On May 25, as the nation celebrated the inauguration of South Africa’s new president, Cyril Ramaphosa, women gathered in Katlehong for the fourth Womb of the Nation Arise annual conference calling the nation to a season of divine fulfilment.
Womb of the Nation Arise is a Change Bible Church ministry founded on Isaiah 66: 7-13 where a nation is compared to a mother giving birth to a child. The Scripture further questions if a nation can be born in a day? As the Church, we say: “Yes, a nation can be born in a day” says the ministry which is boldly building Christ’s legacy by reawakening women to their Godly purpose as well as recognising women stewards whose transformational work empowers communities.
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The founder and convener of Womb of the Nation Arise, Belu Mabandla, said: “As the Church we have travailed in prayer for many years and now our new nation is beginning to see bold signs of the fear of God.”
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One such sign, she noted, was the unprecedented act by the Chief Justice in going down on his knees to pray for the nation at the opening of parliament — a move that received praise from the president, members of parliament and the nation at large.
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Mabandla, however, cautioned that the Church should not get excited and go to sleep when they see these signs but should rather intensify prayer because birthing is critical for the life of both the mother and child.
Ministries such as Womb of the Nation Arise cannot be underestimated, especially in a country with many societal ills seen through high levels of poverty and the violence suffered by women and children. There is a need for the rising of nation builders in communities to play their part in the renewal of the country’s moral fibre.
Among those who were presented with Womb of the Nation Awards were Dr Patience Mlengana and Ntombi Mhlongo for demonstrating stewardship in the market place; Criselda Kananda for stewardship in sisterhood; Dr Pinkie Mbambisa for stewardship in motherhood; Dr Pinky Ncula and Dr Ntombenhle Bhengu for stewardship in covenant preservation.
Stewards in servant leadership awards were awarded to Dr Mpho Muyanga-Nchabeleng side by side with Dr Linda Gobodo who received a lifetime award for her long-term commitment to making a difference in South Africa and the African continent – so befitting for this day, as the entire African continent was also celebrating Africa Day.
What was unknown to the women at the conference was how the Bible would for the first time in the history of South Africa be among the highlights of the presidential inauguration. Chief Justice Mogoeng gave the President a signed copy of the Bible, which was well-received and waved by the president to the nation as if ushering a new dawn.
As highlighted by Mabandla, these signs of seeing prayer and the word of God being given prominence should not in themselves be seen as the fulfilment, but rather signs that there is a wind of change blowing in the nation. South Africa, your time is now, arise!
Womb of the Nation Arise also launched its very first Youth Empowerment Expo and extended thanks to its partners for joining hands with us to build a winning nation and a winning world.
God is at work!!!!