More than 3,000 women from 23 countries of SID came to Harare, Zimbabwe, in April for the WM Congress, organized by Caroline Chola Division WM director, with the theme “In the Potter’s Hands.”

Zimbabwe’s Minister of Women Affairs, Dr. Olivia N Muchena, opened the congress, encouraging women to realize their potential to impact families, communities, and nations. She challenged all to imagine the power of just USD1.00 from every Adventist woman; that would provide a huge capital investment to establish many businesses and projects.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Paul Ratsara, President of SID, affirmed the value the SID leadership places on the women of the church. Challenging the women to be spiritual, good wives, and good mothers, he encouraged them to find the many ways God invites them to serve and lead.

In an interview, Heather-Dawn Small, General Conference WM Director, said, “Women are at work in the gospel for Christ.  They are committed and filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. God is using them throughout the Church.” Raquel Arrais, General Conference WM Associate Director, added, “In our world church, women are the majority. The WM Department prepares women for many ministries.”

Speakers included Katy Bennett, a Life Coach, who spoke directly to young women, and Omobonike Sessou, Women’s Ministries Director of the West-Central Africa Division, who presented morning devotions.

Highlights of the congress included: distribution of 6,000 copies of the Great Hope in Harare; graduation of 160 women with Leadership Certification; and recognition of 14 pioneer WM directors for establishing WM departments under very difficult circumstances.  Among them was Priscilla Ben who pioneered WM in the then East-Central Africa Division.

During this WM Congress, women enjoyed renewal, revival, reformation, fellowship, and a focus on the contribution of women to the church.

Source:  Caroline Chola, SID WM Director

 

Focus on the News

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Trans European Division (TED)

Sewing Machine School in Bosnia

Silvana Pažanin-Kostadinovi? is the Women’s Ministries leader, in the town of Tuzla, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a town of about 200,000 inhabitants; but the local Adventist church has only 12 church members. The youngest is over 60 years old and four of them have diabetes and regularly take insulin.

Wanting to do more in this predominantly Moslem community, Silvana decided to start a sewing school with another church member, seamstress Jadranka Karišik, and five old sewing machines stored in the church. Eight non-Adventist women regularly attend the sewing course, seven of whom are Muslim. Every week, they learn and work, sing and share their life experiences. As the sewing course comes to its end, these women are invited to a new course on proper diet, and the WM leaders are inviting new students to the sewing school. Their motto is: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4: 13).

Southern Asia-Pacific Division (SSD)

Cambodia Women’s Ministries Training

In March the Cambodian Women’s Ministries Department trained 40 women from Phnom Penh City and 19 provinces. These were pastors’ wives, church planters, literacy teachers, and church members.

Ruth Jackson, the Cambodia mission president’s wife, helped with the training. The teachers were Raquel Arrais (GCWM Associate Director), Helen Gulfan (SSD WM Director) and Sim Sew Moi (SAUM WM Director). Topics ranged from prayer, evangelism, and keeping homes clean to “Making Family Worship Easy and Fun.”

Sim Sew Moi brought new ideas that women could take back and practice in their family worship. She also taught the women about T-shirt appliqueing.  At the end Pastor Jackson led a commitment ceremony.

Reported by Sim Sew Moi

Southern Asia-Pacific Division (SSD)

Leadership Training in Bangkok

It was a wish come true for 29 women who completed the last four topics of the Women’s Ministries Leadership Certification Level 1, March 16, at Thai Ekamai Hall, Bangkok. 

The 92 attendees, mostly teachers from the Adventist international schools, institutions, and churches, were blessed to have four WM directors present during the one-day training: Raquel Arrais from the General Conference; Helen Gulfan, from the division;  Sim Sew Moi from the Union Mission; and Hanna Detwinya from Thailand mission, who organized the event.

During the worship service at the Bangkok International Church, many more hundreds of worshippers were further blessed by Raquel Arrais’s powerful sermon on The Power of Love.

Reported by Sim Sew Moi

Inter-European Division (EUD)

Start With Jesus Now: Women’s Ministries Austrian Union Invitation to the Young Women

On 11/11 at 11 o’clock last year, the young girls of the Austrian Union were invited for girls4 Christ by Gerd-Laila Walter, WM Director of the Union. The theme “Mach dich mit Jesus auf die Socken,” means “Start with Jesus now!”

Said one young participant, “We learned to count beans for every happy moment of the day” until they ran out of beans! The girls experienced how good healthful food can taste, and were allowed to express themselves as they wished and still be taken seriously. “One of the funniest things was the ‘sock-game’; we loved that!” said one participant.

In the afternoon there was time to think about what it means to have a close relationship with God, and that He forgives everything. “This day was precious to me, and I got courage to continue my way with God and to continue to trust Him,” said another. “We’re looking forward to our next girls4Christ meeting!”

Reported by Ines, a young participant.

Inspiration for You

 

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What is it?

Friendship Evangelism means caring for others, building trust and respect, and creating genuine friendships. We can all be friendly. If we each make friends and gently lead them to a friendship with Jesus Christ, each of us will be richly blessed.

How to Begin

• Select someone to become your new friend. Think about her and pray for her. Ask God to provide openings for you to show God’s love for her.
• Talk to your new friend. And listen to her. Show you care. Spend quality time with her. Concentrate on what’s important to her.
• Find common interests. Do you both like to hike, garden, read, or swim? Begin with what you have in common.
• Find common ground between your beliefs and those of your new friend.
• Be humble. Be willing to learn from her as well as to teach.
• Share God’s truths with your new friend and introduce her to your friend Jesus.

 

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Revived by His Word

A Journey of Discovery Together through the Bible

God speaks to us through His Word. Join with other believers in more than 180 countries who are reading a chapter of the Bible each day. To download the daily Bible Reading Guide, visit RevivedbyHisWord.org, or sign up to receive the daily Bible chapter by e-mail.

 

 

Renewed Through Prayer

Praying at 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. 7 days a week

Unite with thousands of believers around the world by praying for the Holy Spirit’s presence in our families, churches, leaders, and communities at 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. seven days a week, creating a global prayer chain. For prayer themes, visit RevivalandReformation.org/777.

 

2013 enditnow Emphasis Day

“God is Our Refuge,” the 2013 enditnow Emphasis Day packet written by Drs Claudio and Pamela Consuegra, NAD Family Ministries directors, calls us to transform our churches in a place of hope for those who live in the cave of domestic abuse.

To download the resource go to women.adventist.org

 

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• In Guatemala, two women are murdered, on average, each day.
• In Australia, Canada, Israel, South Africa and the United States, between 40 and 70 percent of female murder victims were killed by their intimate partners.

• Worldwide, up to 50 percent of sexual assaults are committed against girls under 16.

• Between 40 and 50 percent of women in European Union countries experience unwanted sexual advances, physical contact or other forms of sexual harassment at work.
• Across Asia, studies in Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines and South Korea show that 30 to 40 percent of women suffer workplace sexual harassment.

• Approximately 100 to 140 million girls and women in the world have experienced female genital mutilation/cutting, with more than 3 million girls in Africa annually at risk of the practice.
• Over 60 million girls worldwide are child brides, married before the age of 18, primarily in South Asia (31.3 million) and sub-Saharan Africa (14.1 million). Violence and abuse characterize married life for many of these girls. Women who marry early are more likely to be beaten or threatened, and more likely to believe that a husband might sometimes be justified in beating his wife.

• Women and girls are 80 percent of the estimated 800,000 people trafficked across national borders annually, with the majority (79 percent) trafficked for sexual exploitation. Within countries, many more women and girls are trafficked, often for purposes of sexual exploitation or domestic servitude.

Source http://www.endvawnow.org

 

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Prayer Corner

• Enditnow Emphasis Day
• Mission to the Cities Initiatives
• Homes of Hope and Healing Ministry
• Outpouring of the Holy Spirit
• Women involved in outreach ministries

 

Calendar 

August 9 - International Day of the World’s Indigenous people
August 24 - Enditnow Emphasis Day