The Ladies Mentoring ministry started in the year 2006.  We started off with 10 ladies who we believe God has chosen to be mentors in other’s lives in years to come.  We have since then grown from one group to four groups of +/- 10 ladies each.  This ministry is unique in the sense that it is not a one on one mentoring but rather different ladies from all different aspects, cultures and backgrounds speaking into each others lives.

The ladies commit to stay in their groups for the whole year.  This year we started on the 31st of January 2009 where we all got together to give God all the glory for what He has done in the past and for what He is about to do this year.  The groups meet once a month, each on their own at someone’s house.  They share a meal together and discuss a designated book or like this year we studying the Word (The daily walk bible written by Chip Ingram who is heading the “walk thru the bible” ministry).

The groups do different things each month, they have different themes or they get projects to do or they just have fun together like giving each other facials. This might sound a bit unspiritual but believe me if the make-up and the gloves comes off you get the real person opening up and making herself vulnerable before her friends.  The ladies move in such a safety net of not feeling exposed or unaccepted because this is where all info stays and we deal with issues there and then.  Some groups went away for a weekend at the beginning of a year and had a great bonding time together.

Prayer is absolutely the cement of this ministry and we believe that this is where things happen in peoples lives.  The ladies get together each week with a prayer partner in their specific group for a whole month.  By the end of the year they would have prayed with all of the ladies in their groups.  It is incredible how relationships are build through the month spent together. You learn from each other and you get to know that person and understand what makes her “tic”.  You learn to focus on others needs and not just on your own.  You realize that others battle with the same things you do, or they have been through it already and you have a great time together as she speaks into your life and visa versa.

I believe that this ministry is so much more than just helping ladies to mature spiritually but it is also a tool to help those who never had the coaching of a mother or grandmother with ordinary things, like bringing up children, preparing a beautiful meal for guests and setting your table so that they feel welcome.  How to be the helpmate God has purposed for you to be.  How to embrace womanhood, etc., etc., etc.  There is just so much we can learn from each other if we are willing to make ourselves a little bit vulnerable to others.  

We are planning to have our special Gala event on the 28th of November ’09, where we share our testimonies of God’s goodness in the past years.  We laugh as we look at slide shows of what the other groups have done on their evenings getting together and we cry with those who had hardship this year and we rejoice with those who experienced breakthroughs.

If you would like more info about this ministry please contact  Nicolette van Eeden at 044-5334712.