ROAR 2026: More Than a Retreat. A Divine Invitation to Rise.

“There are some moments you experience that become markers in your life. Not because of where you travelled, but because of what God did in you while you were there.”

For three unforgettable days in May, women from every stage of life left behind busy diaries, family responsibilities, work schedules and the endless demands of everyday life to gather at Kents Hill Park, Milton Keynes, for the KICC Winning Women Retreat 2026.

Some arrived excited. Others came weary. Many came carrying questions only God could answer. But every woman arrived with one thing in common: a desire to encounter God.

This year’s theme, ROAR – Recognise. Organise. Agonise. Refocus was more than a conference title. It became a prophetic invitation for every woman present to rediscover her identity, strengthen her faith and find her voice again.

As one delegate simply put it:

“It was more than I hoped for.”

From Strangers to Sisters

Long before the first worship song was sung or the first sermon preached, something beautiful had already begun.

It started on the coach journey.

There was laughter.

There were games.

There was worship.

Conversations flowed effortlessly as women who had never met before found themselves sharing stories, encouraging one another and forming friendships.

“Most of us came as strangers,” one attendee reflected, “but by the time we got off the coach, we didn’t feel like strangers anymore.”

That sense of belonging only deepened upon arrival.

The beautiful surroundings, warm welcome and thoughtful hospitality immediately communicated something every woman needed to hear:

You are seen. You are valued. You are welcome.

For many, perhaps one of the greatest gifts was something wonderfully simple.

Rest.

One delegate shared how, after lunch, she fell into the deepest sleep she had experienced in months.

“That was when I realised how tired I really was.”

Sometimes God ministers before He even speaks.

Sometimes restoration begins with permission to stop.

A Weekend That Spoke to the Whole Woman

One reflection beautifully captured what made ROAR so unique.

“I thought I was coming just to pray, but it became so much more than a spiritual retreat. It ministered to my body, my soul and my spirit.”

There was no pressure to prepare meals.

No dishes to wash.

No endless list of responsibilities.

For a few precious days, women were cared for while being reminded that they, too, deserved to receive.

Every detail, from the accommodation to the meals, from times of personal reflection to joyful fellowship, created space for women to breathe again.

It wasn’t simply an event.

It was a ministry.

Learning to ROAR

The heart of the retreat came through the powerful teaching of guest ministers Pastor Christina Obeng and Pastor Atinuke Adesanya, who unpacked each letter of this year’s theme.

Recognise

Everything begins with identity.

Women were challenged to recognise who they are in Christ and to understand the season God has called them into.

Drawing from 2 Kings 6:16, they were reminded:

“Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.”

When we know who we are, fear loses its voice.

Confidence isn’t built on circumstances.

It is built on identity.

Organise

Using Queen Esther as an example, women were encouraged to live intentional, disciplined and ordered lives.

Purpose requires preparation.

Calling requires stewardship.

Organisation isn’t simply about diaries and schedules; it is about making room for God to move.

As delegates reflected afterwards, many left determined to become more intentional with their time, priorities and spiritual disciplines.

Agonise

Perhaps one of the most stirring messages of the weekend centred on prayer.

Not casual prayer.

Persistent prayer.

The kind of prayer that stands in the gap.

The kind of prayer that refuses to give up.

Women were reminded that they carry authority in Christ and that, like lions protecting their territory, they have been called to pray over their homes, children, marriages, businesses and future generations.

Prayer isn’t our last option.

It is our greatest weapon.

Refocus

The final challenge was one many women needed to hear.

Don’t remain trapped by yesterday.

Don’t become distracted by what doesn’t matter.

Keep your eyes fixed on God’s purpose.

Drawing from 1 Peter 5:8, women were encouraged to remain spiritually alert and move forward with renewed clarity, courage and conviction.

The Prayer Walk That Left a Lasting Mark

If there was one moment that surfaced repeatedly in conversations after the retreat, it was the Prayer Walk.

Groups of women spread across the beautiful grounds, praying passionately for families, marriages, children, businesses, churches, communities and one another.

Some walked for over an hour.

Others for nearly two.

But no one was left unchanged.

“It was unforgettable,” one delegate shared.

“It gave me the opportunity to stand in the gap for others.”

Another described the atmosphere simply as “powerful.”

There is something extraordinary that happens when hundreds of women lift their voices together in faith.

This wasn’t quiet religion.

This was spiritual warfare.

This was women choosing to roar.

A First Retreat That Felt Like Home

For Latoya van Niekerk, attending ROAR 2026 was particularly significant.

As both a first-time retreat attendee and a newer member of KICC, she arrived not quite knowing what to expect.

She left with something she hadn’t anticipated.

Family.

“It was refreshing and spiritually enriching,” she shared.

“I felt encouraged and challenged in my walk with God.”

The teaching impacted every area of her life, but what stayed with her most was the overwhelming sense of community.

“For the first time,” she reflected, “I could finally put names to the beautiful faces I see every week in church.”

The church had become a community.

Faces had become friends.

And fellowship had become family.

Leaving Different

As Saturday arrived, nobody was quite ready to leave.

The final Anointing Service, Breaking the Alabaster Box, became a beautiful moment of surrender, gratitude and commissioning.

There were tears.

There were embraces.

There were prayers whispered over one another before suitcases were packed and coaches began their journey home.

But while everyone left the venue, something remained.

Women returned home carrying a fresh vision.

Renewed strength.

Deeper friendships.

Greater confidence.

And a stronger desire to pursue God wholeheartedly.

As Sis Harriet reflected:

“We were reminded not to dwell on the past but to keep pressing towards the goal and the high calling of God for our lives, our families and our future.”

More Than Three Days

ROAR 2026 was never simply about spending three days away.

It was about creating space for God to restore weary hearts, strengthen faith and remind women who they are.

It was about moving from striving to surrender.

From isolation to sisterhood.

From weariness to refreshing.

From silence to boldness.

Women arrived carrying different stories.

But they all left with the same reminder.

They were never created to whisper.

They were created to ROAR.

To Pastor Yemisi Ashimolowo, thank you for your vision and heart for Winning Women. To our guest ministers, Pastor Christina Obeng and Pastor Atinuke Adesanya, thank you for faithfully delivering God’s Word with such wisdom and clarity. To every member of the organising committee and every volunteer who served with excellence behind the scenes, thank you for creating an atmosphere where women could encounter God and one another so meaningfully.

And to every woman wondering whether to attend next year’s retreat, let this be your encouragement.

Come expectant.

Come open.

Come ready.

Because God isn’t only interested in changing your circumstances.

Sometimes, He invites you away so He can change you.

And that changes everything.