Two Initiatives for Women in Italy

The warm temperatures in these autumn days, in Italy and maybe also in Europe, still make us dream of summer and what happened in that time. I think back, for example, to the activities carried out for the women in Sicily.
Pastor Abigaela Trofin, who in the past was part of the Italian Union Women's Ministries team, has always maintained her calling to serve women. Last spring and summer she spearheaded a series of initiatives for women in Adventist churches in Caltagirone and Acate, Sicily.
In Caltagirone, she initiated the two-month "Artisans and the Bible" project. "I started working with people's gifts and talents and we made presentations of manual activities such as embroidery, basket making, sewing, ikebana, cooking, pottery, medicinal plants and remedies, hairstyles, etc. All these activities were combined with biblical texts," Abigaela explained. For example, in the meeting showing how to make baskets, they talked about the basket where Moses was placed and the love with which his mother had prepared it. "That was a very intense moment. But all the meetings were very educational," Abigaela said. The meetings were well attended, and there were 10-12 non-Adventist women among the participants. Pastor Trofin also involved some people she knew who were interested in the Scriptures, such as a ceramicist from the town (Caltagirone is famous for its ceramics), who presented her art, and then the pastor made the connection with the Bible.
The "Emotions for Snacks" initiative involving Adventist and non-Adventist women was held in the Acate church. The program started from a need: coping with anxiety and integration after lockdowns due to Covid. Each meeting included three elements: creativity and socializing, emotional storytelling and solutions (the solutions were spiritual exercises prepared by Pastor Abigaela), and a healthy snack. Participants were divided into groups and received materials to make flower decorations to take home. While the hands moved, the women talked together and opened their hearts. Talking while creating decorations and sharing anxieties and joys made the difference. "It was a way to help them get out of their mental patterns with psychological and spiritual work," explained Pastor Abigaela, "I had seen that there were too many women who cried easily, very weak and listless. With these workshops, I chose to show them that it can be done differently. We also talked about the clothing they wear at home because with the pandemic so many women stay in their pajamas and neglect themselves. And so I wanted to give an awakening, including a spiritual one."
As reported by Lina Ferrara, WM Director for Italy