Beautiful in every single way!

Glamorous women - Soweto 

As you know, they are pastors’ wives just trying to give a little bit of themselves to make a contribution to the communities where their husbands are working.

They are called upon for many tasks and more often than not their hands are busily at work showing their talents. You might see them on Sundays as a reflection of the beauty of the women of God.

These same glamorous women are willing to make a difference in the Church. 

They are hard workers ensuring their household and church are being provided for.

And they go beyond this to serve the needy with a smile, a word of encouragement,  a hug and sometimes simply by holding the hands of cancer patients in distress.

In December after finishing their hospital visits for the year, they still did not rest.

Find out more about our WiA members: What is family?

When one comes to know God and has accepted Him as Lord and Saviour, one immediately becomes part of His family.

Even when trials and difficulties come, there is no need for worry or fear because the One in whom one believes is much greater than the problem.

Women in Action (WiA) have become like family to those in the community, not only taking the time to empower or bring awareness to individuals but also by listening to what’s on their minds and offering counsel.

We all know what being alone during the holidays can do to a person, and it’s even worse when that person is sick.

WiA decided to do something special and extraordinary for the cancer patients they had visited during the year.

In the last two weeks of December 2011, some cancer volunteers took time from their personal duties to telephone all the patients they had visited during the year.  What a priceless time it was!

This is what the volunteers had to say after making the calls:

Taking part in the callbacks to the cancer patients was a good thing to do. It showed we remembered them, especially at this time of the year.

Even though some of them were not feeling ok, but deep down in their hearts they felt special because we called them.

Some of them are positive that they will be fine. I really enjoyed myself.  It was such a blessing to the people even I felt revived.

Hearing them say how much they appreciate these calls and how strong they felt after the call was good. One even said that by calling them, we are giving them hope again.

He even mentioned that sometimes they don’t need many words, just knowing that someone cares is enough to keep them going.

With staff members Oncology Ward

It was heartbreaking hearing of how some are discriminated against at their work place, being called names or ill treated by the health professionals. Some were too weak to speak, making it hard to hear what they were saying, but they kept on the line nevertheless. 

I was reminded about the suffering our people experience daily. The joy those calls gave to them was priceless! They were truly grateful even those who had lost a family member.

We always aim to make a difference, that’s why we are called – Women in Action.

Mission Accomplished in Western Province

On the 26^th November, 2011, WiA has travelled all the way to Cape Town to host our Human Trafficking Awareness Event as part of the 16 Days of Activism Agaisnt Abuse to Women and Children.

We have invited for the occasion the group The Justice Acts, one of the organisations in South Africa that most work on awareness against Human Trafficking.

And again, we have spread the Fragrance of Freedom by counting on the support of our WP members who attended to the event and who have contributed by exchange their donation by one of the bracelets hand made by our pastors’ wives.

We have proudly handed in our donation to the team of The Justice Acts  last 15^th December and we were honored to know that the funds raised will be reverted to the House of Safe they hold in Cape Town where they offer dwelling, protection and rehabilitation to victims from Human Trafficking.

Our gratitude to our supporters from the Western Province – as a result of your donation we were able to benefit one more organisation

Endorsement to our meeting in Cape Town

What I walked away with from the meeting on the 26th is that I need to be more vigilant as not everything is what it seems. Also I learnt about the different forms of human trafficking which I had not been aware of.

Ever since we have been having talks on human trafficking I met a girl in the church who is from Lesotho, I met her through my younger sister and she told her that she had been taken from Lesotho by a man who claimed that she was going to give her employment and when they arrived here in Cape Town he changed his mind and decided that he wanted to marry her. Luckily there were members of the church who lived near by and took her in and also we have been talking to her in the church but now through the members in the church she was able to go back home as she went back to Lesotho 3 weeks back. I had known about her for a while but it never clicked in my mind that this was a case of human trafficking until we started talking about in the meetings.

(Member from Cape Town)

Sentimental Life

It is meant to be the most joyous field of one’s life because it inspires completion, happiness, fulfilment, friendship, commitment, alliance among many other characteristics that human beings crave for .

However, it has been the very same reason of sadness and pain to many. Why that? Though love life in principle is nurtured by our soul, feelings and heart, if not guided by wisdom, reasoning and spirit, it ends up causing more harm than good.

Whenever there is too much of emotion and feelings, we obscure our thoughts and end up making the wrong choices.

I invite you to read this testimony and you will understand through a practical example the fine line that defines a successful relationship.

I've always heard stories of how the devil worked and destroyed the lives of many people through their sentimental lives. I never thought for a second it could happen to me. After all I thought that those stories only happened to bad people who were just unfortunate enough to be the victims of the devil.

I totally became oblivious to his schemes. I never paid enough attention to learn from the mistakes made through those stories. After all I was this innocent good girl who didn't deserve anything bad happening to her.

I fell into the same trap of emotions. I confused lust with love. Those warm and fuzzy feelings were so good that I didn't even know what the real deal was. My boyfriend became a priority and I forgot all about God being the first priority in a way. As God wasn't all that important to me anymore, but my boyfriend was. Like a child that forgets all about her old toys and draws all of her attention on the new one. I prayed less, read the bible less and focused on my boyfriend more.

It wasn't long until reality started to set in. Problems such as insecurities, jealousy, lack of trust, misunderstandings started surfacing. My new toy wasn't all so cool and exciting anymore. All those temporal feelings started disappearing as more problems started occurring.

I started feeling more empty and vacant inside; I no longer had the fulfillment as I was haunted by a guilty conscience.  My life just changed, I was too spiritually blind that I was on a road to hell.

I tried solving the many problems I had all by my self and I failed. It just was no longer nice to have my toy anymore. I ended up loosing it by throwing it away. I just couldn't take it anymore, the pain became all so unbearable. After all its wasn't what I had signed up for.

I realized how much I had lost. I missed the relationship I had with God and who I am in God. I started missing the old things that gave me joy and happiness. I knew I was wrong and I wanted to get back to the height I'd fallen from. I knew that I had to start afresh and that it wouldn't be easy

I went back to my first love, Jesus Christ who loved me first. He love is genuine, unconditional and true. He loved me for me and knows me better that I know myself. I recuperated and now I know that His value is more important above anything or anyone else. He is the lover of my soul and my true love. I need not to look elsewhere for my true love. He's nearer to me than I know, and He's with me all the time.

Its amazing how quick people can identify fake money easily, but they fail to identify the fake counterfeits from the devil. I've learned this lesson the hard way. Keep watch all the time and pay attention to the devils schemes. Don't be ignorant, wise people learn from the mistakes of others to avoid committing the same.

Member of UCKG Gauteng

If you do not fall in love with Jesus first, you will not be able to nurture a health relationship. Think about that!

GROUP LAUNCHING: SAVE A TAMAR

As Wia we have been

·      .comforting those undergoing chemo treatments at JHB Gen Oncology Department with our Cancer Support Team,

·      .we have also embarked in the counselling of HIV/Aids affected and infected patients through our HIV Peer Educators,

·      .we have  held awareness campaigns on abuse against women and children extended to human trafficking  awareness

And we felt a great empathy to the many women and children who are still grieving from traumatic situations of abuse. We needed to do something; we need to sharpen our skills to help them better.

This is what our members from JHB and Cape Town did by enrolling to a  workshop for trauma counselling with the Rape Crisis Unit and as a result of this knowledge and techniques we will be officially launching our Save a Tamar Group in January 2012.

This group is meant to those who need support, comfort and tools to overcome traumatic experiences and maybe do not have the courage to look for advice with other organisations outside the church boundaries.

Be known that this group is open to non-members of the UCKG and we will handle private counselling and group sections.

For now, we will be hosting this beautiful work in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban but it will soon expand to the rest of the country.

You can send an email to woman2woman@uckg.org.za for personal counselling.

Watch this space for more information.

Marcia Pires

WIA Durban - Halala Abafazi, halala!

Top New Year's Resolution!

1. Spend More Time with Family & Friends

Recent polls conducted by General Nutrition Centers, vow to appreciate loved ones and spend more time with family and friends this year.

2. Learn Something New

Have you vowed to make this year the year to learn something new? Perhaps you are considering a career change; want to learn a new language, or just how to fix your computer? Whether you take a course or read a book, you'll find education to be one of the easiest, most motivating New Year's resolutions to keep.

3. Help Others

A popular, non-selfish New Year's resolution, volunteerism can take many forms. Whether you choose to spend time helping out at your community mentoring a child, or building a house, there are many nonprofit volunteer organizations that could really use your help.

4. Get Organized

On just about every New Year resolution top ten list, organization can be a very reasonable goal. Whether you want your home organized or your office organized, tips and resources should get you started on the way to a more organized life. By the way, from 1st Jan 2012 we will publish one tip for organisation daily. Watch this space!

5. The ultimate New Year’s Resolution

Fall in Love with Jesus – pursue to have your encounter with Him.

If you do, I can safely wish you Happy 2012!

Be my Witness

One of the most difficult things in our churches today is to see people willing to share God’s blessings upon their life.

The common is just the opposite, one telling A and B about his problems, his failures, his worries without noticing that every person he confides with, about his troubled life, he is “pleasing” the devil’s work by confessing his doubts, weaknesses, despair, confusion before his problems.

Dear reader, your word has power either to bless and change your life or to bring more defeat upon yourself.

Today, I want to focus on the benefits of counting your blessings.

Every time you have good news to share with friends and family members, you are no less than glorifying God and showing that no matter what situation your listener may be going through, there is hope.

Some say that “marketing is the soul for success in business” and this is really true in all areas of life. When you are sharing your happiness, your well-being, your achievement, you are “promoting” the One who has blessed you with that.

If you invite someone to come to church, you can assuredly share of the miracles of the Bible but how much stronger it is when you can share about the miracles God has been doing in your life?

Unfortunately many do not think this way and when blessed they hide afraid of jealous, envy and so many other negative thoughts that do not match with the great power of the One who has blessed them.

And they are loosing the opportunity of being part of God’s plan to advance His kingdom today. The Book of Acts, in the Bible, contains 28 chapters, but have you wondered that you can add one more chapter to this treasure that is reporting the acts of your life and being a disciple for Jesus Christ?

“And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere–in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

Now, my question to your dear reader, have you been Jesus’ witnesses lately in South Africa?