They came in droves of buses from all over Guatemala and even neighboring Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, and Belize. More than 5,000 women left their homes and families to gather in Guatemala City to take part in a nationwide Women’s Ministries Congress to hear the Word of God, pray, connect, learn from one another, and share how they have been making a difference in their communities. This record-setting event occurred at the Majadas Zona 11 Forum Center on September 30, 2023.

A Historic Women’s Ministries Congress

“This has been a historic event never before seen in our Guatemala Union,” said Leticia de Hernández, Women’s Ministries director for the Guatemala Union. The congress superseded the previous one in 2016, attended by 3,000 women, she added. “We have a large army of women who invest completely in the evangelistic efforts of the local churches and work together as head elders, small group leaders, lay evangelists, and much more, to impact their neighborhoods with the gifts and talents God has granted them.”

The Women’s Ministries Congress sought to praise God for the evangelistic efforts of women, with more than 3,000 joining the church on average every year directly from their ministry, and motivate them to move forward in preparing others for Jesus’ return, said Hernández.

The large group of women who participated in the congress is only a fraction of the more than 125,000 active women throughout the church in Guatemala, Hernández said.

Claudia Ruiz Casasola, Guatemala’s Minister of Faith and Education, and Edna Portales, her vice minister, praised the work of the thousands of Adventist women in Guatemala for impacting the lives of so many citizens across their communities.

Fulfilling the Mission

Heather Small, Women’s Ministries director for the General Conference, encouraged women to make a real difference where they can have the most influence in their families and places of work. “If we are going to be different women from the rest, we must let the Lord revive our hearts—let Him reenergize us, renew us, restore us and transform us,” said Small. “We must feel our need of God, have faith, and grow.”

Everyone has problems and challenges, Small said, “but despite those, God instructs us to go and fulfill the mission.” She reminded the thousands of women that God sees each one as individuals, knows the struggles and sadness, but loves each one. “Wherever we go, we must share the love of Jesus so people can see His love reflected in us and our actions.”

Edith Ruiz, Women’s Ministries director for the Inter-American Division (IAD), encouraged the gathering to face any feelings of inadequacy that may limit them to grow in love and acceptance in the Lord. “We must see ourselves as God sees us and not follow the world’s standards of beauty, worth, or acceptance,” said Ruiz. “Never underestimate the power of spending time alone with God because it will for sure change your life and transform you and help you make a difference where you are.”

Being Transformed in Jesus

Ruiz reminded the large group of women that they can make a huge difference in missions where they are. “You don’t have to have an academic title, nor need to speak many languages, nor live in a city to make a difference,” said Ruiz. “You can make a difference simply by your actions, through a transformed life in Jesus every day.”

Women from each of the eight conferences took time to report the different evangelism activities and initiatives they have been following this year in their communities.

“It was really impressive to see so many women wearing their colorful dresses sharing in their own dialects the ways in which they are fulfilling the mission of the church,” said Ruiz. “Mission is not just set apart of one particular group like men, or women, or young people, or children; it is of all of us to be used as a tool that God can use to fulfill His purposes.” The unity and support each woman had for one another was impressive to see, she added.

Rescuing the Mission

The women are following the IAD Women’s Ministries focus this year, which highlights the need to be involved in a rescuing mission. “Women rescuing or taking back the mission, rescuing lives through evangelism, rescuing the community with outreach initiatives, rescuing families, and more, working from the heart to make that difference for Jesus,” said Ruiz. “Listening how they have been using Bible studies, which have been prepared specifically for them to use, and seeing how they have contextualized them in their initiatives and activities across Guatemala has been a blessing to see here.”

The congress was part of a larger plan led by the Adventist Church in Guatemala to engage its members in active involvement in sharing the Gospel and discipleship programs to enrich churches and their communities, said Pastor Gustavo Menéndez, Personal Ministries director for the Guatemala Union. “Thousands of women across our churches and congregations are actively contributing to growing the church in Guatemala,” said Menéndez. Roughly 30 percent of the more than 9,000 baptisms taking place throughout the union every year is a direct result of the committed efforts of women engaged in mission initiatives.

The Guatemala Union has more than 195,900 Seventh-day Adventists worshiping in 1,370 churches and congregations in the nation. The church operates 5 conferences and 3 missions, 30 primary and secondary schools, as well as 2 radio stations that cover 80 percent of the country.

Gustavo Menendez contributed to this report.

The original version of this story was posted on the Inter-American Division website.