Prayer in Action (EUD)

More than 70 women attended the Prayer Action Retreat in Geneva, Switzerland. They came from many congregations bringing their enthusiasm, warm spirit, and beautiful smiles.

The women received food for the soul and for the body—in abundance! This weekend was luxurious and the precious love of God was brought alive and put into practical action.

The special guest speaker was Raquel Arrais, GCWM associate director; the organizers were: Christiane Vertallier (EUD, WM director), Christiana Benoit, Denise Hochstrasser, and Béatrice Salvador. Many ladies worked behind the scenes to make this event very special and deserve thanks as well.

When the retreat drew to a close, the happy smiles on the faces of the women showed that they had enjoyed their time learning, praying, and communing with God and each other.

— EUD Women's Ministries



"Just for You" (SPD)

Women’s Ministries of the Blacktown Adventist Church in Sydney, Australia has partnered with Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) to create “Just for You” comfort bags. The bags are given to traumatized children from birth to 15 years old who may not have the support of their family at a difficult time in their lives. All items must be new to prevent any risk of cross-infection, and the value of a bag when given is about $60-$70.

So far this year 63 bags have been given away. Most of them have been distributed through the Children’s Hospital at Westmead where they are given to children who come into the Child Protection Unit.

Helpers knit blankets or donate toys or money to purchase items for the bags. The helpers include several people from the Windsor church, some ladies who work at the ADRA Op-Shop, and the members of the “60
Plus” group that meets at the Campbell Street ADRA centre.

—Erna Johnson, Greater Sydney Conference WM


Twelve Adventist women and three non-Adventist women help to pack bags, and ten non-Adventist women (including a friend’s Bible study group) are donating items or knitting blankets for the bags.

 




View from the Field: Inter-American Division


There are so many issues facing women today. How do you think Women’s Ministries is helping women who are affected by these problems?

In terms of poverty and lack of education, WM is motivating and inspiring the women to realize their full potential. The certification program is instrumental in helping our women see that there is hope for improving their positions in life.The scholarship program is also a great contributing factor to the women’s setting and reaching their goals. Much of the material presented to our women is geared towards helping our ladies cope with the issues facing them.

What is your biggest challenge as a Women’s Ministries director?

When I consider the interest and the hard work that my directors are doing, my challenges seem small. My biggest challenge is two fold: First, it is crucial to have all of the material in three languages (French, Spanish, English). The second challenge lies in keeping up with our huge territory. There are fifteen unions which have several local fields.

Pictured: Interviewee Gloria Trotman, IAD WM director