Emerging from a car filled with people and luggage, we arrived one Sunday morning at the National University Campus of Benin where we joined more than 300 ladies from all over West Africa for the second International Adventist Women’s Congress.
The weeks before had been very busy for many of the departments in all levels of the Sahel Union Mission as various people prepared the program, got necessary permissions, ordered materials, invited the First Lady of the Republic of Benin and readied the large hall for the opening ceremony. Hard-working pastors and Pathfinders spent hours cleaning dormitories and getting them ready to house participants.
We were shown our room, greeting old and new friends along the way. The heat and humidity of the South was a major shock to our bodies. Throughout the night, ladies continued to arrive; some by bus, some by plane. Some paid more than $1,200 to come. There were illiterate ladies from the bush and ladies with graduate degrees, and all mingled as equals.
That evening we gathered for a general worship and then a late supper. We spent the next morning singing in several languages and waiting for transportation to the meeting hall 40 minutes away. The first busload left at 12:30.
Three hours later, after everyone had arrived, the opening ceremony began. Many honored guests took part. The First Lady showed up an hour late, but her representative arrived on time. The ceremony followed a typical format, with many thank-yous and the usual formalities. Eleven young people, representing each nation taking part in the congress, gave a nice presentation. Then each country presented a five-member delegation carrying their nation’s flag.
It was late when we finally headed back to the dormitories. On the bus ride all the back, everyone sang with great energy.
At eight the next morning, we enjoyed a wonderful devotion presented by Pastor Gilberto Araujo. He gave the morning and evening devotions all week, presenting the story of the Great Controversy and talking about the value women bring to the world in simple language that all could understand. Women are often oppressed in this part of the world, but he preached their value to God and challenged each lady to get right with God and work for Him. After devotions, we spent time in prayer. Mealtimes were always interesting with all the languages being spoken around the room. We ate delicious food and lots of it.
Presentation times were filled with teaching. The subjects included the dangers of self-medicating with pharmaceuticals; witnessing in the workplace; influencing your husband for Christ; how to bring friends to Christ; spiritual gifts; witnessing to Muslims (presented by a former Muslim pastor); how to make soap and perfume; bringing children to Christ with love; and eye health. There were both general presentations and workshops for deeper study and discussion. The main theme throughout the congress was that women are the primary Christian workforce in Africa (around 70 percent of it), so they have a big part to play in finishing the Great-Commission work. Much of the teaching focused on practical ways women can reach out to their families and those around them. The presenters reinforced the value each woman has to God and the Church using down-to-earth examples that all the women could relate to, and they used vocabulary that was easy enough for those who had not been to school but with a depth that held the interest of even the most highly educated—not an easy thing to do!
Thursday night, everyone gathered for a talent/music program. We sang with lots of energy and laughed at the humorous skits.
Friday night after the evening worship, several groups presented a sacred concert of beautiful worship songs to open the Sabbath hours.
On Sabbath afternoon, we took a two-hour “march” around town. Everyone dressed up and took a handful of Le Grand Espoir (The Great Hope) books—a condensed version of Ellen White’s The Great Controversy. Led by a band playing ahead of us, we all sang songs as we walked along, passing out books to everyone we met.
The closing ceremony included the usual thank-yous and presentation of awards and a special meal. Each participant received the book Connection with Jesus, a collection of 10 Ellen White books.
Sunday morning, we began our 10-hour drive home, happy and edified. I enjoyed connecting with all the pastors and their wives and meet sisters from all over West Africa.
