Women's Ministry

The women’s ministry is an exciting time for the women in the church to be refreshed and encouraged.  Twice a month the women of the church come together for the two main activities of women’s ministry.  On the first Saturday of the month, the women meet for an afternoon of fellowship.  Nubia does a small devotion to set the tone and focus the time and the rest of the time is spent in fellowship.  At times prayer requests are given, other times crafts and recipes are shared, and there is always lots of laughter and storytelling.  Each month, a different woman in the group will host this event at their home.  Chairs are borrowed from all the neighbors and if possible we meet inside the home.  If the house is too small, we can usually find a place under a tree outside.  It is a more relaxed and familiar environment for everyone and the women really do enjoy opening their home and having visitors.  They are all very generous and hospitable and we could all learn something from their example.  This meeting is done like a mini-potluck where we all bring a small snack or drink.  The snacks usually consist of fruit or one of the traditional corn based foods such as a custard like dish called atol and the crunchy, sweet baked goods called hornadas.  For drinks we usually drink juices made from in season fruit or a drink made from toasted corn and spices called pinol.  On the third Saturday of the month, the women come together for an interactive Bible study which is held in the church sanctuary.  Each woman receives a study guide for each series and is to complete the lesson each month.  During the meeting we go through the lesson material together and although the session is led by Deanna, Angela, or Gabriela, all of the women get to dig into the Word and share their own personal applications and insights.  This time has really helped everyone to see how the Word really is active and applicable in their day to day lives and all together we have been able to drive home the biblical principles much more than what we would accomplish by just one person leading and teaching alone.

These couple of hours on a Saturday afternoon may not seem like much but for most Nicaraguan women it is a rare treat to get to get to spend time just sitting and having communion with other women.  The women in Nicaragua are generally busy the whole day cleaning, cooking, and taking care of the house.  Most women must wake up at around 4 AM to fill buckets and barrels with clean water.  In Nueva Guinea, the water is only on for a few hours each day.  The women must gather this water every day so that they can cook and clean.

Please pray for fruit in these ministries and for faithfulness in the women. Pray that their relationship with God would grow, and also that their relationship together in unity as a church would grow also.