When the Association of Adventist Women held their 25th annual conference in Silver Spring, Md., Oct. 24–28, 2007, they took special care to honor their past award winners for Woman of the Year. One such honoree is a member of the the McMinnville (Ore.) Church. Mary Henderson won the Woman of the Year award in 1991 for her community service. Henderson started a shelter home in 1981 for victims of domestic violence. Since it opened, the Henderson House has provided shelter to women and children for 3,500 shelter nights.
"The conference was a great opportunity to learn about the women who started the association and to meet so many women from around the world," says Henderson. "One young woman from China, Rebecca Liu, spoke on the condition of the Adventist church in her country. The church started out with two members, and now has 10,000. She is finishing her education at an Adventist college in the United States. She is going back to China and will work in the ministry helping her people."
"I also attended an informative session about abuse in the Adventist church. Recent surveys show that 35 percent of women and 20 percent of men were abused by a spouse. The church has to break the silence on abuse. It is our moral and ethical responsibility to end abuse in the Adventist church," says Henderson.
On Thursday night of the conference, a dinner was held honoring the women who received Woman of the Year awards from 1984–2007.
Saturday evening a banquet was given to honor the six women from around the world who received awards for 2007 Women of the Year.
AAW president Verla Kwiran and Mary Henderson (right).
Rebecca Liu from China
