Today, I thought I would share a little bit about our amazing project at Kairos for ladies, Breakfast with Wendy! When you first hear the name, you may well think it's all about food, but, as the title of this post says, it's so much more than just a meal!
I've always had a desire to serve God and the people around me, but I felt a special burden on my heart during the period when we were beginning Kairos, to work with women. I believe that women have a special place in God's heart, and that sometimes we need specific encouragement - which we can offer each other. That's why, in January 2011, with the support of the whole Kairos team, I decided to begin this monthly event for girls and women from Timisoara and the surrounding area.
Our Breakfast with Wendy meetings are always on a Saturday morning, from 10am. Our amazing team is always there early, preparing breakfast and setting the tables with beautiful chinaware and flowers. It's very important for us to create a beautiful, relaxing environment where women will feel valued and even spoiled - it may well be the only time in the month when they are served at a table laid by someone else, with food they didn't cook! Yes, it means a lot of preparation and also a lot of washing up, but we believe that every one of our girls is worth it!
We also try to prepare tasty food that everyone will enjoy. We try to vary what we put on the tables - sometimes it's fresh veg and sandwiches, at other times we'll make a cooked breakfast or have European-style croissants and coffee. It's often hard to know how much to prepare, as most times we have unexpected guests turn up, but God is good and we've never been in the situation of not having enough food!
After everyone's had enough to eat and drink, someone (often me but not always!) will speak a message of encouragement for the girls. Many times we will share lessons we've learned in our own lives - usually through problems or mistakes that we have made. The atmosphere is open and trusting, as our special rule is that "What is said in Breakfast with Wendy, stays in Breakfast with Wendy!" The ladies who participate are encouraged to share their own thoughts, problems and testimonies, and we always pray for the people who need help.
One special activity we do at Breakfast with Wendy is making a prayer blanket - something I learned from a dear sister in Christ, Judy Buch. We take two fleece blankets, kneel around them and cut fringes into the edges, and then knot the fringes together while praying for the person the blanket is for - usually someone with great need for God's touch in their life. Part of our meetings is always about caring for those in need and being a real support in their lives.
Our most recent meeting at Breakfast with Wendy was last Saturday - the 7th of February. We had a record number of 50 ladies with us, which is a great blessing, but also a challenge in our cosy upstairs room! 13 of these ladies were with us for the first time, so each of them received a small present - this is one of our favourite parts of BWW, because who doesn't love receiving presents? We were very encouraged to have Oana Iliesi speak to us, about her life and experience. It was a beautiful atmosphere, and I really think it was our best meeting yet! The food, fun and fellowship was exceptional. Burdens were shared, as well as many a good laugh as we told stories about how God has brought us all through dark times, and brought us together to help each other grow deeper in the ways of God. The team (and extended team) helped us to clear up afterwards which is no small task with fifty girls!
I'd love to tell you more about my amazing team, but I'll have to leave that for another time!
Our next Breakfast with Wendy meeting will be on the 7th of March - just before Ladies' Day, and we're expecting to have a large group of wonderful women! If you're in Timisoara then, we'd love to have you with us!
Lots of love,
Wendy Tomin xxx
Co-Pastor, Kairos Christian Centre
0 comments:
Post a Comment