::BEAUTY FOR ASHES::

Beauty for Ashes is an interdenominational, faith-based, non-profit organisation bringing encouragement and hope to women in southern Africa. We want women to know just how much God loves them and to leave our conferences feeling uplifted, encouraged and inspired, and able to grow in faith through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

We do this by having ‘real women’ share their stories, honestly and with humour, about how God helps them deal with ‘real’ issues. We offer first-rate conferences and also resources, books and a dynamic website.

OUR SLOGAN: Real women Real lives Real faith

HISTORICAL TIMELINE

1996

• Speakers: Anne van Niekerk and Vikki Chilvers
• Theme: Putting Down Roots in Christ – Anne van Niekerk
• Theme: What a Woman Can Do – Vikki Chilvers
• Held at the YFC campsite, CYARA, in the Magaliesberg
• About 230 women attended

1997

• Speakers: Walty and Colleen Snyman
• Held at Henly-on-Klip
• Theme: Becoming the Woman God Wants You to Be
• Special event: ‘Mad Hatters High Tea’ with musicians, Derek and Linda Gordon, arriving in period costume in a horse-drawn carriage

1998

• Speakers: Marlene Holtzhausen, Julia Blackbeard and Rex Mathie
• Theme: Walk in the Light
• Drama: The Covenant Players
• Special event: ‘Masks Until Midnight’ late night supper
• Held at Good News Conference Centre, Honeydew, for the next ten years from 1998 to 2007

1999

• Speaker: Jill Briscoe
• Conference theme: Prayer That Works
• Guest mime artist: Meilene Chalklin

1999

• Held a conference for Women in Ministry
• Speaker: Jill Briscoe
• Theme: Renewal on the Run
• Special event: An African Breakfast
• Special dinner: If Music Be the Theme of Love, Play On…
• About 85 women in ministry attended

2000

• Speaker: Kathleen Porter, missionary from Russia
• Conference theme: There is a Season…
• Special event: International dinner
• Guest dancers: Verna Snyers and Yolande Murphy

2001

• Speakers: Judy Mbugua from Kenya, and Maureen Onions
• Theme: The Spirit of the Lord is Upon Me to be a Woman of God in Today’s World
• Guest dancers: Verna Snyers and Jessica Lee
• Drama: The Covenant Players
• Special event: ‘Grace Odyssey 2001’ dinner

2002

• Speakers: Linda Strom and Terry Meeuwsen (700 Club presenter)
• Conference theme: Beauty for Ashes
• From this time on Beauty for Ashes became our name
• Guest artist: Andre de Villiers
• Guest dance group: Rejoice Dance Company
• Special event: ‘Princess and Pauper’ dinner

2002

• Held a separate conference for Women in Ministry
• Speakers: Linda Strom and Terry Meeuwsen
• Theme: Be Still and Know That I am God
• Special dinner: Winter Wonderland
• Special event: Thanksgiving breakfast
• About 100 attended

2003

• Speakers: Jill Briscoe and Judy Briscoe Golz
• Conference theme: Building Better Relationships
• 400 women attended

2003

• Held a separate conference for Women in Ministry
• Speakers: Jill Briscoe and Judy Briscoe Golz
• Theme: Heart Hunger – Heart Cry
• About 120 attended

2004

• Speakers: Angela Thomas and Chante Hinds
• Guest artist: Pianist Andre Kempen
• Guest dancer: Denise Auths
• Conference theme: When Wallflowers Dance
• 600 women attended

2005

• Speaker: Liz Curtis Higgs
• Guest artist: Babbie Mason
• Guest ballet dancers: Iain and Karen MacDonald
• Guest mime artist and dancer: Meilene Els and Denise Auths
• Conference theme: Loved by God
• 900 women attended
• Christian Living Today magazine partners with us

2006

• Speakers: Angela Thomas and Cheryl McGuinness
• Conference theme: A Beautiful Offering
• Guest artists: Janine Price, Linda Gordon, Trevor Sampson, Abigail Layman, Lyndon Petersen
• Guest dancers: Xander and Ansua Steyn, Marlee van der Merwe
• Guest dance and drama group: 13th Floor (formerly C-Kruis)
• Our first double conference over two weekends to accommodate the numbers
• 1800 women attended over two weekends
• Struik Christian Media partners with us

2007

• Speakers: Priscilla Shirer and Julie Ann Barnhill
• Conference theme: Indescribable God!
• Guest artists: Lionel Petersen, Stella Katombe, Ansua Steyn
• Guest dance and drama: 13th Floor
• Guest ballet dancers: Iain MacDonald and Lorna Maseko
• 2000 women attended (1000 at each conference) – we were unable to accommodate all the women who wanted to attend

2008

• Speakers: Carol Kent and Anita Renfroe
• Moved to Mosaiek Teatro, a 3,000-seater auditorium in Johannesburg, AND held a Pre-conference
• First ever Beauty for Ashes conference in Cape Town!
• Conference theme: Celebrate! He is our hope!
• Pre-conference theme: Choices That Will Change Your Life!
• Guest ballet dancers: Iain MacDonald and Sarah Hurter
• Cape Town Pre-conference: 450 women attended
• Cape Town Conference: 850 women attended
• Johannesburg Pre-conference: 1,400 women attended
• Johannesburg Conference: 2,500 women attended
• Radio CCFM (Cape Community FM) partners with us

2009 (May)

• Speaker: Liz Curtis Higgs
• Guest artist: Babbie Mason
• Guest ballet dancers: Iain MacDonald and Lauryn Summerley
• Conference theme: Beneath His Wings (the book of Ruth)
• Johannesburg Conference: 1,700 women attended
• Cape Town Conference: 600 women attended
• New venue in Cape Town: Common Ground Church, Rondebosch

2009 (Sept)

• Speaker: Angela Thomas
• Guest artist: Nicole C. Mullen
• Opening soloist: Oliver Toorn
• Guest artist: Neville D – Cape Town only
• Conference theme, Cape Town: A Beautiful Life
• New Cape Town venue: His People Conference Centre, N1 City
• Cape Town conference: 650 women attended
• Cape Town, Nicole C. Mullen concert at the Lighthouse: 450 attended
• Conference theme, Johannesburg: Do You Know Who I Am?
• New Johannesburg venue: New Life Conference Centre, Bryanston
• Johannesburg conference: 1,400 women attended
• One Gospel (channel 331 on DSTV) partners with us

So far this is a total of 23 conferences in 14 years! Literally hundreds of women have found Christ or re-dedicated their lives to Christ. 2010 will be our 15th year with two more conferences planned for May.