Baptist Convention of Malawi (BACOMA) President Reverend Dalitso Matekenya has called on women in the Southern African region not to retreat or be faint, but to watch and pray without ceasing despite the challenges they are facing.
Rev. Matekenya made the sentiments in Lilongwe when he opened the Baptist Women’s Union of Southern Africa (BWUSA) Conference taking place in Lilongwe from 31st July to 3rd August.
protected by reCAPTCHA
He advised the women not to stop believing and dreaming noting that the world is a crooked place and things have turned upside down with evil rising.
The BACOMA President described the gathering as a spiritual assembly and a birthing place for revival, in raising mothers of generations as found in Proverbs 31:25–29 which talks of the wise woman who builds her house with her own hands.
The meeting which has drawn the participation of Baptist women in the Sothern Africa Development Community (SADC) region under the theme “Women of purpose” will also help to ignite and spread the gospel.
Different speakers are expected to make presentations on a wide range of topics such as leadership development, gender based violence among others and encourage them how to overcome using the scriptures.
Whilst acknowledging the hard times Malawi and the rest of the region is going through, he however challenged them to be women of purpose and faith.
“These women are living in a darkening world where evil has taken place, so our message to these women is that they need to be strong, they need to know who they are and also not stop doing what God wants them to do because if they want to be successful in this time and age, they need to do what God wants them to do.
“The devil fears a praying woman, let your prayers break evil foundations; let us seek to be transformed and be ignited by the power of the Holy Spirit” he enthused.
Matekenya was hopeful the gathering will be a turning point in their walk with God.
“May the spirit of unity dwell richly in us. Let us arise as Mary’s, Deborah’s and never bow to the evils of this world”.
Realising the women’s role in the church, BACOMA supported them financially in organizing the conference noting the impact it has on family and church structures.
Baptist Women of Southern Africa President Reverend Naomi Chaane underscored on the importance of the theme which calls on them to reflect on the strength, dignity, and influence of a woman who walks with purpose.
She said the theme resonates with the challenges women in the region are facing adding that it will uplift their spirits and help in the healing process.
“We encourage them that we are made in God’s image. God has a purpose about me; God didn’t just create a human being without a purpose, so God has a purpose about me and I must know it.
“These verses remind us that purposeful living is not just about doing, but about being strong in faith, wise in counsel, and consistent in love. In a world that often challenges our value and voice, we gather here to be refreshed, recharged, and realigned with God’s plan for us as women who lead, serve, nurture, and build. So I must live prayerfully, I must pray unceasingly so that I will hear God speaking to me”
Baptist Women’s Union of Malawi President Jaqueline Kalenga expressed her excitement in hosting the four day conference at the African Bible College.
She called on the women to celebrate their unique callings placed on their lives and redefine them in line with the challenges being faced.
“My advice would be a woman of purpose does not look to the left or right, she is focused; we need to be focused. In this world we’ll face many many challenges and in this world, we’ll face so many setbacks but we need to be focused.
A woman of purpose is always courageous, is intentional and prayerful. So I believe that this message will also impact women as we forge ahead, as we forge ahead to our God:
The delegates are coming from Swaziland, Zambia, Kenya, South Africa and Namibia and Malawi.
