Bible Study Event Evangelism Holidays Missions Prayer Community Outreach Family Ministry Leadership Development Organizational Helps Publicity Devotionals Finances Local Ministry Personal Development Spiritual Development

Reader Poll

What resources do you need most as you lead Womens Ministries Unlimited! in your church?
	Leadership training
	Bible studies
	Ideas for meetings
	Outreach ideas
	Ideas for ministering to a diversity of women

View Results

Missions

Ministry to Bolivia

How far would you go to attend a Women's Ministries conference?

This past February, one woman traveled 3 days, by boat, train, taxi and on foot to participate in the second National Bolivian Leadership Conference for Women's Ministries and Missionettes.

Ruth Puleo, Pennsylvania Delaware District Women's Ministries director, says their team of 12 women prepared two years, working hand in hand with Bolivian Women's Ministries directors, to provide the best possible resources for the women of Bolivia. Steve and Lori Potutschnig, U.S. missionaries stationed in Cochabamba, Bolivia, provided housing for the Penn-Del team. Lori's assistance as a liaison with the Bolivian leadership was a tremendous asset.

Overcoming cultural, language and economic barriers, the dedicated team ministered to 268 women of which 185 completed leadership training courses in either Women's Ministries or Missionettes. Workshops on other topics included: pastor's wives, single women in ministry, ministry to children, forgiveness, inner healing, spiritual authority, integrity and personal hygiene.

Conference attendees paid only a small registration fee to their local Women's Ministries department. Penn-Del Women's Ministries covered housing, meals, and the cost of the training materials-everything down to the #2 pencil required to complete the test. Gifts for the women included toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo and soap-along with instructions from two nurses on the team explaining how to use the products.

By many standards, the need for lessons on cleanliness ranked high, but this ministry team knew there was something far more critical-an inner washing of the soul. Many of the women experienced abuse as children and are married to men who don't understand that wife beating is physical abuse. The final service of the conference focused on how the blood of Jesus cleanses from shame. The service closed with Communion and an invitation for women to gather where pitchers of water and bowls were placed. Symbolically, as water was poured over their hands, they lifted their hands to their faces in significance of Christ wiping the shame from their faces. As the team prayed with the women, many wept in gratitude for what Christ had done. They walked away with the joy of the Lord on their faces.

The Penn-Del team members say they will never forget those 12 days of intense ministry. They conducted a weekend youth camp and a children's program at the Latin America Child Care school in Cochabamba. Street ministry resulted in over 100 children giving their hearts to the Lord.

"We tried to use every spare moment we had to be a blessing," Ruth reported. "We witnessed the power of God in women's lives as they received the baptism in the Holy Spirit and were delivered from demonic influence. This was one of the most rewarding experiences we can have."