Focus on the News


Madagascar Women: Trained to Touch and Tell

South Africa-Indian Ocean Division

 

The Indian Ocean Union Mission consists of the islands of Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Reunion, and Rodriquez. The leaders in this territory are committed to enabling their women to become effective leaders in the church. Having done the Leadership Certification Levels 1 and 2 over the past years, the Women's Ministries Director, Jacqueline Blanchard, organized Level 3 for the women this year.

The seminar, which took place in July in Antananarivo, Madagascar, was facilitated by Caroline Chola, SID WM Director; Raquel Arrais, GCWM Associate Director; and Katia Reinert, Mental Health specialist. It was attended by women leaders in all departments of the church from local church to conference level. The joy of the accomplishment was on each face. These women were challenged to teach, train, and equip other women for God's services.

 

Eden Conference in Wellington, New Zealand

South Pacific Division

This article was written by a 16-year-old participant in the Eden Conference, a day conference for girls 13-17. This project has been going for three years and needs sponsorship.

On the 21st August, 2010, a group of girls consisting of Alia, Olivia.T, Lose, Nuka, Vaiolingi, Brittany, Mele, Alisi, and myself went to the "Eden conference" for women and we had a BLAST!

I speak for all girls when I say that the Eden Conference was one of the best experiences-if not one of the many highlights of the year. There were inspirational speakers, a lot of encouragement, bonding, and a whole lot of fun. I really enjoyed the conference and would definitely go again.

I recommend that ALL girls attend this conference. It is not only educational, spiritual, and social, but it helps you grow as a person and strengthens us as young women. I learned a very important lesson that day and that was to "WRITE MY OWN STORY." When you read books, do you like them to be full of action, romance, or horror? Do you like it exciting or boring?

Our life is like a book. We are the main characters. We all know how it begins and that we have an end. But what happens in between that time is up to us. So, how do you want your book? You have the power to decide how your story goes so "WRITE YOUR OWN STORY."

 

Women of Beauty and Grace

Trans-European Division

"Because I am a woman, God created me to grow in grace and beauty" was the theme for the joint British and Dutch Women's Retreat in Daventry, England.

There were over 300 women present for the weekend. Heather Haworth, the British Union Conference Women's Ministries director, stated, "All the speakers approached the theme with candidness, humor, and relevance; and I, like many others, left with a greater commitment to follow God's plan for my life."

Dr. Monica Reed, Chief Executive Officer of Florida Hospital's state of the art facility, Celebration Health, was the main speaker. Focusing on Genesis 1:26-28, she started the weekend by reminding the women that they were created in the image of God.

The meeting finished with a "Go and Tell Evangelism Symposium."

 

Source: Sandra Golding