By Owethu Kholosa Nokhangela
The Rock Family Church had its annual women’s conference at Shaw Hall, coinciding with Women’s Day on 9 August, bringing women of different ages, backgrounds, and areas together. The event used a biblical reference, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” as its theme, speaking to how women are often underestimated in society.
Pastor Deana Brandon, who was the event organiser with the help of the church members, explained how she chose the theme with genuine warmth. “I have met a lot of women who don’t believe in themselves, and so that took me to the scripture, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’,” she said, smiling. “I changed it to, ‘Can anything good come out of their situation?’ as women go through stuff and difficulties.”
The guest speaker of the day, Pinky Bowers from Port Elizabeth, author of the book Canvas, which speaks about her life experiences, talked about what the theme meant to her personally. “As someone who has been through tremendous pain, trauma, rejection, and abandonment, it means much because it shows me that out of all the brokenness, there can still be a beautiful mosaic that can come out,” she explained.
“Women are sometimes looked down upon, but in Christ we are equal and we have the same power,” she added. “Women are capable, they are strong, they are needed, and their lives matter. They should never look down on the roles they play in society.”
With the conference serving as an extension to the church’s ministry, Deana explained, “We are reaching out to women, and there are so many women in church, women who are broken. So, this conference is to restore those women’s dignity and help them believe in themselves again.”
Nolwakhe Sewelo, one of the speakers, spoke on the value of such gatherings. “On a Sunday, the pastor tends to focus more on spiritual growth, but we have personal struggles,” she noted. “Conferences such as these create an opportunity for people to be exposed to what other people are experiencing and realise that they are not alone; they belong.”
Another guest, Ingeborg Jacobs from Port Elizabeth, spoke of her personal growth, going into how she learned about the importance of “intentional relationships” and “being around seasoned women who have a seasoned word for you in a certain season.” This, to her, contributed to how she sees herself as a woman and served as an encouragement, as she can now stand in front of masses and talk about her growth, and also be able to heal people through dance.
The event included testimonies from Lucinda October, Ingeborg Jacobs, Nolwakhe Sewelo, and Pinky Bowers, who talked about their journeys outside and inside Christ.
Church member, Valvernia Kruger, who also played a part in organising the event, reflected on how hearing others’ stories helped her “surrender to what God is doing” in her life as He “already did it in other people’s lives”.
Looking at the good that might come out of the conference, Deana envisioned “lives transformed, lives changed, stories rewritten,” while Pinky saw “women standing up and being the best versions of themselves”.
Nolwakhe noted, “I see unity, I see change. We are not coming together to be fat with the word of God but are also coming together to display the gifts and abilities God has given us,” she said. She explained how she was going home smelling nice and different because of the products she bought from the women who were showcasing their work by the door throughout the conference.
The conference concluded with interactive elements, including some women displaying their products and a gift game that left attendees with prizes ranging from restaurant vouchers to beauty treatments and group picture time. The day ended on a joyful note, enforcing Nolwakhe’s words, “Women, most of the time, are seen as those who divide, but when they gather, there is no telling what will happen to that nation.”
