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Monday, September 6, 2010

First Pastors' Wives Retreat

"A Heart Like His"
Resie Garcia-Fernandez

August 31 to September 2, 2010 marked the recently concluded First Pastors' Wives' Retreat of the Wesleyan Church in Cambodia. I like the way how my friend Virginia described it as "God-ordained pastors' wives' retreat." I was personally blessed when she used those words because it was indeed a successful and a "God-ordained" retreat. "A Heart like His" was our theme, with sub-topics "A Heart Devoted to God", "A Heart Covenanted to her Husband", and "A Heart Committed to Nurturing and Disciplining her Children." There were 14 pastors' wives, 3 of us missionary wives, 2 babies and 2 nannys and 2 more who just wanted to come along.
Early morning of August 31, 6 AM to be exact, we boarded our bus and arrived in Sihanoukville by 10:30 AM. At 2:30 PM Tiffany Gallant started her lecture "A Heart Devoted to God" with a very powerful and touching skit that is emphasizing on our need of God to identify us not to find our worth on what we have and on how we look like. After the skit, Tiffany moved on to teach us the necessity of choosing God first. She used a glass to demonstrate that when we fill our hearts with trash, God cannot fill it with His love and presence. When we empty it and allow God to fill, then we have so much more to give to our husbands, children and others that we minister to. Tiffany's lesson have set a strong foundation on other lessons we have to teach the next days. Indeed, in matter of priorities, we need to cultivate an intimate relationship with God first then comes the husband, the children and others. The women have made a decision and re-surrendered their lives to God. On the second night, Tiffany again shared a devotional and have encouraged the women to write ways that we can tear our house down and ways that we can build our house up. Through this exercises all of us were given an opportunity to think through on what are the things we need to give up and things we need to develop so we can better build our house up.
During the first night, Virginia shared a devotional on 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. She encouraged all of us that to have a heart of God, we need to have the kind of love that is "patient, kind, does not envy, does not boast, not proud, not rude, not self-seeking, not easily angered, keeps no record of wrongs, does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth, always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres." Another powerful
words for a moment of healing to all of us. Virginia also encouraged us to write in a piece of paper the sins that we might want to offer as a sacrifice to God. We burned those pieces of papers away and have washed our hands afterward and follows the celebration of the Lord's Supper together. It was such a very solemn moment to talk to God surrendering our all and all. On the mid-morning of the second day, Virginia also taught on the topic "A Heart Committed to Nurture and Discipline Her children." She draws the principles of raising godly kids according to her rich experiences with her three godly children. It was very timely for the women who have children that are growing up and are needing assistance on raising their kids to be both God fearing and well-mannered.
Second day, in the morning, I (Resie) taught the lesson "A Heart covenanted with her Husband." I stressed that God hates divorce and to remain covenanted to her husband she has to cultivate a heart that serves, submits, loves and prays for her husband. The lesson stirred the mind of the women and enlightened them as to where they have failed as wives. It was a time for them to realized and learn that, just like me, they still have a lot to grow up to, so that they can become a better wife and partner in the ministry. Because of their many questions and confessions, we had to add another session in the afternoon to finish my lesson. During the last day, it was the commitment service, I preached on the leadership principles and life of Deborah. I challenged the women to have a heart passionate for God, be driven with their compassion to courageously stand up to partner with their husbands in bringing deliverance to many Cambodian men who are still under the bondage of immorality and sin, to deliver those women and young children who are under the bondage of sex slaves and of sex abused and to rescue the souls of those who are experiencing extreme poverty and unfathomable suffering. It was the moment for the women to pray and re-dedicate their lives, to be ablazed with God once again and to be passionate in the ministry.
After the service, these women could not hold their hearts' emotion so they asked for a time to share their testimony on how God spoke to them during this retreat. We had a short break but some of them could not hold it further. Roath Mony, (right picture in blue top with white polka dots) have confessed her regrets for being cold to God and to her husband for the past years. She confessed further, that she needs to spend more time with God and His Word so that God can enable her to practice the responsibilities of a godly wife, mother and a partner in the ministry. I wish i could provide you a picture of her while she is sharing, but i was not able to capture that because i was intensely listening to her. When we all came back to the conference room, all women stood up and shared their testimonies. More testimonials will be posted later.
After testimonies, we spent a little time to elect women committees representing 4 zones so that later, we will meet together for a more planned local and national women ministries. Then we concluded our retreat with a relaxation time in the beach.
I do want to thank all of you who were faithfully praying for this retreat. I strongly believe that it was God's work in all of our hearts creating indeed "A heart like His" in us. I was very blessed and amazed that even before we left, during the retreat and afterward, i have never heard of a conflict, murmuring, complaining, and bargaining. There were only unity, satisfaction, contentment, obedience, compliance and considerations. For these reasons, I can't thank you enough but can only give all the glory and exaltation back to God! Again, I also want to thank the Rochester, New York Team who funded most of the cost of this retreat. To God be the Glory!
I am humbled and being molded to becoming a woman after God's own heart,
Resie (Greg, Aleeyah and Esher)