division)
OPERATION S.W.E.E.P.
In 2010 and 2011 Shirley Scott, conference Women’s Ministries director, led the women of the South Central Conference in sponsoring 14 evangelistic series as part of Operation S.W.E.E.P. (Spirit-filled Women Exalting Eternal Principles). In 2010 they held series in seven churches and baptized 80 persons. So far in 2011 they have had held two of their seven planned series and have baptized seven individuals. Additional series will be held by the end of this year.
Operation S.W.E.E.P. is more than evangelism. The women are also sowing seeds and making friends for the Kingdom. An essential part of the initiative has been the telephone conference call prayer line that was established where 50 women and men have prayed together for an hour each morning. The conference officers and pastors have been very supportive and have helped train the women at camp meeting and other times, making it a true conference-wide initiative.
ECD (East-Central Africa Division)
WOMEN IN EVANGELISM IN DR CONGO
For more than 15 years the issue of allowing women to preach was a divisive issue in our area. But recently, through the gentle, patient work of our sisters, opposition is beginning to melt. They were patient with those slow to understand the woman's role in preaching the gospel of our loving Savior. As a result, God has blessed. Many who separated from the church because of the disagreement have rejoined.
This September women conducted evangelism in Kinshasa, in a church where women had been forbidden to preach. Attendance steadily rose from 150 on the first night to more than 500. At the end of the series, 45 souls were baptized, including Muslims and Jehovah's Witnesses.
Many are seeing how God is working through His dedicated women servants. Some of those formerly oppossed are today conducting seminars supporting women's right to preach the gospel. God is blessing.
SID (Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division)
ZAMBIA WOMEN IN EVANGELISM
The women from Kaoma, Zambia, mobilized the women to hold many evangelistic meetings in the territory. All the evangelistic campaigns were organized by Women's Ministries and the speakers were women. In the two pictures we see the baptismal candidates and the baptizing pastor ready to baptize 17 people. Since women's evangelistic meetings are primarily conducted in November, meetings are still going on.
ESD (Euro-Asia Division)
WM OUTREACH SEMINARS
Women’s Ministries leaders are holding outreach seminars to which they invite non-Adventist women. These meetings are held in the cities of Mineralnye Vody and Stavropol. The women are very happy to get new knowledge for their ministries and also to share the good news about Jesus with their friends.
EUD (Euro-Africa Division)
WOMEN'S BREAKFAST MEETINGS AND BAPTISM IN PENZBERG, GERMANY
When we moved to Penzberg 16 years ago, we did not know God was leading us to buy just the right house. Soon we started Women's Breakfast Group in our church, offering a meal and discussion of God's leading in our lives.
Though I was shy, I invited my neighbour Barbara. She surprised me by accepting, and as we studied together, our relationship grew. Soon we started meeting one afternoon a week, often discussing her questions from the breakfast meetings. Like a sponge Barbara soaked up the word of God. Often she would come over at 9 a.m. with ther Bible, asking, "Do you have time? I have so many questions." Soon Barbara and her children came to church, and she joined our Women's Ministries team. Now she leads out in evangelism and runs her own Bible study group. Source: Angelika Pfaller & Barbara Mahler.
SPD (South Pacific Division)
HELPING WOMEN IN THE COMMUNITY
Domestic violence is a terrible plague in communities world-wide, and in some areas of the South Pacific nearly 50% of the population is affected. Over the past two years, Women’s Ministries has worked hard at educating members of the church, as well as the community, that abuse is not acceptable in any shape or form. They realize that this is a long term work for everyone in the community, and are determined to help make women’s lives better.