Association of Adventist Women Recognize Leaders around the World

The Association of Adventist Women is pleased to announce the recipients of its inaugural 2024 Junia Awards, given in each division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

The organization created the yearly Junia awards to highlight women from each division who are active in their local church leadership, administration, or religious training. In the spirit of Junia in the book of Acts of the Apostles and many other women who led in the early church, the organization seeks to highlight women’s roles in nurturing and sustaining church life. This includes groundbreaking new roles for women and roles that are representative and unique in their respective division.

“Our goal is to encourage other women who are also leading in church groups and to assure the worldwide church that women have been accepted as holding up half the sky in a wide array of cultures in the Adventist church,” representatives from the organization said in a July 15 statement. “These women may be the exception, but they are also exceptional in carrying out their God-given calling. Many women are following the calling God has placed on their hearts because of the example of the Junia award recipients.”

The Association of Adventist Women, an independent supporting ministry of the Adventist Church, aspires to meet the unique needs of Adventist women in all areas of endeavor. Founded in 1982, it is the oldest continuously operating organization of Adventist women.

East Central Africa Division: Mary Mburu. Kenyatta University, on the outskirts of Nairobi, has almost 70,000 students. The Adventist Church chose Mary Mburu to be chaplain to the 3,000 Kenyatta Adventist students. Led by the senior chaplain Kigundu Ndwiga, Mary runs a week of prayer every month. Three times a year during the holidays, students spread the message of the Adventist faith on mission trips. They gain valuable hands-on experience in ministry and leadership through community service projects, educational programs, health clinics, and evangelistic meetings.

Euro-Asia Division: Elena Butova. From age 9, Elena searched for God in atheist USSR. At 15, she attended an evangelistic series and became an Adventist. Discouraged from following her calling to ministry because of her gender, she became a physician. She married a pastor who encouraged her evangelistic talents. He gave her US$500 to start a church. In one year, she established three churches with 129 baptisms. The local union then hired her as their evangelist. Elena led 1,000 more people to Adventism (half in Russia and half on mission trips). The young family moved to Australia where Elena completed a Ph.D. in theology. She now leads one church while her husband leads another in Victoria, Australia. She is the author of three religious books.

Inter-American Division: Margaret Ramsarran, of Guyana, became an Adventist in 1968 while working as a civil servant. She became Sabbath School superintendent, then youth leader, then head elder in her local church. She held her first annual evangelistic series in 1979 as lay preacher and over the last 40 years has converted hundreds. In 1990 she was voted director of the Education Department (a post she still held in 2023) and associate director of Church Ministries. She was commissioned as a pastor in 2010. She is now 74 years old and still helps with evangelistic meetings. She has said “I thank God for using me to accomplish His purpose . . . Wherever He leads, I am ready to follow.”

Inter-European Division: Abigaela Trofin was born and raised in Romania. Her parents, having lost a son, dedicated their unborn child to be a pastor. What a surprise they had when the baby was a girl! She first completed a degree in law then religion in Bucharest. She has three masters’ degrees including one in religious freedom. In 2000, she moved to Italy and revisited her pre-birth dedication. There she has led 12 church communities and now serves in Sicily. She follows her clear and engaging calling despite difficulties and criticism and has found support from God, family, friends, and fellow pastors.

Northern Asia-Pacific Division: Mongolia Mission is a busy place, and trying to shepherd a growing flock requires more shepherds. Two and a half years ago, the Association of Adventist Women learned about two women leading in Mongolia and thanks to an article by the Northern Asia-Pacific Division that was picked up by Adventist Review, we know that there are now nine. Eight of the women pastors attended a retreat in December 2023.

South American Division: Fedra Pérez says, “I became a Seventh-day Adventist in my teens. I received a call, even before graduating from my theology degree, to be part of a team that planted a church where there was none. Then I started working as a chaplain in a K-12 church school in Argentina. I completed a postgraduate degree in mediation and conflict resolution to serve better. This training also allowed me to revitalize a church that was about to close. My focus in life is to see Jesus, which motivates me to wake up every morning and share Jesus with others. Despite the challenges as a woman serving as a leader of the church, I continue to obey my divine calling. Leading others to Christ is both a joy and a responsibility I am passionate about encouraging the spiritual growth of others and accompany them as if they were my own children.”

South Pacific Division: Joyce Kandawok Bale is a consistent soul winner and discipleship trainer in the rural region of Enga, Papua New Guinea. She was not content to just entertain her local Pathfinders and young adult groups but trained them to preach and give Bible studies. With them, she has converted hundreds to the Adventist Church and started several new church congregations. Women lay workers are not often placed in leadership positions, but Joyce’s hard work and leadership has led to her being named district youth coordinator.

Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division: Tshepiso Anathi Mbele. Raised in Soweto, South Africa, Tshepiso studied theology at Solusi University in Zimbabwe and was commissioned in February of 2022. She has fostered several thriving church communities in the Trans-Orange Conference, South Africa, where she is on the executive committee. She and her husband (also a pastor) have created several unique missions, such as the MMR Radio Station podcast, and the Boy/Girl Child Boot Camp Club. Tshepiso is also an accomplished artist and author of three books.

Southern Asia Division: Sharon Roja Vakkanthula (Clinton) received her master’s degree in religion at Andrews University and is working on a D.Min.. She has been both the assistant leader of the Spicer Adventist University Church and an assistant professor in the Division of Religious Studies in India since 2016. Teaching gives Sharon the opportunity to counsel, direct, encourage, and empower future pastors at Spicer. Her passion is to share the gospel and witness the transformation of individuals. “Being the first female pastor in India, my passion includes mentoring potential females for pastoral and ministerial work.”

Southern Asia-Pacific Division: Jadaza Hintay was an engineer when she became an Adventist in 1987. She led a Chinese-Filipino church in Manilla while completing her D.Min. on church growth in 2009, the first woman to complete that degree at Adventist International Institute of Advance Studies. She shone as a missionary/evangelist in Central Luzon Conference. Along with the traditional Adventist topics, “Sister Jade” weaves health topics into the gospel, making her message widely appealing. She recently became the director of Health Ministries at North Philippine Union Conference.

Trans-European Division: Joanna Krupa-Roszak is a leader in her church in Poland and loves being an evangelist. Being a part of the intense response to the massive displacement of women and children created by the war in Ukraine has rewarded their church with many new members. Joanna supports women’s involvement in church life and wants to help them believe in themselves. Together with her congregation, she is creating an inclusive church with a place for families and small children, and those with special needs and disabilities.

West-Central Africa Division: Samuelle Ngo Ikouba epse Nfor is senior chaplain for Babcock University’s Division of Spiritual Life. She provides spiritual care to students, mostly non-Adventists, as well as staff. As chaplain in the residence halls, she enjoys personally interacting with students. She also provides part-time spiritual care at the university’s teaching hospital.

North American Division: The Association has chosen to highlight women who are leading in mainly immigrant communities. Maria Ejurango is the first Filipina in a Filipino church (Waterman-Visayan Fil-Am Church). Elina Camarena is the first Hispanic in a Spanish church (Paradise Valley Hispanic Church). Shiphrah Fepulea’I, the first Samoan; Therezinha Barbalho, the first Brazilian; and Linda Biswas, the first Bengali, are also of note leading in mixed communities.