SID WM | Pretoria, South Africa | Margery Herinirina | August 2022

Women's Ministries in Southern Africa publishes a newsletter, ZOE

ZOE, the name of the first WM newsletter published in Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division, means LIFE.

Below is the introductory message from Margery Herinirina, Women's Ministries director of Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division, published in the newsletter. Download ZOE newsletter PDF

We are grateful and pleased to present to you the first issue of the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division (SID) Women’s Ministries (WM) quarterly Newsletter. The name of this Newsletter is ZOE , which means LIFE. In the third century, the Jews in Alexandria translated the Hebrew name Eve to its Greek equivalent, zoe. The name became popular with early Christians who associated its meaning with eternal life.

Most New testament translations only use one word to define ‘life’. However, in the original biblical text (Greek), the authors use three different words for life : bios, psuche, and zoe. Each expresses a different dimension of the word life.

Bios refers to the life of the physical body. The word biology comes from bios.

Psuche refers to the psychological life of human beings, that is, the mind, emotion, and will. The word psychology comes from psuche.

Zoe refers to the eternal life of God, the divine life, uniquely possessed by God.

This “Eternal life” denotes, not only the duration of time, which is everlasting, but also a quality of life, which is perfect and complete. A quality of life attainable in the present and a gift that can be experienced even here on earth (1John 5:11). The bible teaches that with Christ and Him in us, we can live a fulfilled life. Zoe is the life that we receive from Christ, the life of our eternal God. This is made clearer when we read how Jesus died to give us life in Romans 5. The apostles saw Zoe, eternal life, and testified of it to the people around them.

My dear Sisters, the SID WM team would like to see us all experiencing ZOE. We would like to encourage you to now read John 10:10 this way : “[Christ] has come that [I] may have zoe and may have zoe abundantly.” Eve was called Zoe, from her unique function as “the mother of all living” – (Genesis 3:20). Our desire would be to see all the women of the SID as ZOE, as life conveyer and women who can bring others to Jesus so that they too can receive zoe- eternal life.

May our Christian life be fully involved with Christ. He desires for us to enjoy His life and live by it. Then this life would be expressed through us, and God will be manifested to those around us so that they too can experience ZOE.

May our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

By Margery Herinirina, director of Women's Ministries, Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division

Southern Africa Union Conference Women's Ministries Produces a Memory Album

Collection Album shares personal expressions about the Virtual Prayer Walk/Run for a Purpose

Below is the introductory message from Zodwa Kunene, Women's Ministries director for South Africa Union Conference, published in the 40-page album. Download the memory collection album PDF

Every October marks the Breast Cancer Awareness month which is a national campaign to raise awareness for this cause.

Because of Covid-19 regulations, SAU Women’s Ministries Department decided to organize a virtual event from wherever a person will be, and instead of one day walk we organized a month-long Virtual Prayer Walk/Run of 6000 steps or more every day. We focused on buddying up with one another because no one should fight cancer alone.

This Cancer Virtual Prayer Walk/Run did not only focus on breast cancer but on almost all types of cancers. Every patient deserves our prayers and steps. We walked and run on their behalf and Prayer was KEY throughout the month.

At the beginning of our Prayer Walk/Run, the Lord sent us a lady named Audi to our prayer walking buddies who enquired if we were walking for cancer patients. She excitedly shared with us about her cancer journey and how the Lord healed her. We later had a blessed time of prayer with her and even met her husband and 2 children who were cycling while she was jogging. God affirmed this project.

Let me thank all who participated faithfully. Some did not walk or run but they prayed every day. Thank you to all.

We appreciate all the ladies who shared their cancer journeys, testified about the power of God’s grace and mercy. We are encouraged – You are our shining stars!

We will continue to pray for you.

We also wish to send our heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their loved ones due to cancer and we pray that God carry you and comfort you. We prayed for them, we dedicated them to the Lord who knows best.

I invite you to join us again for the Virtual Prayer Walk/Run for a purpose 2022. But in the meantime, let’s keep moving and interceding for our loved one’s who are suffering from cancer because no one should fight cancer alone.

By Zodwa Kunene, director of Women's Ministries, South African Union Conference

Motswedi Young Adventist Women's Ministries Report records their activities

An interesting feature of this report are the photo captions written by participants, creating their own news stories.

Below is a summary of the five-page report describing events held March to May 2021. Download the YAWM Report PDF

During the second quarter of 2021, the following events were held when gathering in person resumed.

• Young Advent Women Ministries (YAWM) leaders met for a planning session, March 21, 2021.
• YAWM practiced being the hands of Jesus when some young women visited with a "mother" of the church, April 11, 2021.

• YAWM launched a fitness club and stretched their abilities in a memorable session of exercise, May 2, 2021.
• YAWM held a business networking session, identified themselves with the Proverbs 31 woman, and discussed how to become Ladypreneurs, May 30, 2021.

Contributed by Beenzu Kapapa, YAWM leader 2021, and Rebecca Nkalanga, YAWM assistant leader 2021, Botswana Union Conference