Roma Women's Conference in Akos, Romania
September 17, 2011
More than 250 women took part at the 8th conference for Hungarian-speaking Baptist Roma Women in Romania, Akos village. Roma women came from 16 locations. The theme of the Conference was “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” John 8,36.
Ibolya Balint, the president of Hungarian-speaking Baptist Women of Romania reminded us that the price of freedom for Israel was a lamb, while our freedom was paid through the blood of the Lamb of God.
The Conference was special by the participation of the Elisabeth Kapsreiter president of the German Baptist Women (Frauenwerk) and Gisela Bultmann vice president, who were accompanied by there husbands, Ludwig and Karl Friedrich. Our sisters from Germany are the main sponsors of these meetings since 2003.
In the morning Gisela Bultmann spoke about the unjust judge and the persistent widow who was asking for justice (Luk 18:1-8). The woman was without help, and was not able to pay the judge, but was bold enough and convinced that she was right. Therefore she was persistently seeking the judge for her justice. Finally the a judge was fulfilling her request to no longer be bothered by her. This widow can be an example for us that we might be persistent in prayer. Though God has not promised to fulfil all our promises, Jesus has promised that the Lord will do justice for us.
In the afternoon we could hear testimonies of women who were set free from deep misery.
Elisabeth Kapsreiter was beginning her afternoon message with the statement that in Heaven we will no longer speak of freedom. Heaven is already open for those really set free by the Son. Acts 6:8-15 speaks about Stephen, the first martyr who was bound and kept captive but was in reality free. The joy of his heart could not be taken by the enemy, his face was shining, because he was seeing Heaven open, and was speaking of the things seen there as of things he already knew. He was speaking with wisdom to his accusers, and those who were mistreating him.
On the faces of our Roma sisters we could see the joy of their freedom received from the Lord Jesus. Also the hearts of our German guests were filled with joy seeing that their material support was not in vain, and they were promising to continue it as long as possible, thinking of the Roma women living in poor circumstances.
Borbala Szilagyi, Hungarian-speaking Baptist Women of Romania