News and newsmakers

 
 

PRAY FOR OUR HAITIAN SISTERS


All over the world, people are crying out to God for victims of the January 12 the earthquake in Haiti. North American Baptist women have a particular kinship with our Haitian sisters, for we are Prayer Partners with the Caribbean Baptist Women’s Union. Two Haitian groups are part of this union: Les Dames Dorcas d'Haiti and Association des Femmes, Convention Baptiste de Haïti.


Last winter Patsy Davis, executive director of the Baptist World Alliance Women’s Department, met some of these women (above) and their president Angelora Maxi (at left, below).


Kihomi Nzunga, the missionary who arranged this meeting, sent Patsy the following prayer requests, which we pass on to you:

  1. •  Pray for the proper response of the world to this tragedy.

  2. •  Pray for believers in Haiti to shine forth the love of Christ at this time of desperate need.

  3. •  Pray for women who are unable to help their families at time.

 

Our Haitian sisters are mourning the death of a prominent pastor in Port-Au-Prince. Several days after the quake, Biene Lamerquea was still buried under the rubble. An unknown number of other Baptists have also perished, and at least one Baptist church has been destroyed.


Baptist World Aid has dispatched financial aid and rescue workers to Haiti. News reports are posted on the BWA website. 



NABWU LEADERS FOCUS ON REFUGEES


There are more than 14 million refugees in the world. In 2008 about 60,000 of them arrived in the United States and Canada and began to build new lives. They were the fortunate ones. Millions of others languish in refugee camps for years, even decades, in appalling living conditions. But as NABWU board members learned at their annual meeting (held at Techny Towers near Chicago in early April 2009), even the refugees who come to North America have typically suffered during their journey along the Refugee Highway. And their suffering doesn’t end once they’ve found a home here.


Heidi Moll Schoedel (pictured at right, above) directs Exodus World Service, which mobilizes and trains churches in the Chicago area and beyond to minister to refugees and speak up for them. She and Exodus volunteer Jane Stooller Schoff led the NABWU leaders through a simulation exercise that helped them understand the sacrifices, hard choices, fears, uncertainties, powerlessness, and grief that refugees typically experience. They considered the questions refugees face: What do you take with you? Whom do you trust? How do you communicate when you don’t know the language, customs, or rules?


But NABWU leaders also heard the success stories—the testimony of one former refugee, and inspiring examples of Baptist women who are helping refugees settle in a strange, new country. (Some of these ministries were 2009 Day of Prayer offering projects.)


Heidi also introduced the NABWU Board to Entertaining Angels, a six-week study of what the Bible says about refugees (published by Exodus and available through their website).








 

Woman’s Missionary Union promotes prayer for the Winter Olympics


The National WMU offered a personal prayer guide in conjunction with the More Than Gold  outreach at the 2010 Winter Olympics. The More Than Gold Prayer Guide ($1.99 each) features:

  1. • Guided devotions for all 27 days of Olympic and Paralympic competition

  2. •  List of daily events

  3. •  Extra pages for recording personal prayer requests and thoughts

  4. • Complete listings of Olympic venues

  5. • Inspirational thoughts and prayers written by Tom Blackaby.

Click here to order online or call WMU Customer Service at 1-800-968-7301.


American Baptist Women surpass ‘Break the Chains’  goal by over $150,000!


Three years ago, American Baptist Women’s Ministries launched their “Break the Chains: Slavery in the 21st Century “ campaign. The goal was to raise $250,000 for USA and international ministries that address the sexual exploitation of women and children. At the AB Women’s Day in Pasadena, CA in June, retiring president Terri Simpkins was thrilled to announce that $348,367 had been raised, and funds were still coming in! By October the total had reached over $400,000.


University honors Atlantic Baptist women


Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, marked the 125th anniversary of its first female graduate by awarding honorary doctorates to four women at its spring 2009 convocation. Edith Cromwell, who attended the 2007 NABWU Assembly, received  Doctor of Civil Laws in recognition of her lifetime of leadership in education, community, and culture, particularly in the African Nova Scotian community. Lois Mitchell, who directs Atlantic Baptists’ public witness and coordinates justice initiatives for Canadian Baptist Ministries, received a Doctor of Divinity.(Lois spoke at the 2005 BWA Women’s Leadership Conference in Birmingham, England.) Measha Bruggergosman, Canada’s “soprano diva” and the daughter of a Baptist pastor, received a Doctor of Music degree. Acadia  grad Susie Langley, a nutritionist and author, received a Doctor Of Science degree.


New director appointed


The General Baptist Women’s Ministries is pleased to announce that Patti Thornton is their new director of women’s ministries. Patti, who succeeds Barbara Wigger, was the administrative assistant in the organization’s Poplar Bluff, MO, office.


BWA raises awareness of justice issues


Who speaks for persecuted and oppressed Baptists around the world? You do, through the new Freedom and Justice Commission of the Baptist World Alliance. Read the latest news on the BWA website.