Inter-America: Adventist women challenged to reach the cities

Adventist women from the Dominican Republic conclude a special performance on communicating Jesus’ love and hope during the opening ceremony of Inter-America’s Women’s Ministries Convention, Aug. 29, 2013, in Miami, Florida. Images by Libna Stevens/IAD

August 30, 2013 – Miami, Florida, United States…Libna Stevens/IAD

Adventist World Church Women’s Ministries Director Heather-Dawn Small challenges more than 600 Adventist women from across Inter-America to step out of their comfort zones and focus on connecting with those around their communities and cities.

Seventh-day Adventist women from across the church in Inter-America answered the call to share the love of Jesus in the cities as the Women’s Ministries Convention began last night in Miami, Florida. The challenge came as Adventist World Church Women’s Ministries Director Heather-Dawn Small challenged the more than 600 women leaders to step out of their comfort zones and focus on connecting with people in the cities and their needs. This year’s convention has the largest ever attendance in a women’s ministries event organized by the Inter-American Division (IAD).

“Leave your Bible home and go into the cities with your hands ready to work,” said Small. “Christ way it is more than just a Bible study, it is reaching people where it hurts. It is my heart connecting to their heart, and that’s why God has called women to reach out to the cities.”

Cecilia Iglesias, women’s ministries director for the church in Inter-America, tells Adventist women leaders to serve with passion in telling others of Jesus soon return.

“Sometimes you must live the Word, not just speak it,” added Small.

Small touched up on what the world church has been promoting and mobilizing since last year to train and equip men and women to bring mission to the cities with the hope of Jesus’ return by establishing some 200,000 centers of influence, be it health and fitness centers, community centers, and more, around the world by 2014.

The message to the cities set the tone of the three-day event that brought Adventist women leaders from hundreds of churches across the 22 major church regions in Inter-America.

Cecilia Iglesias, women ministries director for the church in Inter-America, summoned those gathered to take to heart the theme of the convention to “Let the World Know that Jesus is coming soon.”

Leaders from the church in North Colombia show off part of their delegation during the parade of nations feature during the opening ceremony Aug. 29.

“This is the moment, wherever we serve as leaders and evangelists, we must share the message of hope,” said Iglesias.

The event’s opening ceremony included a parade of nations where women dressed in folkloric outfits marched to represent the cities of their respective countries and islands throughout the IAD.

The convention will feature church leaders and experts on women’s ministries and evangelism from the Adventist world church and the Inter-American Division headquarters until Aug. 31, 2013.

To view a photo gallery of the event, CLICK HERE

For updates on Inter-America’s Women’s Ministries Convention, visit us at interamerica.org