"A JOURNEY of HOPE"

The theme of the HIV/AIDS congress conducted by the Botswana Union Mission Women's Ministries Department was about making a difference and not forgetting that there is always hope for those who are living with AIDS.

The conference was held in June in Gaborone, Botswana, and was sponsored by NACA (National AIDS Coordinating Agency), a Botswana government agency dealing specifically with HIV/AIDS program. Over 620 women, men, youth, and pastors attended the conference; delegates attended from Botswana as well as from Zimbabwe, Malawi, and South Africa.

Susan Williams the Women's Ministries director for Botswana, says that the focus of the congress not only addressed HIV/AIDS education but also focused on parent-child relationship building and self-worth. She added that, "We have been bombarded with AIDS education, yet on the issue of behavior change we have been making slow improvements."

There exists a major gap between parents and their children with regards to their sexuality, sexually transmitted diseases, and HIV/AIDS. Communication within the home has also become difficult for most teenagers. At a recent program held with the youth, most of them indicated that they would rather discuss their problems with their friends than with their parents. Williams feels that if we want to make a difference we will need to address these issues in a proactive manner.

Care and support: "Comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient
toward all men." I Thess. 5:14 (KJV)

FOCUS ON THE NEWS

PREACHING at the 11th HOUR

First Women's Evangelist Conference

East-Central Africa Division

The East-Central Africa Division Women's Ministries Department held its first women-evangelists' conference from August 25-29, 2009. A total of 210 women evangelists attended the residential conference held in the heart of Nairobi. The theme for the conference was "Preaching at the11th Hour"; the key text was ‘'As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming when no one can work" (John 9:4).

The purpose for this very important conference was to share experiences, train, and recognize and equip the women evangelists with evangelism resources. The women were trained with the General Conference Women' Ministries Evangelism Manual.

The main speaker, Pastor Samuel Misians, introduced new approaches to interact or preach to those who do not know Christ. Testimonies were given by a number of women.

The women left the conference equipped to serve the Lord better as evangelists.

-Source: ECD WM

World Church Leader Visits North and South Germany

Euro-Africa Division

"Get Up - Follow - Women Make the World Move!" (Mark 1:17, 18) was the motto of a women's retreat from June 19 to 21, 2009.

Dr. Ella Simmons (Vice President of the General Conference of the Seventh-Day-Adventist Church) and Christiane Vertallier (Director of Women's Ministries of the Euro-Africa Division) attended women's retreats in North and South Germany. They travelled with Ingrid Naumann to Schwäbisch Gmünd (Baden-Württemberg) for a women's conference. The theme there was "The Woman in the 21st Century." More than 160 persons from the South German Union attended.

-Source: Ingrid Naumann, WM South German Union

Central Papua Conference Retreat and Baptism

South Pacific Division

The first conference-wide women's retreat for the Central Papua Conference was held at Bautama Camp from August 17-22. Nearly 2,000 from all over the province attended. Erna Johnson, SPD WM director, was the guest speaker.

Sabbath morning, five persons were baptized as a direct result of women ministering to the community. Through the Holy Spirit one woman has already brought 300 persons to the Lord. She has also started a church and a literacy program in her town. Three of those baptized were her candidates.

The women are sharing God's message of love wherever they go.

-Source: SPD WM

"Christianity is the land of beginning again."  Criswell

"And he sat upon the throne and said, Behold, I make all things new." Revelation 21:5

"Let your heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God." Anonymous

INSPIRATION FOR YOU

Are you a SOWER, a REAPER, or BOTH?

Part 1 -By Heather-Dawn Small

Recently I read an article in the Adventist Review, September 10, 2009, issue. The article was titled "Evangelize, Who Me?" I smiled when I saw the title, and even before I read the article I knew what the author would be saying.

This is a challenge many women face. This word "evangelism" has become a word that engenders fear in many of our sisters. Some believe that God has not called them to evangelize their world through preaching and teaching. Some feel inadequate and even shy when it comes to explaining Adventist beliefs from the Bible. Many women will never go door to door to give out evangelistic meeting flyers. Yet God has called each of us to tell the world about Jesus and His power to save us from our sins, and that He offers each person eternal life (Matt 28:19,20).

So what can we do? It's true the Bible calls each Christian to tell the world about Jesus. But should our methodology all be the same? In John 4, in the story of the Samaritan woman, Jesus in speaking to His disciples states, "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."

I have read this verse so many times and I must tell you I was amazed when I read it the other day. Jesus tells us that some of us are called to sow and some to reap. Some are called to tell others about Jesus, to plant the seed of God's love in the lives of those we meet. Then, some are called to reap. Some to preach the gospel, calling people to be baptized. These verses state that not everyone is called to sow and reap. Some sow and some reap. How can we sow the Gospel in peoples' lives?

One woman preaches, another woman teaches in small groups, then another woman has a card ministry to sick persons, another woman bakes bread for sick people, and on and on. God has given each of His children talents. These talents are to be used to strengthen the church, but also these talents are the channel we use to evangelize. What do I mean by this?

Read Part 2 of this article in our December issue of MOSAIC.

"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.'"
Ellen White, Ministry of Healing, p. 143

"Plant SEED Evangelism" Ideas:

1. T-shirts that say "He changed my life" to use as evangelism conversation starters.
2. Use the missionary book of the year to distribute to your neighbors and friends.
3. Coffee mugs with "Jesus loves you" imprint to give away as Christmas gifts in your neighborhood.
4. Buy bottled water with custom labels marked "Living Water?" with the church logo and a printed explanation that although water quenches our thirst, Christ is the Living Water that quenches our soul along with the scripture verse John 7:38.
5. Purchase "John 3:16" imprinted chocolates to hand out to Christian and non-Christian friends. 

"When a great and decisive work is to be done, God chooses men
and women to do this work, and  it will see the loss if the talents of both
are not combined." Ellen White, Evangelism, p. 469

Today, 1 out of every 3 women around the world has faced some form of violence, including sex trafficking, domestic abuse, sexual assault, honor killings, female genital mutilation, child marriage, emotional and verbal abuse, and other forms of violence. These practices are unacceptable and must end now.

enditnow is a global campaign to raise awareness and advocate for the end of violence against women and girls around the world.

This campaign, which extends to more than 200 countries and territories, was launched in October 2009 in partnership between the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA)-a prominent humanitarian organization-and the Department of Women's Ministries of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, two entities that are representative of the Adventist Church.

Here are ideas to use the enditnow campaign in your church and communities to raise awareness about violence against women:

1. Print out a campaign poster. Download our campaign poster and print it out for display.
2. Use the enditnow postcards in your church. Send these out to donors and community groups. Hold an event to launch the campaign.
3. Provide leadership: Recruit a small group of women to brainstorm ways to get others involved in the work against violence. Discussion and dialogue is an important part of an awareness campaign. Come up with an annual event such as "Abuse Prevention Emphasis Day" on the 4th Sabbath of August. Invite your community to be part of this special program.

enditnow is in your hands
For more information visit: www.enditnow.org or www.adventistwomensministries.org

Prayer Corner

• enditnow Campaign
• Follow the Bible initiative
• Women's Ministries meetings in Atlanta

Calendar

• November 19: World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse
• November 25: International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women