Women of the Word: challenging the Female Body in Angola to experience a life of holiness through the Gospel
From August 27th to 29th, Nazarene women in Angola celebrated the 1st National Ladies Congress in the country. The event was attended by 600 participants from the 8 existing districts, plus an additional 200 attendees of each worship service by those who stayed close by.
Addressing the theme “Women of the Word” (John 15:3-4a), the aim of the event was to challenge the ladies to live the Word of God in three central aspects of their lives: in their inner world, in their marriages and in their ministerial life. The session addressed practical issues such as stewardship of the body, time management tips, sexuality and personal gifts. The speakers were Reverend Ester Ferreira, wife of the Lusophone Field Strategies Coordinator, and Cape Verdean psychologist Milena Monteiro.
In addition, the National Board of Women’s Ministry was established, which today has representatives from all the districts in Angola. Through this leadership, the ladies’ ministry is already starting to organise itself financially for the next edition of the event which is planned for 2025. We praise God for the support of the Africa Region and the Lusophone Field, which generously supported this event making it possible.
The impact of an event like this is difficult to measure immediately, but here are some testimonies that reveal a little of what the Lord did during those days.
“At this congress, I learned that we must trust in God and be women of prayer because He is the one who solves our problems. I was very blessed by the speakers and realised that the moderators were full of God’s presence. I thank God for giving me the opportunity to take part in this program,” said Gisela da Silva from Angola Lubango District.
“I was challenged to work more in the women’s ministry and I realised that within this ministry, there is a lot to be done. I went home challenged to improve women’s ministry among the women in my district,” said Judite Inocêncio, also from Angola Lubango District.
