Northern Asia Pacific-Division (NSD)

1st Women Pastors and Elders Convention in NSD (NSD)

The first Northern Asia-Pacific Division (NSD) Women Pastors and Elders Convention held May 31-June 4, 2004 in Beijing, China, had 53 attendees. The participants came from Japan Union Conference, Northern Asia Pacific Division, Chinese Union Mission, Korean Union.


Guest speaker, Clarissa Worley,of the United States

 

 


Women's Ministries directors for the areas mentioned


Discussion groups

 
 

Attendees of the convention		  

In the September 04 Mosaic is a full article about this convention. The article was written by Silver Ng of NSD.

(back to top of page)

Okayo Report

Earlier this year, Raphaela Okayo went by bus from Arua, in North Uganda, to Bor, in South Sudan, via Kampala, Malaba, Kitale, Lodwar, Kakuma, Lokichokio and finally flying from there to Panyagor in North Bor. The trip took 5 days! Okayo is the Children's Ministries leader in South Sudan. She travels a lot with her pastor husband and it seems she is more at ease talking about Women’s Ministries than CM. She provides real insight for some into the attitudes prevailing in that part of the world. She went to an area which is very remote; Valerie Fidelia, the Women’s Ministries director for the Middle East Unions, reports that she does not believe we have ever had any women attend church workshops from that area before, so it is wonderful that she was there.

Okayo writes, “On arrival in Panyagor (before sitting down) we were ushered into the visitors foot washing room’ as Abraham did to the three men (Gen.18:4). The believers in Bor want to continue with the faith of Abraham to fulfill all righteousness as Jesus commanded. The women especially were very happy, because they saw me, a female, traveling with my husband to Bor County. They said that the office did good to include me in the team of the gospel instructors.

”We had a big group attending. I saw some members come with their wives and children from as far as the Nuer mountains, walking three to four days one way, the husbands even helping by carrying the younger children on their shoulders.

“I did some Family Life lessons. I met with the women separately, which they enjoyed very much because it gave them a chance to ask some questions that they could never have asked in the presence of their husbands. Women are not allowed to ask questions in a group of men, especially if their husbands are present. That was why they requested to meet alone sometimes for the fear of their husbands. They were very happy to hear that God loves all people equally and that there is no distinction between man and woman. The women were amazed and interested to hear and learn that the key to a happy family is ‘Love,’ which they had never heard or experienced because of culture.

“One commendable thing I have seen is that our Adventist members have set a good example, because they are showing love to their wives.”

According to Okayo, the needs from this area of Sudan include boreholes for drinking water. This hindered some of the ladies from attending. The younger ones especially couldn't attend regularly because they had to work much harder taking care of others. Sometimes they walked for drinking and bathing water all night. Because of the lack of a grinding mill, women could not attend the
workshop promptly. They where busy pounding the grain for food. Also, there are no schools. The women and children want to learn how to read and attend education classes. Most of all, the women want more visits and workshops.

(back to the top)

MWKC Women’s Choir Concert (KUC)

  A party in honor of the aged was held at Korean Sahmyook Foods Factory on May 8, 2005, which was Parent’s Day in Korea. Thirty five members of the MWKC Women’s Choir, conducted by Pastor Im ChunHyuk, sang songs for 1,000 aged persons. When the Choir members bowed down to the ground to show respect to the aged, the audience gave them a big hand and shouted for joy.
Although this concert was the first one since the choir was organized, they prepared and practiced with enthusiasm and whole heartedness. The audience received great pleasure in the music presented. The Choir hopes that through their devotion to God they were able to give all people joy, hope, and Jesus’ love.

(back to the top)

Mindeulae Women's Evangelistic Meeting in WCKC (KUC)

  Members of the Womens Evangelism Group of WCKC have been visiting people door-to-door and doing discipleship training. Nine Dandelion members (Women Evangelism Group of WCKC), eleven internship pastors of the conference, and seven Dongducheon church members visited people in the Dongducheon area. They went door to door in pairs during the afternoons. Pastor Choi ByungNam, Women's Ministries Director, had given a talk entitled "The Secret to Get Confidence of Salvation" in the evening. As a result of this soul winning process, 2 persons were baptized and the Dongducheon church felt the importance of door-to-door visits. All church members were invited to take part in evangelism training.

(back to the top)

Okinawa Mission Women' Ministries of Japan Union Conference (NSD)

Okinawa Mission Women' Ministries of Japan Union Conference started a Women Leadership Certificate Course, Level One of GCWM WLC, for their women at the Adventist Medical Center on April 21 and 22, 2005. There were about 70 women in this seminar. More than 100 women attended on Sabbath. They shared their knowledge and ideas of effective works for WM with other women through group discussion time. They really enjoyed this program. This course was led by Young-Ja L. Nam, NSD WM director.

 
 

(back to the top)

Miaoli Church Evangelistic Meetings in Taiwan (NSD)

The Miaoli Church in Taiwan, where Pastor Chae GwangByung is one of the PMM pastors, invited the Evangelism Team of Midwest Korean Conference Women’s Association to hold a series of evangelistic meeting based on health messages at their church on June 20-25. Twenty members were led by their team leader, Mrs. Lee WonSil. It was not easy to proclaim the gospel in an area where more than 98% of the population are either Buddhist believers or very superstitious. Nevertheless, Pastor Lim ChunHyuk preached passionately and team members asked God for special help. God answered their prayers with nine interests that attended every night culminating in two baptisms.

Team members visited house to house every morning sharing the love of Jesus and introducing the church to the people in that area. They overcame language barriers with the help of the Holy Spirit. In the afternoons, they served the people with foot massages at the same time opening their hearts and securing their interests in Jesus. The team members donated two air conditioners to the church. Lee KyoungWon, one of the team members also donated a van.

 
 

(back to the top)

“Mizugame” Leaving her water- pot Otaki, Chiba (NSD)

Sixty-six SDA Japanese women, young and old, gathered together on September 1, 2006 for a three-day seminar, “Mizugame.”

Originally started by Young-Ja Nam, then NSD Women’s Ministries Director, the seminar title, “Mizugame,” comes from the story between Jesus and a Samaritan woman who became the first disciple for Him. ( John 4:28) A lot of women have changed through previous seminars. They have found their hidden talents and polished them.

Services began on Friday evening with “Sabbath Café.” Cakes and beverages were served while women fellowshipped with one another.

 

“Agape Feast” on Saturday evening was peaceful and marvelous. Under the candle lights the women enjoyed “Saniku Hour”: in which the pioneer spirit of SDA education were introduced by President Isao Ueda. Song service was given by Kyoko Takahashi and the women’s choir members of Saniku Church. Two students from the nursing college and the theological college gave testimonies of how they met Jesus. Many were touched to know that a strong love bond exists between students and college teachers.

 

Seminars were presented by President Isao Ueda and Professor Masao Yamagata: “SDA Women in Japan and their Mission Work in the Coming Years” and “SDA History , Confirming Adventists faith.” President Ueda said that Japanese mission in the local area had not been developed. Professor Yamagata emphasized the importance of balance to take between the SDA fundamental theories and the gospel. He said that it is very important to recognize identity: study it, confirm it, and then establish it again in order to make it useful in Jesus.

At the close of the seminar, Japan Women’s Ministries introduced their new motto: “To Love the Lord Live cheerfully and Volunteer with Joy.”

By Naoko Tamura, a coordinator of the East Japan Women’s Missionaries

Back to the top