Oasis in Argentina

God in His perfect timing chooses to give us the privilege to encourage others in their walk in ways we could never imagine. Such was the case last summer.  

Our small group was invited to lead a retreat for a church in Buenos Aires, Argentina. We had co-labored in outreach in their community but they had never been privileged to be led in a retreat. We immediately felt God’s call to invest in the lives of those who give so much to their community.  

The NEWIM Oasis Retreat came to mind for the ladies of the church. Many were new believers and they had never, I mean never, had someone serve them. I also knew Oasis was available to be used in the U.S. but was uncertain how NEWIM would feel about us taking it to another country and presenting it in another language. Generously, the leadership of NEWIM gave us permission to adapt the materials to the culture of Argentina and the adventure began.  

Our small group enlisted the help of a native of Buenos Aires to help us review the materials and make cultural adjustments to fit the need of the people we would be serving. We made minor modifications to the teaching on the CD to meet the needs of our ‘dopted churches and made the decision to share the teaching amongst the ladies from the U.S. For many it was the first time to stand in the front of a group and teach God’s Word. But the wonderful materials gave them the confidence to step out of their comfort zone. 

The attendance was far above what we expected. Over 40 women attended the day of the retreat. Each was given a packet of material just like they would receive if they attended in the U.S. They had quiet time to read scripture and to reflect on God’s purpose for their lives. Lunch was served during the Time for Reflection and we wrapped up the afternoon encouraging each of the women attending to consider how God wanted to use them in ministry in their church.  

The response was overwhelming. The women in this particular church had never had another woman lead them in study of the Bible. Few had taken time to sit and be spiritually fed in a group setting. 
We wrapped up the day by leaving them with all the materials we had used in leading the retreat, with the encouragement to plan another event for women in their community.  

Let me encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and take the God-given opportunities to share the blessings of Oasis with those around you.

Reviews of The Oasis Personal Retreat DVD

My name is Kristie DeTar. We at Mission Hills Church had wanted to host an Oasis Retreat for two years but it just never worked out. When I found out NEWIM was making an Oasis DVD I was so excited. Last year we had just opened our new church and we had two goals for our fall event: we wanted our women to connect with each other and to grow closer to the Lord. With these two goals in mind we thought the Oasis DVD format would work.

We made a few changes to the timeline and added some things to meet our goals. We added a time of worship. The best thing about the DVD is that it can be used again and modified to meet your church’s needs.

Here are a few of the remarks from our ladies at the conclusion of the event.

This event blessed me because:
It reminded me that God must be first in my life
Helped me refocus on my relationship with God
Enabled me to be with some wonderful ladies

God revealed to me:
A new way to have a ”conversation with the Lord” through Scripture
That learning to trust Him is a process
That He would like me to be quiet in my situation and wait patiently

If you would like more information on how we used the DVD at our church, including the schedule and helpful hints, you can contact me at kdetar@missionhillschurch.org.

More comments from others who have attended an Oasis Retreat:

"I attended your Oasis Retreat and just loved it. It was such an “Oasis.” It was a wonderful oasis from all my usual pressures. I loved the loads of down time! It was a relief that it wasn’t a “works based” retreat. This retreat is what women need!"

"One of the major highlights I remember from attending an Oasis was learning that I can spend time alone with the Lord even though many people are around me. I feel as though I had a Garden of Gethsemane experience. I was able to withdraw myself from the beauty all around me and from the other women. Before I knew it, I was communicating with God in prayer in ways I had never experienced before. I will never forget the peace, comfort and joy I felt in my heart that day; and my Christian sisters were all so transparent in expressing their love of God. It is that uninterrupted, special time with the Lord in that quiet, beautiful place, and the fellowship with dedicated Christian sisters that will always draw me back to an Oasis."

"The Oasis was an incredible blessing to me both as a leader of women and as a child of God. As a leader of women I observed many on our women’s leadership team refreshed and connected with our Lord. They had very little to do in preparation, just an opportunity to be blessed as the women from NEWIM served them for the day. As a child of God I enjoyed a day of quiet reflection with my Lord. I experienced quiet and solitude in a new way as I live in the midst of a busy and noisy environment. On the day of the Oasis the Lord’s peace and calm covered our campus."