More than a thousand women representing the fourteen-country territory of the Southern Asia-Pacific region gathered at the Ambassador Hotel Convention Center in Bangkok, Thailand, July 15-17, 2019 to attend the Women’s and Shepherdess International joint convention, themed “Ready for the Wedding.” The theme highlighted the biblical hope in Jesus’ soon coming, organizers said.
Women leaders from the Seventh-day Adventist world church attended the gathering as guest speakers, sharing reminders and encouraging attendees to minister for Christ.
Heather-Dawn Small, world church leader for Adventist Women’s Ministries, spoke on women taking evangelism to heart and how one’s unwavering relationship with Christ can bring eternal life.
“When we have the relationship with Jesus, when He abides in us and us in Him, we are going to have fruits,” Small said.
“Sharing the word of God is something that should happen naturally,” she added.
Janet Page, Associate Ministerial Secretary for Pastoral Families and Prayer Ministries for the Adventist world church, spoke from her heart to the shepherdesses, fellow wives of pastors, saying that the role of every shepherdess is essential in the success of every pastor. Page opened her talk by saying, “There is no one more special than the pastor’s spouse.”
“Here on earth, a lot of times, pastors’ wives do not often receive a lot of appreciation, but in heaven you will,” she added.
The wedding-themed convention of women leaders from all across the division through the leadership of Helen Gulfan, Women’s Ministries director of the Adventist Church in the Southern Asia-Pacific region, was well attended by various speakers from the world church and was decorated with colors representing the cultures and traditions in the division during the cultural night, parade, and other presentations.
Also present to speak at the meeting was Raquel Arrais, the associate women’s ministries director of the world church. Arrais fired up the congregation with her passionate presentations on evangelism and the wholistic being of every woman.
“Christian life begins in sitting right next to God’s throne of grace,” Arrais said. “When we sit, we release the burden; we release the weight because we are seated in Jesus Christ.”
The division-wide women’s and minister’s wives’ quinquennial convention is designed to energize and inspire women leaders, regional leaders said, as they reunite with friends from other regions of the division and learn new ideas in ministry and evangelism.
The original version of this story was posted on the Southern Asia-Pacific Division news site.
