Balm for the Soul of a Woman Event Continues to Grow
Now in its eighth year, this annual conference inspires and informs the journey toward a beautiful, healthy, and balanced life—personally and for family.
Inter-European Division (EUD)
[Romania] Women's Ministries activities in the beginning of 2020 began with good results in the Oltenia Conference.
Balm for the Soul of a Woman, March 1 and 8
At Râmnicu Vâlcea, located within the region of the Oltenia Conference, spring starts early with Balm for the Soul of a Woman activities. In 2020, at the 8th edition, the program addressed women (and the men, too, because they come with their wives). It is a program organized together with SanoVita Foundation (Health Ministries department of the Seventh-day Adventist Church). We started in 2013, a women’s team, volunteers, few, but trusting in our dream. Now, together with the participants we are like a family of 200 persons. The interest that gathers us together is a beautiful, healthy and balanced life, both on the personal and familial level.
In this journey, we are advised by specialists who offer us good information, advice, and support. We have also a part called Taste and Flavour for presentation and tasting vegetarian products. Every time, the women and the girls receive some gifts, such as: flowers, books and hand-made objects.
March 1, 2020, was a special occasion on which people gathered to hear good music with Vili Dulă, the seminars Healing and Renewal Through Sports presented by master of sports Professor Camelia Gabor with a special experience of life and Eating Myths presented by Corina Dan, who is a pharmacist and specialist in nutrition. Taste and Flavour presented and offered vegetarian products to be tasted. Another special occasion organized by this team was on March 8, when the women could enjoy the good music with Luiza Spiridon and took part at two seminars prepared especially for them: The Woman in the Mirror presented by Daniel Olariu, PhD, and a health seminar presented by Dr. Constantin Militaru, a cardiologist, and Dr. Mihai Botezat, a neurologist. Taste and Flavor coordinators also prepared vegetarian products which were given to all the guests for tasting. All the women and girls received flowers. We are grateful to God for everything He has given us!
Balm for the Soul plans for June, October, December
Balm for the Soul is another project that was developed as an extension of the Balm for the Soul of a Woman. This project was started in 2019 after the meetings in March inside the old project, because the people wanted more meetings like these. We meet in this new project three times per year, in June, October and December. Balm for the Soul contains a spiritual seminar, a nutrition or a medical seminar, music interpreted by different invited artists, and also presentation and tasting of vegetarian products. The number of guests was between 60-80 persons each time. We are like a family, feeling good together and we meet at District Library Antim Ivireanu, of Râmnicu Vâlcea.
Seniors' Sabbath, February 8
The church celebrated a special occasion, February 8, called The Seniors’ Sabbath. We wanted to show them our appreciation in a special way. In the church, we have more than 60 persons over 70 years old and 3 persons of 90 years and older. Around 40 people participated in this occasion. They were presented with special badge. During the Sabbath morning and afternoon they had the occasion to share their experiences, to preach and to recite poems. They were all invited to stay for a community lunch prepared by the younger sisters. It was a very special fellowship and everybody felt great. We sang a lot and before going home, everybody received a jar of honey. At the end of the program, in the afternoon, we gave to all the people a card with the inscription
"I pray for you..." with the name of one of the seniors. This church always sustains them in prayers by the younger ones because we want them to feel part of the big, family church all the time.
Honoring and Encouraging Seniors, for Christmas and a birthday
During Christmas time 2019, we visited the old people’s residence in the locality of Novaci. We brought gifts and sang Christmas carols. We sang for them and then we all sang together. We have a new church building under construction close to that residency. We thank God that we could bring a little joy to the eyes of the old people!
Some of our church members live far away and seldom come to church for this reason or because they have reduced financial possibilities. We visited them with the intention of encouraging them, but when we left, we were more encouraged ourselves than when we came. These old people told us how they found out about the Word of God, and one of them got my attention in a special way. Lia told us that one time she bought seeds from the market, and those seeds were wrapped in a page from a Bible. From that point on, she searched for God and she was converted.
In February 2020, we decided to surprise a sister called Florentina, who is a widow at the age of 46. Due to her low income she comes very seldom to the church. On her birthday, we bought a cake and other things of strict necessity that we took to her. Nobody had ever made a birthday cake for her. We praise God that we could comfort her soul!
Photos and report by Romania Women's Ministries
Published in Mosaic newsletter, 2020 Q3, summer issue
