You are the women’s ministries!

I sent a postal card to my best friend in the Netherlands with a picture of different buildings of Sevilla, Spain. In the card I wrote that I went to a women’s ministries congress for the first time to translate. She reacted astonished, ‘You at a women’s ministries congress?’ Her reaction did not come as a surprise to me as I never felt part or involved in women’s ministries before. Moreover, I was convinced women’s ministries was for another type of woman. Still, God saw things differently. I recently got married and my interest in how to be more than an ordinary woman increased. Through different personal studies, I have learned that women are equal to men, but still different. By looking at women like Sarah, Ruth and Mary I had learned that God does extra-ordinary miracles with women and I was fascinated by the thought that God could also use someone like me to do great things. Great was my surprise when the Director or the Women’s Ministries in Spain, Amalia Reta, whom I didn’t know, called me to translate for the second Iberian Congress. I knew immediately that God wanted me to go there, but why? After some careful consideration, I decided to go to Sevilla and help with the translation since I have been doing this from my youth. The topic of the congress was ‘Be light’ and as a translator, the Lord ensured that I would hear every word that was spoken and hear testimonies of the women there. I learned that indeed the women were different than I. Moreover, I also understood that the Lord created all women with different talents, passions and visions to fulfil his masterplan. I was privileged to talk to the leaders of women’s ministries and understood that our goals were all the same, work for God. In addition, I learned that we, as women, have similar challenges that are difficult for our husbands, brothers and male friends to understand. Most importantly I realized that God uses and calls us as women to be light in this dark world. The evangelistic stories, events and programs organised by women around the world correlate with what the women in the Bible did. All in a different way, filling a gap that only they could fill. I realised, although I have never been to a women’s ministries event, I was already part of the evangelistic work done by this division. Every time I encourage a woman from another religion or listen and sustain a single young woman who cries for a partner I am part of the women’s ministry. Every time I talk to someone and shine God’s light on them, I am part of women’s ministries. As women who work for God we are all part of women’s ministries. Since we are already part of women’s ministries, participating in the events organized are important. By doing this we connect to women with the same spiritual flame and get strengthened to continue doing the great work God has put on our paths to do. This is reinforced by Matthew 18:20: “For where two or three gathers in my name, there am I with them”. Let’s unite in our personal tasks as women’s ministries to lighten up this world. Sjury Osepa