On Sabbath, March 28, the Women’s Ministries department in Niscemi, Sicily, filled the Adventist church with women in pink T-shirts to celebrate the International Women’s Day of Prayer. Eleven women from the community delivered a sermon titled “God Turns Our Tears into Stars,” accompanied by songs related to the theme. It was a beautiful experience within the church. We left a profound message, encouragement, and hope for those present, as all tears brought to God become stars that take the name of our experiences with the Lord.
This day of prayer was also special because, in recent months, several women from the Adventist church have been assisting the 1,500 residents who were evacuated from their homes following the landslide on January 25, 2026, that destroyed part of the Sicilian city.
People called them “the girls in green T-shirts with big hearts” when they met them at the sports arena set up to house the displaced residents. The color green is that of ADRA (Adventist Development and Relief Agency), which has an office in the local church; the heart is that of the women who distributed about 200 meals every day to the evacuated families and the firefighters on duty, taking turns with other organizations.
The partnership with the city also extended to managing the warehouse where donations were received. And then there was the human element: the ability of the “green shirts” to stand by people in times of distress, offering help, with a listening ear, a smile, and a great deal of solidarity.1