East Africa Division
* The campus of Mzuzu University, Mzuzu, was a hive of activities when Seventh-day Adventist pastors and their wives from the Malawi Union's three fields converged there for a week long retreat from January 17-22.
Facilitators at the retreat included Dr. Joel Musvosvi, Dr. Saustin Mfune and Pastor George Mwansa from the Eastern Africa Division office. Others were a lady from ADRA Malawi and Mrs. Angeline Musvosvi from Harare.
On Saturday night the meetings climaxed with the celebration of the Lord's supper. Attendance stood at approximately 340.
* A series of Pastors Kids Association (PAKIA) meetings were held in the towns of Mzuzu, Lilongwe and Blantyre from January 20-27. The meetings were arranged by Dr. Saustin Mfune, Eastern Africa Division (EAD) youth director. Mfune, himself a pastor's kid noted that the objective of the meetings was to find ways and means of strengthening the already existing PAKIA chapters in the north, central and south Malawi fields.
At Mzuzu thirty PK's gathered at the Community Development Center and resolved to strengthen their chapter by developing a program of in-reach and outreach activities.
The south chapter sitting at Blantyre attracted the largest gathering. More than 80 PK's coming from Matamulo, Zomba and Blantyre met at the Grace Bandawe Center.
It was disheartening to learn that 33 pastor's children had died in the previous twelve months. At the Grace Ban dawe meeting a funeral message was received. Another pastor's child by the name of Felton Kawiliza had died.
All three chapters agreed to hold a national retreat this year and urged leadership at the division level to plan for a division-wide pastors kids retreat next year. PAKIA without doubt is an association whose time has long been over due.
Euro-Africa Division
* The North France Conference is very active and enriched. Led by Clotilde George they publish a local newsletter, the "Cepapyrus" quarterly and yearly a large inclusive Journal, "Cep." Regional. All-conference meetings are usually attended by about 40 women.
Inter-American Division
(See PDF for pictures)
North American Division
Netty Rantung, retired Shepherdess Coordinator from Southern Asia Pacific Division now team pastors with her husband Alex in Everett, Washington. They are very busy giving Bible studies and counseling. Eight people were baptized in May.
* Marti Schneider, North American Division Shepherdess Coordinator, hosted 35 administrators wives at the NAD year end meeting in Washington, DC. The topic discussed was witnessing to your neighbors. Special times for fellowship and interaction made the meeting most memorable.
Northern Asia-Pacific Division
* On August 1 and 2, 37 ministers' wives met at the beautiful setting of the National Women's Educational Center for a series of training sessions for Shepherdesses. The conference buildings set in the midst of a parklike environment provided a refreshing and conducive atmosphere for the ministers' wives as they learned how to deal with the challenges of being a pastor's wife through the seminars presented by Mrs. Sharon Cress and other devotional speakers. The ladies, ranged from those who would retire in a couple of months to those who have been married to a pastor for only a few months. Many commented on the therapeutic value of the seminars and felt that they helped them to identify and deal with problems common to the pastor's wife.
* On Sabbath afternoon, August 4, members from four churches met in the Tokyo Central Church for the Family Ministries Seminar featuring the topic "Strengthening the Family Bond" by Mary Wong.
* On the weekend of April 13 and 14 Mary Wong held a seminar in two different churches in Okinawa: the International Church on Friday evening and the Kitanaka Saniku Church on Sabbath afternoon. More than a hundred members from different churches in Okinawa packed the Kitanaka Saniku Church for the seminar entitled "Strengthening the Family Bond."
* On Sunday, April 15, about 12 ministers' wives from the Okinawa area spent a profitable day at a seminar in which Mary Wong reviewed with them problems commonly confronting the minister's wife and strategies for overcoming these problems so they might enjoy the role of a shepherdess. The seminar concluded with lunch and a sharing session in which the participants compared their experiences in the parsonage.
Southern Asia Division
* Jean Sundaram, Si coordinator, South Tamil Conference reports: Pastor Julius and his wife of Sankarankoil Church are ministering to the hill tribes at Karupanadi, in the South Tamil Conference. "During Hepzibah Kore's visit on July 17, 2001 we distributed rice, dhal, fruits and food packets to the people. We also told them Bible stories and taught them songs. The following Sabbath a group of men and women from Sankarankoil Church visited them and distributed clothes and food articles. Along with Bible stories and songs they taught them cleanliness."
* Huldah Paulasir, SI Coordinator reports the South Tamil Conference Shepherdess Retreat was held July 20-22, 2001 with 52 Shepherdesses attending. Hepzibah Kore, Shepherdess Coordinator, Southern Asia Division, Flora John, Shepherdess Coordinator, South India Union along with Jean Sundaram, Shepherdess Coordinator, STC conducted the meetings.
Meetings included skits on temperament, friendship, and the behavior of a good vs. a bad pastoral wife. Presentations on the different temperaments were given by Packiaseeli Sam Selvaraj, Kalaiselvi Samuel lebamony, Huldah Paulasir and Lalitha Paulmony. The Sabbath devotion by Pastor Paulasir Abraham, Executive Secretary of South Tamil Conference was on the Holy Spirit as the first witness who goes before us and prepares the mind of the person to receive us, the second witnesses. Jean Sundaram spoke on the responsibility of the Shepherdess in church, home, the working place and rearing children. The weekend also included a talent program and a Prayer Breakfast led by Hepzibah Kore. Mr. Jeyaseclan, the treasurer of STC, spoke on Money Management and Pastor S. Sundaram, STC President, challenged the shepherdesses to take a firm stand for God, surrendering their lives to Him in service.
Those who attended thank God for all his mercies and look forward to enjoying the next retreat.
Southern Africa Union
* Kwazulu Natal Free State Conference held their Shepherdess meeting August 18-19 and appointed new officers. About 20 wives attended. They were joined by the Union president and SAU Shepherdess coordinators, Pastor and Mrs. Wakaba.
* In May the SAU Shepherdess held advisory meetings for the coordinators of local chapters. Eleven local coordinators attended.
* Transvaal Conference held Shepherdess meetings in April. The theme was "Negotiating Negativity, Anxiety, Depression and Attitudes."
* Cape C.mference Shepherdess now communicates with each other via the internet.
