Ministering to Their Needs

“Christ's method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Savior mingled with [people] as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, "Follow Me" (Ministry of Healing, p. 143.)



Northern Asia-Pacific Division (NSD)

Ministering to the Homeless 

[Tokyo] Winter refuses to let go its cold, tenacious grip in Northern Asia, but Tokyo International Church is keeping the homeless in their community warm with Sabbath hot lunches. “What a pleasant surprise to find a dozen homeless people who joined us for lunch,” relates Sally Lam-Phoon, NSD WM director, about her recent visit. “I am positive,” she emphasizes, “that through this winter season, the Sabbath hot lunch is appreciated more than at other times.”

The volunteer cook named Sandy, one of the women church leaders who consistently provided the weekly meals for three years, testifies that “God has blessed me, so I’m just sharing the blessing” with the homeless.

The grateful cook reveals the church’s hospitality committee recently began funding and taking responsibility to staff the ministry. Currently, Sandy leads ten to thirty helpers in the kitchen each Sabbath.

“What a joy to see how God speaks to one of His own,” says Sally, “and energizes her to cook for this special group of people week after week!”


Inter-European Division (EUD)

Ministering to the Less Fortunate

[Bulgaria] Cyril was stunned to receive his big box of holiday food supplies from Women’s Ministries and ADRA/Bulgaria. And being one of the last boxes delivered, it didn’t even contain all items others received. Cyril recites what he found in his box: one whole turkey, pasta, cheese, yellow cheese (“I’d forgotten the taste!”), lentils, rice, dry fruit, and sweets. “I was able to feed my friends with the New Year feast; I took the package to another family.” The best part about sharing the food items is that Cyril didn’t celebrate the holiday alone. “You created so much joy!” he exclaims.

Advanced in age, poor, lonely, and ill, Cyril is only one of many grateful Roma people of Western Bulgaria, reports Emilia Stoykova, Bulgaria WM director.  We minister to the less fortunate, she says, because “there are days throughout the year when poor people feel their poverty and loneliness the most acutely, but they also feel the warmth of human compassion.”

For more than a year, Women’s Ministries has been assisting ADRA in the distribution of clothes, shoes, and tons of food to needy families. Emilia testifies, “The Word proclaims, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ And we experience that to be true.”

Focus on the News

Focus on the News




“God wants every one of you to be His helping hand; and if you yield yourself to Him, He will teach and work through you, that you may be able to impart to others” (Ellen G White, Lift Him Up, p. 185).

 


Middle East and Northern Africa Union (MENA)

Leaning on Jesus, WM Advisory of MENA

 

“Moving together, united as a group with God’s blessings, we are sure to be victorious,” Evelyn Collins

[Gulf Field] The opportunities for Homes of Hope and Healing contained in the Outreach phase were enthusiastically embraced at the first MENA Women’s Ministries Advisory held in the Gulf Field in February. As participants were trained to implement the phases of Nurture - Empower - Outreach, they were fascinated to discover how their own homes are centers of influence—oases in the desert—and can provide far-reaching effects where public evangelism is forbidden.

The spiritual enrichment and practical training provided by Raquel Arrais, GC WM associate director, gave Gulf Field WM Director Evelyn Collins the emotional and spiritual lift of being a bloom “refreshed and revived” in the desert. Men joined the advisory’s Sabbath services, swelling attendance to 250 people, and affirmed their support of women’s ministries in local churches.






West-Central Africa Division (WAD)

Outreach to University Students

[Benin] The second Sahel Union Mission International Women’s Ministries Congress in December drew about 300 women from eleven countries to Calavi University, Cotonou, Benin. The theme, “Woman, proclaim the grace of God with love,” focused on influencing and leading family and colleagues to God with love. Participants learned to make soaps, body creams and other income generating skills and had opportunity for eye check-ups.

The impact of the congress was evident even before women departed as they distributed 2,000 copies of Great Hope to students who immediately sat down to read. Women’s Ministries donated sitting benches for the campus, and the pleased university administrators pledged to always support SDA Church programs.


Outreach with Homes for Hope and Healing

[Cameroun] The Homes for Hope and Healing small group program is being used effectively in West Cameroun Mission. Many new contacts were made and friendships developed last year with non-Adventist women. A Women’s Ministries evangelistic reaping campaign, which was advertised in the national newspaper, was led by 48 women in action in 13 different locations. By the end of the December meetings, 24 candidates were baptized and many others are presently studying for baptism.

 

Inspiration for You: Women's Mental Health

“And while He drew their hearts to Him by the tie of human sympathy, His divine grace brought to them the salvation which the Jews rejected” (Ellen G White, Lift Him Up, p. 183). 



  1.  Stay focused. Anticipating larger goals turns ordinary activities into achievements and adventure. Don’t let daily details distract and derail your long-term goals.
  2. Set realistic expectations. Achieving a small goal is more valuable than brooding over impossible expectations. Be aware of your own limits as well as the demands put on you.
  3. Expect challenges. Successful people are not mistake-free; they just don’t give up when things go wrong. Rather they find valuable lessons in challenges and adopt new strategies.
  4. Practice new choices. Positive choices, when repeatedly made, build body, mind, and spirit. Steady growth and development overcome big, bad habits. Fast is fragile; slow is stable.
  5. Maintain a positive attitude. Make the choice to focus on solutions rather than problems. Cultivate thankfulness, optimism, and trust in God in the situations you can’t change.
  6. Seek support and accept responsibility. Surround yourself with people who have positive life skills and learn from them. Develop new habits and ways of thinking. Social ties create mutual accountability and give opportunity to grow in responsibility and consistency.
  7. Connect. Circumstances alone cannot change the heart. Recovery from broken habits, restoration of health, and renewal of hope and happiness come through a daily relationship with God who is personally interested in your healing, growth, and progress. He will guide, sustain, and empower all who come to Him in prayer.

Source: www.lifestylematters.com

 


Homes of Hope and Healing

Share mental health tips in the eight-weeks Homes of Hope and Healing small group series. Lesson topics include:

  1. Emotions
  2. Anxiety
  3. Stress
  4. Relationships
  5. Guilt
  6. Good Thinking
  7. Hope Against Depression
  8. Resilience

Download the introduction to the Homes of Hope and Healing program with slides and the series of eight lessons with slides at www.womensministries.org.

 

“While words express thoughts, it is also true that thoughts follow words. If we would give more expression to our faith, rejoice more in the blessings that we know we have,—the great mercy and love of God,—we should have more faith and greater joy….

Then let us educate our hearts and lips to speak the praise of God for His matchless love….

When someone asks how you are feeling, do not try to think of something mournful to tell in order to gain sympathy. Do not talk of your lack of faith and your sorrows and sufferings. The tempter delights to hear such words. When talking on gloomy subjects, you are glorifying him.”

Ellen G White, Ministry of Healing, pp. 253-254

Ministry Ideas

Homes of Hope and Healing Ministry opens your home to neighbors for fellowship and learning. Begin by inviting a small group of women to your home or other comfortable non-church location.

Ideas: Offer a meal or light refreshments. Share personal testimony of what Jesus has done in your life. Invite them to participate in an eight-weeks Homes of Hope and Healing Journey. Take a short break at the end of each study before beginning a new program. Keep level of commitment low and brief as you slowly develop relationships full of hope and healing.

COMING SOON: Women’s Ministries is launching 10 Ministry Postcards to mobilize and equip women for ministry. Postcards will be highlighted in future issues of Mosaic.

Postcard Topics:

  1. Intercessory Prayer
  2. Plant a Seed
  3. Friendship Evangelism
  4. Small Group Ministry
  5. Homes of Hope and Healing
  6. Visitation
  7. Prison Ministry
  8. Discipleship
  9. Bible = Baptism
  10. Community Outreach


2012 WM Global Statistics

Praising what God has done in 2012 by sharing the amazing work women are doing globally:

Baptisms 129,320

Reclaimed members 63180

Series of evangelistic meetings 59,605

Training seminars 46,979

Other meetings 131,258

Retreats/Congresses 25,334

SDA women attending 696,462

Non-SDA women attending 100,933

Scholarships awarded 178

 


Prayer Corner

  • Mission to the Cities – New York 13
  • Homes of hope and Healing Ministry
  • Revival and Reformation
  • Nurture ? Empower ? Outreach
  • enditnow

 
Calendar

May 15 – International Day of Families

May 31 – Deadline for Scholarship Application to GCWM

June 8 – Women’s Ministries Emphasis Day