The Joy of Sharing (TED)
Prayer Breakfast Helps Women Find Solutions in Sudan
A Prayer Breakfast held in April of this year was described as one of the most fascinating activities organized in the Sudan Field. Twenty-six participants attended from the area around Khartoum. Some of the women were pastor’s wives, some deacons, and some women’s ministries coordinators. The program lasted for four hours. The field president, Pastor Miroslav Didara, greeted the women and gave a word of encouragement.
The program gave time for a lot of singing and prayer. Nadica Didara gave a demonstration on how to make communion bread, how to bake banana bread, and how to prepare some vegetable patties. The three recipes that were demonstrated were copied and given to each woman. The women were encouraged to go and share what they had learned with the women in their own churches.
This was the first time a program of this kind was organized but it will not be the last. “We hope to repeat it in the different churches here in Sudan so that we can learn other useful recipes and have the opportunity to invite other women to attend, especially non-Adventist women from the local community,” says Sarah Napagi, Women’s Ministries director of Sudan Field. The purpose of such a program is to create interaction and develop good relationships between the women and learn from each other. By listening and relating to each other the women share their burdens and help each other find solutions.
Women from South Sudan are encouraged to share what they had learned with the women in their own churches.
While the breads were baking the women were served breakfast, and then Nadica led the devotion which was based on the Bible character Abigail found in 1 Samuel 25. The women discussed in small groups what qualities they found in Abigail. Each woman drew a picture that reflected her own character such as a heart for love, a tree for bearing fruits or providing shelter to the young ones, a flower for brightness, eyes for seeing good things, reading books, or a caring mother. On leaving the prayer breakfast every women received a gift prepared for them as a remembrance of the occasion.
— Anne-May Wollan, TED WM director
Focus On The News
South Pacific Division
Farewell to Joy Butler (SPD)
Joy Butler
SPD Women's Ministries director
It’s always hard to say goodbye to those we love but the time has come for us to say farewell to Joy Butler, South Pacific Division (SPD) Women’s Ministries director. Joy has served as WM director for SPD while also serving as WM director for Australia Union and prayer coordinator for SPD. I have had the opportunity of travelling with Joy in SPD a number of times and my memories of those trips will remain with me for many years.
Joy is a woman of courage and determination, a woman of vision and great energy, but most of all she is a woman of God. I have learned much from Joy these past years and I joyfully thank God for her, her ministry, and her availability for God to work in and through her to bless our sisters in SPD. Joy and her husband will be moving to Kenya to fulfill a dream she has held for many years, to return to Africa for mission service. Blessings, Joy; we love you and will miss you on our team.
—Heather-Dawn Small, GCWM director
“Touch a Heart, Tell the World” Unites Women in South America (SAD)
Heather-Dawn Small with leaders
from Central Brazil Conference
The Women’s Ministries (WM) director from the General Conference, Heather-Dawn Small, was in Goiânia, Góias, on May 19, speaking to approximately 550 people in the Goiania Central Adventist Church. She encouraged women to participate actively in the work of evangelism through the use of gifts given by God. The WM leader for South America, Wiliane Marroni; the West Central Region of Brazil, Débora Silva; and the Central Brazil Conference, Euridéia Sabino, were also all there.
Telling the history of the work of women’s evangelism in distant countries like Cambodia, China, India and Uganda, Small encouraged Brazilian women to help needy people by opening doors to tell of the love of God. “Jesus had a special way to reach people, and Ellen White states that this is what we should do. The people who need Jesus are not in the Church but on the streets and in their houses. We need to reach them,” stated Small.
There are 11 million Seventh-day Adventist women throughout the world, and Small stated that she believes that each one has a special role in the development of the Church’s missionary work. “God wants Samaritans who stop, reach out and help,” she said.
At the end of the event, Sabino encouraged all the women to participate in the second module of the Women’s Leadership Course which will we held June 8 via satellite. “A total of one hundred twenty women participated in the first module, and it was repeated in the local churches reaching more than 800 leaders. For Level 2, we have an even greater objective,” she encouraged.
[ASN Staff – Francisleine Matos; Translation – Beth Chagas]
Convention Attracts 552 Young Women—“Finding Your Balance” (SID)
Young women hold up candles to show
their commitment to purity.
“Finding Your Balance” was the theme at the Young Adventist Women’s Convention which took place from June 27 to 29 in Bloemfontein, Southern Africa Union of the Southern Africa Indian Ocean Division.
The convention was organized by Zodwa Kunene, Women’s Ministries director of the Southern Africa Union. The guest speaker was Nokhanya Moyake, a young woman who took her peers to higher heights in her thrilling sermons.
Various topics were presented to help the young women find balance: Exploring the Word, Salvation and Service, Integrity in the Work Place, 21st Century Lifestyle Diseases, Purity, Modesty, Relationships, Self Image, Health and Fitness, Making Space, and Challenges Facing Young Adventist Women.
A prayer breakfast at which the young women made a commitment to purity crowned the event. The convention attracted 552 young women from South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland.
— SID Women's Ministries
Keeper's Page: Inspiration for You
Young Women: Help them Lead by Following Christ
Many young women are seeking Christ, but do not know where to begin. Most likely they are struggling to find purpose in their lives. How are they supposed to find their God-given talents and make use of them in the church? They need someone who can guide them spiritually and help them to grow closer to Jesus.
If we as Women’s Ministries leaders can help young women follow Christ, we can help form future leaders of the church. Here are some ways to assist a woman in finding her place:
Meet her needs in church. Church needs to be a place that she can call "her family." Have her enjoy the time fellowshipping with others and drawing closer to God. If she is alone, invite her to sit with you.
Start a group for just those who may feel out of place. For example: teen girls, single women, or young professionals. Include all ages and cultures on your ministry team.
Get her involved. She may feel like there is no place for her – especially if there are not a lot of people her age. Treat her as an equal. Ask her to lead out or assist in Sabbath School class, be a greeter, help with a retreat, design brochures or flyers. Invite her to join a committee (for example Women’s Ministries). Ask her questions and value her opinion. Ask her o help improve and make the church a better place. Let her know that she is making a difference.
Offer hospitality. Offer your house to young women. Pray with them, help facilitate discussions or Bible studies. A plus is to provide food.
Be a spiritual mentor. Remind her that no matter what she does with her life, God wants to be in it. Everything she starts needs to start with God. If God is in her life, she can make a difference in others’ lives.
We have the opportunity to help our Christian young women. We can show them the way to lasting happiness by following Christ. It is our privilege to mentor them. Inspire them. Give them identity in Christ.
What a challenge!
What an opportunity!
What a blessing!
—Adapted from GC WM Leadership Certification Level 4 "Leadership Mentoring for the 21 Century Women – Mentoring Young Women"
From Ellen White to the Young Women
Let the Youth Be Trained to Serve Others
“Organize for Service.—Young men and young women, cannot you form companies, and, as soldiers of Christ, enlist in the work, putting all your tact and skill and talent into the Master’s service, that you may save souls from ruin? Let there be companies organized in every church to do this work. . . . Will the young men and young women who really love Jesus organize themselves as workers, not only for those who profess to be Sabbathkeepers, but for those who are not of our faith?”—ST, May 29, 1893. {DG 118.1}
Be Motivated
- Set yourself goals
- Break tasks down into manageable steps
- Praise yourself for every small thing you accomplish
- Get up earlier than usual
- Read inspirational quotes. Memorize short pithy ones and recite them as you work
Source: www.key-to-self-confidence.com/motivation.html
In Women's Ministries one of the goals is mentoring young women.
In some divisions they have organized programs for including young women in Women's Ministries, but there are great needs.
GCWM has created a brochure to fill this need: "Mentoring Young Women." To order this brochure, contact AdventSource at (800) 328-0525 or www.adventsource.org.
GC Women's Ministries Newsletter Calendar & Prayer Request
AUGUST 2008
Women's Challenge Issues—Illiteracy
International Literacy Day—8 September 2008
Each year on International Literacy Day, UNESCO reminds the international community of the status of literacy and adult learning globally.
Despite many and varied efforts, literacy remains an elusive target: some 774 million adults lack minimum literacy skills; one in five adults is still not literate and two-thirds of them are women; 72.1 million children are out-of-school and many more attend irregularly or drop out.
—Source: http://portal.unesco.org/education/
Some of the benefits to women from a literacy program include:
- lower birthrates (smaller families)
- the children have improved educational abilities
- decrease in maternal mortality
- later marriages
- overall improvement in family health
- a greater sense of personal self-worth
- an ability to read Scripture
- an ability to become involved in the church’s mission
- a greater possibility of becoming financially stable
- increased employment choices and productivity
—Source: "If They Can’t Read" WM Brochure
Prayer Corner
- For our sisters in Zimbabwe, China, and Myanmar
- Evangelism and outreach through the Abuse Prevention Program
- For our sisters who are living in conflict areas
Calendar
- August 28—Abuse Prevention Emphasis Day: Abuse of Power
- September 8—United Nations International Literacy Day
- September 21—International Day of Peace
Home | Contact Us | Directory of WM Leaders
