Team to encourage Angolan women

19/12/2007

Five female Baptist church leaders from across the UK will be spending the new year in Angola, taking part in BMS World Mission's first-ever team of ministers.

The BMS Angola Women's Ministry Team will be flying out on 28 December for over two weeks of mission amongst women, in partnership with the Evangelical Baptist Church of Angola, IEBA.

Team leader Jane Ledingham, from Gildersome Baptist Church, Leeds, who was a BMS volunteer in D R Congo in 2004, says:

"The main aim of the team is to affirm and value women's contribution to church and community in Angola. During our time away, each person on the team will have an opportunity to preach, lead a Bible study or women's meeting and collectively we will be involved in theological reflection."

"We will be giving space to hear what God is saying about our own ministry in the UK and sharing experiences with the women in Angola."

The team will be based in the capital, Luanda, and in Uige, a province of north Angola. BMS health worker Mary Parsons says: "It will be a two-way blessing as the team look and study scripture together with the Angolan women and share a little of what life is like for the Angolan women".

Jane asks for prayer for various issues:

• For safety in all travel and practical arrangements
• For wisdom in all decisions
• That the team would be culturally sensitive to the Angolans' needs
• That the team would be an encouragement to the women of Angola
• That the overseas experience would shape UK ministry when the team return to their own churches.

Mary says, "It will be the rainy season when the team arrives. In Luanda traffic jams are the norm. Please pray that getting about the city may not be too difficult".

She adds, "Also remember those who the team will be working with: IEBA general Secretary Rev Rui Garcia Nafilo, regional secretaries Rev Armando Almeida of Luanda and Rev Makiade Filipe of Uige, plus Mama Lussinga Elizabeth, IEBA women's department secretary".

In addition to Jane, the team consists of: Rev Jenni Entrican (Chipping Sodbury Baptist Church & Jacob's Well, Bristol); Rev Jennifer Few (Robert Hall Memorial Baptist Church, Leicester); Rev Glenda Down (Moortown Baptist Church, Leeds) and Rev Jane Webb (Hill Street Baptist Church, Swadlincote). The team will return to the UK on 15 January.