The Department of Women’s Ministries exists to uphold, encourage, and challenge Adventist women in their pilgrimage as disciples of Jesus Christ and members of His world church.  

The mission of the WM is in the larger sense common to all Christians – that of uplifting Christ in the church and in the world.  

What is WM?  

Women’s Ministries is a place to address the spiritual, emotional, physical and social needs of women in the church and reach out to the women of the world.  Encourage women to improve their potential for participation in the mission of the church.  It recognizes that women have many gifts of the Spirit and should use these gifts to the glory of God.  It is a support system for hurting women.  It is a ministry of kindness.  

The women of the world are over burdened with many challenges and the Adventist women have been called to minister to them in a Christ like manner.  Just to share briefly some challenges:-  

• United Nations Report says women who represent 50% of the world’s population do more than 66% of the world’s work, they earn 10% of the money in the world, and they own 1% of the world’s property.  About 2 billion people in the world are illiterate and 2/3s are women.  About 2000 women die at childbirth every day transforming the figure to over 600,000 deaths arising from complications during childbirth around the world annually.  Further report says that more than 50 million more women suffer from complications during pregnancy or delivery time some of which lead to longtime illnesses.  Our Kenya researchers say that 9,000 Kenyan women die annually from maternal deaths.  The report says that 1 out of every 30 Kenyan women who give birth risks dying.  And just as if that is not enough, abuse and family violence against women are on the increase.  The report says that more than 67% in Kenya live with abuse and violence.
  

• Sexual abuse against women cannot go unmentioned.  Some men think it is their birthright to sleep with any women they want.  As a result unwanted pregnancies are increasing everyday.  More than 15,000 girls in Kenya leave school because of unwanted pregnancies.  AIDS and its implications have hit the women to the bone.  More than 42 million people live with HIV/AIDS virus and more than half the number are women.  Out of the 5 million who were infected last year, more than 2 million are women.  And of the 1.2 million people who died last year 800,000 were women.  Out of the 5 people who die there are 9 people who are infected and more than half of them are women.
  

• The SDA church looking at all the numerous challenges facing the women decided to form WM Department not as a new ministry in the church but as something which was started way back in the initial stages of this church by Sister Henry with the approval of Sister E.G. White to help the women of the world as well as those who were already in the church.

Therefore WM Department is called to:

1. Elevate women as persons of inestimable worth because they have been created and redeemed.
   
2. Enable women to deepen their faith and experience spiritual growth and renewal.
   
3. Building networks among women in the church to encourage bonds of friendship mutual support and the creative exchange of ideas and information.
   
4. Mentor young Adventist women, encouraging their involvement, and creating paths for them as they reach for their potential in Christ.
   
5. Address the concerns of women in EAU.
   

The six focus issues as they relate to WM are:  

1. Literacy
   
2. Poverty
   
3. Risks to Health
   
4. Workloads
   
5. Abuse
   
6. Leadership
   

Brief information on the major activities/programs of WM Department to enable the ladies achieve the above are:

1. Special Women’s Ministries Days in the year:
   1. The International Women’s Day of Prayer – This occurs the first Sabbath of March of each year.
   2. Women’s Ministries Emphasis Day – The second Sabbath in June where all women are expected to be preachers through out the Union .
   3. Abuse Prevention Emphasis – Third week in August is the day for this program.
   4. Any other program as may be arranged by WM in each local church according to their needs – including – seminars, retreats, congresses, small groups ministries, Home visitations, pray bands or groups, church programs, crusades, visitations, bible studies, all works of kindness.
   5. WM is not just concerned with outreach programs but also in reach which include:

1. -   Our families.  There are many people living right in out own families who need to be reached for Jesus.  Sometimes we try to reach people in far off places, and we should, but we forget that there lost people right in our own homes.
2. -   Our neighbours.  Many can be reached with simple acts of kindness and friendship.
3. -   The men in our lives.  Our husbands, sons, brothers, uncles, work associates.
4. -   The youth.  Those in the church and those in the neighbourhood.  The youth who are at risk, those that need love, guidance, training and mentoring.
5. -   The old.  Those old people who are in need of kind, loving words and help, who are lonely, the ones who have gradually seen their whole network of friends, relatives die, those who are longing for friends and family again.
6. -    And especially women.  The young women who need mentors in adjusting to new families and husbands, those who need a listening, accepting ear and words of encouragement; women who have just moved into the community, women who are struggling to raise their children.  Women who are struggling with sin, those who are searching for God.  Women in our own neighbourhood, in the beauty shops, in the stores, at work.  Many of these women are lost and many are longing for something better.

6. What could the women in the church do that men in the church could not do?

"Women can listen to women, and counsel them.  Many women may be reluctant to tell men about their problems, the heartaches the abuse.  God fearing women who have gone through some of the same problems who have compassion in the hearts and experience in meeting problems can listen to them, pray with them through their crisis.  There are some women who have been trained professionally to deal with crisis and to counsel people, these women could also train lay people in dealing with some of the common problems, and it is in the WM plan to train care givers in the church".

7. In the month of April 2004 the East African Union WM Department will hold a grand Union wide women congress to celebrate the prayer session in which more than twenty thousand women in EAU have been participating throughout the Union .  We are encouraging at least 3 participants from each church to attend.  The venue will be in Nairobi at St. George’s Secondary School on April 21-25, 2004.  The charges are KShs.2,500/- per person full board.
8. The year 2004 has been designated as the year of evangelism.  According to calendar of events the women of the church have been assigned the months of March and June as their campaign months.  We are encouraging all ladies in every district to actively participate.

CONCLUSION:
As women who follow the Lord Jesus Christ, we are compelled by His love, commanded by His word, and gifted by His Spirit to share this gospel with those who have not seen or heard the salvation of our God.

Therefore, we will radiate His light into the dark corners of every one’s experience;

To those who are weighed down with guilt, it is forgiveness.  To those who sin, it is redemption and renewal.  To those who are oppressed, it is freedom.  To those who live in fear, it is peace.  To those who are despised and rejected, it is kinship with the God who endured the shame of the cross.  To those who are bound by un-Christ-like culture and tradition, it is acceptance by One who places the greatest value on every soul.  To those who cannot trust, it is dependence upon One who has proven Himself trustworthy.  To those who are lonely, it is friendship with the Best Friend ever known.  To those who are devalued, it is a new identity as join heirs of the grace of God.  To those who are secure in their relationship with the Lord, it is an opportunity to be the bridge that leads another to assurance in Christ.