JULY 2003
Vol. 2 No.7

HEADLINES

Women Alive for Christ - with Hope - in the Kiribati Nation

Focus on the News

KEEPERS PAGE — Support Groups

Editorial

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Women Alive for Christ – with Hope – in the Kiribati Nation

The vast, wide ocean is always very present when one stays in Kiribati located in the Trans-Pacific Union Mission (TPUM) in the extreme north of the South Pacific Division. One can always hear the roar of the waves on the reef. The narrow strip of land, Tarawa Island, supports 70,000 people. Signs of westernization are everywhere. There is no space for gardens, but there is room to hear and sense the hope of the women in this small Pacific island nation.

Joy and Korobu ladies

My new-found-friend Ama, receptionist and secretary of the Kiribati Mission, is a supreme example of what this means in Tarawa. She had given birth to 3 beautiful children only to lose them all, along with her husband, in a canoe tragedy. Her children had clung to her as their boat capsized. She held the baby on her chest for as long as possible, trying to float on the water. Eventually, she too began to drown. After her rescue, she contemplated suicide, but has since come to believe that God is still her friend. Ama would like to be a minister for God, sharing her faith with others, telling them of the hope she has experienced and now has in Jesus Christ. She is a keen supporter of WM and helped to implement a WM conference in this outpost during the week of March 27 – April 7.

Marica Tokelau (WM and Children’s Ministries Director from TPUM) and Lillian Kent (Health Ministries Director from TPUM) together with Joy Butler (WM Director, SPD), conducted a 10 day program for the women of the Kiribati Mission. This was a “first” to have a combined church departmental ministry for women in this far-out post. At each meeting the numbers grew. Topics included: Women of Hope, Good Parenting, Women of Worth, Women Who Hurt, Nutrition and Exercise, and other relevant and important topics for women. Every church was visited and meetings held for members and friends. For five mornings a unique evangelistic outreach took place in the maneaba (meeting place). Forty mothers of pre-school students listened and responded, cautiously but then warmly, to Bible study, parenting, and health talks.

Marica, Joy and Lillian

John Horvarth, president of the mission and initiator of the whole venture, said “I was thrilled with the response of the women of Kiribati. It was great to see their enthusiasm and support.” Andrea, his wife, said “It has increased the women’s confidence, self esteem and bonding.” Gloria, a local teacher, said “Now the women of Kiribati who attended the workshop will be prayerful women!”

Thousands of people in Tarawa need to hear a message of hope. Global warming and deteriorating natural resources signal distressing times ahead for this overpopulated island. Half the population are under 15 years. Time is running out. The women of the Kiribati Mission are making a difference and hope to open a women’s centre to teach and reach others for Christ. If you would like to give or go—contact the SPD any time.

by Joy Butler, WM Director, SPD

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Focus On The News

Inter-American Division

New Life Evangelistic Crusade

On March 16, 2003, the six-week New Life Experience Evangelistic Crusade sponsored by the WM Departments of South Caribbean Conference (SCC), Curepe-Tunapuna, and Tacarigua-Five Rivers districts, began. Pastor Kern Tobia, President of the SCC, gave the introduction. Judy Haynes, WM director (SCC), participated along with other conference officials, as St. Thomas lay evangelist Mildred Robinson, affectionately called Sister Mil, preached. She is a descendant of the first Adventist family in St. Croix.

Visiting soloists, choirs, and instrumentalists performed against a painted backdrop of the Holy City encircled by a rainbow which gave a tranquil ambiance for the nightly messages.

Adventist health professionals presented seminars on such topics as men’s and women’s health issues, effective parenting, domestic violence, self esteem, vegetarian cooking, prayer, and many more.

A proactive children’s segment with “Aunty Barbara,” her staff and their puppets, captured the children’s attention. Many children responded to the gospel and were baptized.

A prayer tent held prayer warriors who interceded nightly. Two hundred and forty-one persons gave up past lives and were baptized. Such is the power of a miracle-working God to rebuild and restore lives.

Judy Haynes, WM director, South Caribbean Conference

Radio Program in Anguilla Run By Women

The women on the island of Anguilla, West Indies, have begun a radio program targeting women in the community. It has a wide listenership. Run by a woman, for women, it is the only one of its kind in the Caribbean Union.

Southern Asia Division

Literacy Highlights in Orissa

Devadala has Seventh-day Adventists, Baptists, and Hindus. The majority are Hindus. Forty year old Kumari Mishal now reads her mail, simple Bible verses and grocery lists. Varamala and husband Vasu Lima used to chant Puranas in the streets during the rainy season, but in literacy class they learned about the true God and have stopped chanting.

In Kasinagar, there are Hindus, Seventh-day Adventists, Catholics, and other Christians. Seventy year old Akkamma, a chain smoker, stopped smoking after attending the literacy program. The teacher taught songs, Bible verses, Bible stories using picture roll, and to pray.

Patupadar men are very pleased to send their wives to the literacy class. The teacher taught from the literacy primer and also taught the evils of drinking, and about cleanliness, and good manners. One elderly person commented, “The children were dirty before the literacy class started, but now they look like angels and attend school regularly.” The women attendees helped their husbands stop drinking. In the Christian village Gallagoan, Adventists and Baptists live in harmony. Literacy, health, cooking, and cleanliness classes were taught. Adventists now happily sing simple songs from books and read Bible verses in church. Twenty year old Sugatha is memorizing the books of the Bible in order. A village tailor, she is also stitching clothes to the right measurements.

In the literacy class in Anandpur, 12 of the 24 women can read the Bible and are excited to help the children with their studies. A few can do simple arithmetic. Regular worship is held at the beginning of each session. Woman want to start an economic development project. Many Catholics attending class have expressed their desire to join the Adventist Church.

Gumma has many women who can read the Bible. The teacher gives tips on health and hygiene and tells Bible stories using picture rolls.

In Harichandrapur, the Orissa government loans Rs. 20,000.00 to those who can sign their names. Fifty-six year old Mahalaxmi, the first recipient, learned to write her name in the adult literacy class which encouraged others to learn faster.

In Domadua, Fenerda Majhi, a 60 year old carpenter and his wife, attend. Fenerda says the literacy centre has taught him numbers and he can now make furniture by measurement.

Southern Asia-Pacific Division

NEW DIRECTOR FOR SSD: Ellen Missah from Indonesia has been voted as the new SSD director. More info next month.

Correction: In the March 2003 Mosiac, Focus on the News: Northern India Union, Dr. M.C. John is the President of Northern India Union, not Stanley Samuel.

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KEEPERS PAGE
Just for You! – Organizing Support Groups

Support groups are a wonderful way for women to get together with other women who are facing similar issues in their lives.

People in support groups can learn from one another and develop friendships to help them through challenging times.

Your church can be a wonderful source of support for those who need it. By starting and organizing support groups for women with particular needs, you can minister to them in a very practical way....

Don’t Re-Invent the Wheel

Get acquainted with the resources in your community. Many, many support groups for different needs are probably already in existence. Unless there’s a very specific reason why your church needs to have its own support group on one of these issues, there’s no need to re-invent the wheel. Rather than duplicating the services of a group that already exists, put your church members in touch with the resources that exist in the community.

If you do identify a need that’s not being met by a support group in your community right now, find out if there’s a national organization that deals with that problem. A quick search on the Internet can help you find umbrella organizations that can give you resources and tips on starting the specific type of support group you need.

How to Start a Support Group

Suppose that some women from your local church WM come to you, the WM director, asking for help in starting a support group for them. They may be a group of divorced women, overweight women, grieving women, women whose adult children have left the church—there are many possibilities. What do you do? Here are some suggestions:

1. Pray for guidance. You may wish to ask these women to pray with you.
2. Ask other interested persons to help you plan. Perhaps do a survey to find other women interested in this particular topic.
3. Involve the pastor. Be sure she/he knows of your plans and ask for advice or support.
4. Choose a leader and others willing to help. A member of the support group will probably make the best leader for the group.
5. If necessary, get permission of the church board. You will need this if you are requesting funds, church meeting rooms, etc.
6. Set the time and place of your first meeting.
7. Study the needs of the group. What type of support do they need? Fellowship and support from each other? Experts to give advice? Inspiration and affirmation? You may want to do a survey of perceived needs.
8. Advertise your first meeting. Do this by word of mouth, telephone, church bulletin, posters, and WM newsletter, depending on the type of group and the means available. But use every means you can—telling people something just once does not work any more.
9. Evaluate. After the meeting, meet with the leaders and discuss what went well. What needs to be planned before the next meeting? What needs to be changed?

The purpose of a support group is to offer support, help, and understanding by others who have been through the same experience. It should be a place and time for healing, not a pity party.

For an Effective Support Group:

DO

• Provide fellowship occasions
• Provide communication opportunities
• Maintain a biblical perspective
• Have an accepting attitude toward all
• Speak in a basic language so that all can understand
• Maintain confidentiality

DON’T

• Allow gossiping or complaining
• Promote or allow prejudice
• Be cliquish
• Waste time
• Get off the planned subject
• Label people
• Be judgmental

—Taken from GCWM Handbook

Contact your division or GCWM for resources that can be used by specific small groups.

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