About 400 in Zambia are expected to attend a conference that brings evangelical women together in an organised network to respond to the challenges facing the continent.

On Wednesday, Zambia will host the Pan African Christian Women's Alliance (PACWA) at Mulungushi International Conference to mobilise women to pray for the family, church, national and continental concerns and needs while also building the capacity of women to participate, alongside men, in development and leadership in all spheres of society.

"Women carry the burden with every situation. When they pray things happen," PACWA Zambia national chairperson Ms Ndopu Matindo Nawa said, according to the Times of Zambia.

About 400 delegates from the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and Government representatives are expected to attend the conference which will run each day from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. until Aug. 21.

Activities during the conference will include workshops that will impart skills in leadership, creative writing, computer, fabric painting, psycho-social counselling, proposal writing and women and law among others.

"PACWA exists to play a mediation role in the inevitable evolution and to ensure women's full participation and involvement at every level of the home, church and society," Zawa told the Times.

The alliance currently working in 32 countries in Africa also has chapters in USA and Holland. Kenya hosts the continental office.

PACWA's programs focus on women in leadership, professional and grassroots women (at all levels) in urban and rural areas.

The major focus is:
- Women being built up in faith, livelihood and leadership skills;
-Women in evangelism through missions and publications;
-Women in development and leadership through community projects with special focus on HIV/AIDS, capacity building in civic, legal, health, socio-economic and leadership matters;
-Women networking through National, Regional and Continental meetings and other resource organisations.

Among PACWA's objectives are: “to reach all people with the gospel of Jesus Christ, to build up faith through the teaching of the Word of God so that women can attain to the full stature of Christ hence assert their true dignity as women and realize their godly calling; and to build a strong network of women of like passion who believe God together for restoration of the continent of Africa.”

Nawa said that the issue of HIV/AIDS was critical and that the church, whatever the situation, cannot afford to turn a blind eye to the high infection rates.

The solution to the problem of HIV/AIDS is abstinence and use of condom only when a couple is married and are infected with the virus.

"To prevent further infection abstinence is the only safest and cheapest method. The fear of God and protecting the body from decay is of utmost importance,” Nawa said.

"The Ministry of Jesus Christ is not just to minister to the body, soul and spirit, but to the physical. We expect that women will learn not only to preach the gospel but do the needful. Faith without works is dead," she said.

Since 1987, PACWA Zambia has been involved in a number of activities which include taking care of orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs), HIV/AIDS, tradition and culture vis-a-vis evangelism, child abuse, discrimination based on gender, poverty issues and teaching women to be self reliant.

PACWA Zambia is currently working in Livingstone, Mansa, Mufulira and Lusaka West.





Joe Alvarez
Christian Today Correspondent