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South Pacific Division (SPD)
Women's Ministries Director Named International Adventist Woman of the Year
Wahroonga, New South Wales: Joy Butler, director of Women’s Ministries (WM) and Prayer Ministry coordinator for SPD, has been named one of the International Adventist Women of the Year. The annual award is an initiative of the Association of Adventist Women, an independent entity for Adventist women around the world. Butler was one of six women to receive the award.
Butler was given the award in recognition of her “outstanding church leadership.” Criteria for candidates to be considered for an award include being a role model for Adventist women, having a commitment to improving the status of women in the church, as well as demonstrating resilience in coping with stress, change, and overcoming barriers to success.
Butler helped initiate the “Keep Girls Safe” project in Thailand, which provides a secure home for girls; combats prostitution, sex slavery, and abuse; and rescues girls who have already become enslaved and are often victims of HIV/AIDS.
“This award is not something that is necessary for me; but I hope more people will become aware of the issues of abuse and hurt surrounding women and girls, and try to do something in their corner of the world as a result of the publicity,” says Butler.
Source: SPD Record/Melody Tan
Trans-European Division (TED)
Women's Ministries Day, Holland
Women’s Ministries (WM) in Holland had a WM Day on November 18, 2007. The retreat was organized by Clair M Sanches, Netherlands Union Conference WM director; the theme was “Extremely Made Over.” Valerie Fidelia, retired Middle East Union Mission WM director, held a worship service about the family tree of Jesus and showed how the five women in Matthew 1 were extremely made over—not from the outside, but from within.
Ladies take part in a “Talk Cafe.”
In the afternoon the ladies had the opportunity to use their creativity by using paint and mirrors as a reflection of their lives. One lady who created a project with a broken mirror said that the broken mirror was her life as it is now and the
complete mirror was life as it will be in heaven. She used a red color to show how the blood of Jesus makes it all possible.The cafe was an opportunity to talk among themselves about God’s blessings. A woman shared her testimony about her struggles of trying to get pregnant for four years. While attending a WM retreat in Germany, she was instructed to touch the spot where she was hurting. She touched her stomach; soon after she was happy to report that she was pregnant with twins. Her sister had been angry at God for not allowing her to get pregnant; because of this she refused to get baptized. The same day that the babies were dedicated, the sister was also baptized.
Sanches reports that the event was a success; “Sometimes the whole day just works together well to make it exceptional.”
Source: TED WM
Southern Asia-Pacific Division (SSD)
Women's Ministries Family Evangelistic Seminars
“Happiness in the Family” was an evangelistic seminar organized by the Kapa and Togop districts of Malaysia Women’s Ministries (WM) leaders in the Koporingan Seventh-day Adventist church.
The average attendance each night was 120-160 people. The seminars were conducted by Nafsiah Badin, a former Muslim who was converted to Adventism through prayer and Bible study by her sister in-law. Now she is a very active WM leader who has won 12 souls. She has the burden to share the good news of salvation to her non-Adventist friends and neighbors.
The committee organized a prayer group to pray for this event. They also held visitation with families in their community
who were facing family crises. They visited these families and invited them to attend the seminars and to join their prayer group.
All the participants on the stage were women. This experience provided an opportunity for women to use their talents and spiritual gifts to win souls for Christ. As women in the church came together in prayer, seeking God’s wisdom and guidance and praying for others, their attitudes changed. They became less critical and more supportive. The family unit also became stronger, and as a result the church family is stronger too.
Source: Jupitah Lim, Sabah Mission WM director
