A FEMALE church minister from Yate has flown out to Angola on a brave New Year's mission.

Rev Jenni Entrican, of Chipping Sodbury Baptist Church and Yate-based Jacob's Well, arrived in the war-scarred country on January 2 for a two week missionary.

Along with four other female ministers, Ms Entrican is to investigate a woman's role in the church and community inside the male-dominated society.

The women will spend time in the capital Luanda and the northern province of the Angola.

They will preach, lead women's meetings and share experiences.

The missionary is in association with BMS World Mission, Angola, despite being one of the Africa's major oil producers, is one of the world's poorest countries.

A 27-year civil war in the country, which ended just six years ago, killed nearly half a million people.

Mary Parsons, a health worker on the mission, said: "It will be a two-way blessing as the team look and study scripture together with the Angolan women and share a little of what life is like for the Angolan women.

"It will be the rainy season when the team arrives. In Luanda traffic jams are the norm. We pray that getting about the city may not be too difficult."

Pete Nicholls, fellow church leader at Jacob's Well, said: "We are right behind Jenni in our prayers.

"While we are appropriately concerned, we are also confident that she will return safely from, what will be, an amazing experience for her.

"She won't come back the same person."

The women are due back in the UK on January 15.