The Witness of Inner Beauty

More than 100 women from 12 Wémé churches and outreach groups recently gathered at Akpadanou Baptist Church for their first Baptist Women's All-Day Conference, some walking for two hours to get there and others saving precious coins to rent a bush taxi for the hour's drive from their village. The Lord poured out his Spirit, and the women were open and thirsty to learn and grow spiritually.

The Bible study theme, "The Inner Beauty of the Christian Woman," struck a responsive chord as the women enthusiastically shared in the discussion of how that inner beauty can be expressed in the home and in the community. Many of these ladies have unsaved husbands and family, and live in villages steeped in voodoo. A dynamic little pastor's wife used I Peter 3:1-4 to speak frankly about how wives could win their husbands to the Lord or turn them away by the way that they acted with their spouse: cleaning house, preparing meals, showing respect, and making love. A sweet older lady said, "I wish I had known this Bible teaching when I was younger and married. I'm now old and without a husband, but I'm going home to teach my daughters what I've learned today."

Following up on the Bible study of Dorcas, the women were invited to help make newborn baby kits by filling yellow plastic sacks with items for church members having babies or for other pregnant friends that they are seeking to win to Jesus. The participants discussed how they could continue to help mothers that have newborns by making kits in their own churches.

The women talked, laughed, and ate together. They shared testimonies of the Lord's grace in their lives, prayed, sang, and worshipped together. . . loving every minute of it! By the end of the day, they were all inspired to start women's groups in each of their own churches.

• Pray that these Wémé Baptist women will live out what they have learned, experience a divine transformation in their homes and families, and be filled with awe at what God is doing in their lives.
• Pray that as new women's groups are formed in Wémé churches, the women will joyfully live for Jesus, serve Him, and reach out to others.
• Intercede for Christian women throughout the West Africa Region. Pray that the inner beauty of these women will increase and draw their husbands, families, and friends to Jesus.

Becky Couts - Wémé Team