What are refrigerators and women’s sanitary products doing in the church? They help members in earning money or help adolescent girls in better understanding menstrual hygiene. These are just a few examples of what the Church does to help its members.
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Photo: Ruud Vis
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Photo: Ruud Vis
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Photo: NAC Ghana
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Photo: NAC Ghana
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Photo: NAC Ghana
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Photo: NAC Ghana
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Photo: NAC Ghana
All over the world, members of the Church are involved in helping one another, be it financially or by training and helping others better understand specific issues. Health issues are not neglected either.
Refrigerators in Bonaire
Bonaire is an island in the Leeward Antilles in the Caribbean and politically belongs to the Netherlands. The New Apostolic Christians on the island are cared for by the Church in the Netherlands. Recently the members in Lelystadt (Netherlands) collected items such as prams, clothing, tools, computers, and refrigerators to help the people in Bonaire. With help from the Dutch charity Corantijn Foundation the goods were shipped to Bonaire, where they will be sold in a thrift shop that was recently opened. If the items are not given away to the poor, any proceeds from sales go to support the local congregation.
Several months ago, a container with building materials for a warehouse arrived on the island. Soon a second container followed with goods. Brothers and sisters from the Netherlands volunteered and helped with the construction. The warehouse was opened just in time for District Apostle Rainer Storck’s trip to the Antilles. “For us this is a good opportunity to expand our diaconal activities, to help people, and to make our Church better known,” said Bishop Ruud Vis. Two women from the congregation will run the thrift shop on the church grounds.
Train the trainers
This was the motto of a two-day seminar in July for the district tutors in the Takoradi Apostle Area in Ghana. The seminar was designed to help the district tutors improve their skills and gain a better understanding of various topics and then pass on what they have learned to the ministers in their districts.
Apostle George Sam opened the seminar with a prayer. Then District Evangelist Sunu and Shepherd Kwaw took the participants through various topics. The interactive seminar included topics such as serving and leading, youth mentoring, and creating an awareness for sexual misconduct. Afterwards the participants had a wonderful time in discussion with each other and had the opportunity to share experiences they encountered in their district.
Menstrual health and hygiene
In many parts of the world, menstruation is still a taboo subject. As a result, girls and young women are often ignorant and suffer from not knowing what is happening or how they can deal with it. A group of ministers’ wives in Accra, Ghana, recently provided much-needed information and support to young girls.
Betty Ohene-Saffo organised an awareness campaign at our Kwesi Twi Krom church on 25 July 2021. Dr Sheila Bekiako Poku and Mavis Kankam Okyere, a nurse, explained good menstrual health and hygiene to the girls. Sisters Victoria Asare and Florence Mensah gave a presentation on sexual abuse and explained the Church’s unequivocal position against any form of sexual misconduct.
All the participants were given sanitary pads. Some of the young women who no longer attended divine services were so impressed by the kind gesture that they promised to return to church.