EYN Pastor’s Wives’ Conference, A Joyful Reunion

EYN Pastor’s Wives’ Conference, A Joyful Reunion

EYN Pastor's Wives Conference

EYN Pastor’s Wives Conference

by Peggy Faw Gish

The Jos church sanctuary was packed once again, this time with women all in similar yellow-patterned clothing, with “EYN Pastors’ Wives” written on it in Hausa and English, for the annual Pastors’ Wives Annual Conference. Lively chatter filled the hallways and the churchyard during the breaks as hundreds of women milled around reuniting with each other.

“How to Overcome Crisis,” was the theme of the conference and of the bible studies and discussions led by Sister Rebecca Dali.  She looked at many scripture passages that focus on the inevitability of suffering and ways of dealing with it.  Then she applied what was reading to the threat of Boko Haram, with even some practical advice about things a person should take with them if they need to flee immediate threat. When women asked questions about whether we are expected to forgive and try to live again aside of people who wronged them, her answer was an emphatic, “Yes!”

One sister gave an emotional prayer, crying, and calling on God to help us not just focus on the evils of Boko Haram, but to change our own hearts and root out the envy, selfishness, greed, hatred, and other seeds of violence in our lives.

Another woman I greeted told me that she saw friends here she hadn’t seen for a long time. “Because of the disastrous times we’ve been through,” she said, “I didn’t know if some of these friends were still alive or not until we met again here. And that makes this reunion a particularly joyful one!”

 

5 thoughts on “EYN Pastor’s Wives’ Conference, A Joyful Reunion

  1. Dear friend, Peggy Gish, After all these years, my husband, Rev. Herb Smith, and I finally found you here online!
    If you would like to join our “Church of the Brethren Friends” facebook page, we would love to have you there. We have many discussions about our Brethren missions, etc., etc. etc. there. Currently, Herb and I are working alongside Rev. Rebecca Dali and her beloved husband.
    You and Art, Rev. Art Gish, were amazingly active with our Brethren missions years ago when we knew you at Bethany.
    So how are you doing now, dear Sister in Christ? We were sorry to hear about your beloved husband, Reverand Art Gish’s passing, some years ago. It broke our hearts, as he was so actively involved with many of our Church’s missions.
    Today, a number of our Brethren around the country show up on the “Church of the Brethren Friends” Facebook page.
    If you would like to join our many discussions there, we would love to have you. Your experiences on our Mission fFeld will open up doors and insights for many of our Brethern who are on that page now. Love & Blessings, dear Sister in Christ.
    Also, we need to thank you for the blessings that YOU and your late husband’s ministries have made upon our Youth in our Brethren Churches over the years.
    Herb & I are now working with Rebecca & Samuel Dali in our Nigerian missions.(more about that later) 🙁
    posted by Jeanne Smith, McPherson, KS. (currently in PA for the summer)

  2. Dear Sister Peggy, my husband, Herb Smith and I have not heard from you for a while. The last we heard, you were still out in our churches, but that was some time ago.
    Where are you living now? Are you able to keep in contact with our Nigerian brothers and sisters? Two years or so ago, we ran into Rebecca Dali at the E-torn CoB. Their church is located not too far from Herb’s family’s home in Pennsylvania. If you get by that way sometime yet this summer, we have a small cottage just outside of Lebanon. Herb and I are planning to leave McPherson for a while and to drive back there for the summer. If you get near Lebanon, please give us a call. Our landline there is (717-273-9503). We would love to hear more about the ministries you’re engaged in. Your experiences are incredible. Love & blessings,
    posted by Jeanne Smith & Herb who is watching the Phillies! 🙂
    P.S. Herb will be preaching at Pennsylvania Chataqua on July 4th Sunday in July. In past years he has preached there on many occasions, but for the past two years the corona virus threat was so vicious that we didn’t even get back to visit our relatives.

  3. I am so happy to hear that Peggy Gish was in Nigeria for your conference. She is a tremendous witness for peace.
    Peggy’s husband, the Rev. Art Gish, was at Bethany Seminary near OakBrook, Illinois, when my husband, the Rev. Herbert Smith, was there.

    It warms my heart to know that our Church of the Brethren women can congregate in worship together over in Nigeria. Though our countries are far away from each other, please know that our prayers are with you during this time of distress.
    May the Lord of Love be with each and every one of you as you gather together to workship with each other.

  4. Thank you for your report here. We wonder continually how things are going in Nigeria and how you are weathering your grief. We stand with you, in both our tears and prayers. May God bless all of you, every one. Love and blessings … Jeanne Smith, McPherson, Kansas, USA

  5. I had not been able to access blog posts or the devotional site, so I was very surprised this morning to be greeted by Peggy s article when I opened my in basket. what an amazing reunion that must have been. What a challenge to us all to hold dear and clear the reality of the family of faith when we feel alone.

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