Take Courage in Your Faith

“Let’s be courageous in our faith.  Women let’s be strong because there is a reward,” says the song that Lisia Weka, the new CEUM Women’s President, taught the women in the Bodokola church region.

Mama Weka teaching song

Bodokola was the first of four stops on this her first trip since being selected to head Women Ministries.  Singing a song and dancing was an excellent way to learn and remember her message and in so doing encourage the women and share her vision.  

Speaking from Hebrews 10:35-36, she used three life examples of working in your garden, marriage and pregnancy explaining that in each context there will be hard work, sometimes pain and even persecution.  “We need to persevere, be patient and strong and courageous in our faith.  We can’t put our confidence in people as they will always disappoint us.  Our confidence needs to be in God.”  She challenged each woman with these questions: “Who are you trusting in?  Are you looking for the will of God in your life?”

Next the team traveled to the Olosan church region.  After President Weka preached, Superintendent Rev. Yangana shared that the Holy Spirit has shown you that many of us have grown cold in our faith.  We are not serving God.  We needed your message of encouragement.  87 women stood up to recommit themselves to follow Christ.

The team also visited the Karawa and Banga Kungu church regions where women were challenged to stand firm in their faith.

Charlotte Dzumbu, the Coordinator of Widows and Orphans ministry, spoke to the church about their responsibility for caring for widows and orphans and encouraged them to start associations for widows.

Mama Charlotte speaking

These associations build a community of worth, value and serving together which encourages the widows spiritually and physically.  In regions she had already visited and gotten to know widows and associations started you could see how the widows loved her and were excited to see her.  When they saw her in the truck they started waving and calling out to her.

Charlotte explained to me that in some areas 30-40% of the women are widows.  I was amazed at this number of widows and asked why.  She said because of men getting killed in the war or side effects of the war years, especially illness.

Kagu Toze encouraged women and girls to learn to read and write.  She is the Coordinator for Women’s Literacy.  She encouraged parents that even if they can’t afford school fees for their daughters to attend school, enroll them in a reading class.  The only cost is to give a little help to the teacher.  In some regions the majority of women could not read well enough to read the Bible.  Thanks to help from Cindy’s Special Interest Missionary gift this year we were able to print more reading books for the Literacy classes.

Cindy, Mama Weka, Pastor Marie, Mama Charlotte and Mama Kagu

Cindy taught basic Nutrition using the 3 x 3 model which is eating food from 3 basic food groups 3 times a day.  This is especially important for children.  Most adults eat only something small with their morning coffee and then one meal in the afternoon.  Since most people eat what grows in their garden she linked the importance of growing food from the 3 food groups in their garden.  Malnutrition is a big problem and women were excited to learn and start applying this in their families.