WOGA: LA joins Trafficking Outreach

Last week three members of WOGA: LA joined the regular LA Trafficking Outreach group. One of the members, Kelli, shares her experience below:

It was an hour of my life that I spent walking into the problem instead of driving around it. We didn't know exactly what we were doing, but were challenged and needed to ask for God's help and guidance. All we knew was that something corrupt is happening in our city, to our sisters and to God's children, and it must stop. We talked to small business owners in massage parlors, grocery stores and restaurants. We discerned what to ask and how. Human Sex Trafficking is vaguely defined and understood in Los Angeles; a city that is home to people from more than 140 countries, who speak at least 92 different languages. Trafficking is well-hidden and no one can cure a disease that doesn't have a name. Outreach members hit the streets of several ethnic enclaves seeking to define the silent injustice of human sex trafficking and, in the process, becoming the solution. I left that evening feeling that in all the unknowns, we did exactly what God asked us to do, and I experienced a sense of purity in purpose that I haven't felt in more than 4 years living in Los Angeles.

These outreaches take place weekly - email us if you want to come.

Thread Foundation Off and Running!

Thread Foundation Co-Founders, Misty and Rhonda

This past weekend, the Thread Foundation held a designer sample sale in support of putting a stop to modern day slavery.

The Thread Foundation grew from the dreams of two women formerly employed in the world of fashion-design. Misty Ulan and Rhonda Waller-Bautista (WOGA: LA member!) worked down the hall from each other. They would talk regularly about how great it would be to create something completely new together. (www.threadfoundation.com)

That dream is now reality. The Thread Foundation held its third event last weekend and will hold two more before the year ends. They have designer clothing (at greatly reduced rates), they have customers, they have cash registers ringing up sales. And they also have something that other sample sales do not: they are donating a portion of their profits to the Polaris Project (www.polarisproject.org). Polaris has been active in the fight against human trafficking since 2002 when two students from Brown University began to question what they could do to make a difference in the fight against slavery.

If you want to spend an inspiring hour or two - head down to the Garment District for the Thread Foundation's upcoming sample sale on December 7&8. Better yet, if you'd like to volunteer with them, they can use your help. Interested? Contact Rhonda at: rhonda@threadfoundation.com.

Wall Declaration as you enter Sample Sale

WOGA Brazil Conference Draws Almost 300 Women

Women at Recent WOGA Brazil Conference

Women from all over Brazil gathered for three days in Brasilia to consider the theme, "Praying for Genuine Revival". Workshop topics included: Inner Healing, Rejection and Self-Esteem in Christ, Intimacy with God during Day to Day Life and Social Action as a Reflection of Revival. This conference is held every two years for women from WOGA Brazil's network.

Nancy, whose husband had died suddenly of a heart attack just two months previous, found the conference to be a real encouragement. She felt her hope restored as she was able to connect with other recently widowed women who were being used by God in powerful ways.

Another emerging leader in attendance shared with Emily Voorhies, who attended from Women of Global Action's Colorado office, that she was amazed to discover that God wants to work through her even though she considers herself young and inexperienced.

As the women met over these three days and nights, other women had been assigned to pray for them 24/7. We look forward to great things from WOGA Brazil as these women return to their cities with a renewed sense of what is possible as God works through women.

WOGA: LA Workshop on Trafficking Prevention

Women at Workshop

"It's great to get information and be impacted by the hugeness of trafficking, yet be empowered at the same time to do something about it. Both of these things happened for me," said Julie Reid-Marks, Fuller student, after attending WOGA: LA's workshop on Trafficking Prevention.

The workshop was led by Bekah Cooke, formerly of the Salvation Army's Rescue Project and Charity Marquis, Director of NightLight USA (see www.nightlightbangkok.com).

They shared stories from their current work in LA and taught us how to:

*talk to business owners about trafficking,
*offer resources for where trafficking situations do exist,
*talk to potential and actual victims about their situation.

We also watched Ellen Bruno's documentary, Sacrifice, in which young Burmese girls trafficked into Thailand share their stories.

NightLight's beautiful jewelry was for sale at the event. This jewelry is made by women rescued from the bars in Bangkok's red light districts.


Now that we have been trained, we are welcome to participate in Bekah and Charity's weekly prevention outreaches. If you wish to join them but couldn't attend this workshop, email us and we'll let you know when and where their next training is. What a great way to make an impact on trafficking!

WOGA Korea Conference Draws 3500 Women

WOGA's recent conference in Seoul, Korea drew women from 70 different countries. The purpose was to invest in the lives of emerging women leaders in the areas of the world where Christ is least known.

Among those who spoke was the widow of one of the martyred pastors in Turkey. Her story was a good reminder of what it means to live for Christ in the face of persecution.

Helen Loong, WOGA Hong Kong's Director, brought a group of 40 women from Hong Kong to the conference. She told the story of how one among her group was touched by the wonderful Korean hospitality. One day it rained. A Korean woman took a towel to wipe the rain off of the coat of one of the women from Hong Kong. This woman began to cry and embraced the Korean woman. The woman from Hong Kong serves handicapped children. As one used to serving, she was deeply touched to be served in such a practical way.

Korean media offered two opportunities for Emily Voorhies, WOGA's Executive Director, to share about the work of WOGA. Instead of the two 15 minute slots she expected, each slot lasted a full hour!

Learn more about the conference at: www.wogakorea.org.

New Chapters in the Works!

Fenny Ang

During the recent Global Action meetings in Colorado, women in the US, Canada and Singapore found themselves so encouraged both by the amazing work being done by our WOGA sisters globally and by the fact that WOGA: LA exists that they are in the process of starting their own chapters!

Barb Prefontaine in Canada has already developed their WOGA charter and their first meeting was this week! Special guest was Peace Nihorimbere, WOGA Leader for Burundi and Rwanda.

Fenny Ang, Global Action Board Member, is working on getting WOGA Singapore up and running. She is planning step one by inviting potential WOGA leaders on a vision trip to India this December.

Beatriz Balbuena and Missy Barron in Houston have a vision for WOGA Houston. They are praying and looking for women to join their leadership team.

Debbie Christian in Colorado Springs continues to feel that WOGA needs a chapter in their city. She hopes to have their introductory meeting this spring.

Pray for these women as they ask God what's next for their chapter!

WOGA fights FGM in Africa

Peace Nihorimbere, Judy Mbugua

PACWA, the Pan African Christian Women Assembly, is WOGA's partner throughout Africa. One of their projects trains churches as to the harmful effects of FGM. They have put out a book and a video and are showing the video to churches and are seeing positive results.

The FGM ceremonies usually happen in December, so PACWA women go from school to school in the months prior doing camps and showing the video. They train the girls and then tell them to go home and train 7 others. PACWA women in Kenya are now raising funds to build a center so that young women who say no to FGM will have a place of refuge. So far they have raised $300,000!

For more information on PACWA, see:
http://www.aeafrica.org/commissions/pacwa/htm

Wife of V.P. of Burundi Joins WOGA meetings

Marie-Claire Ndayikunda

Marie-Claire Ndayikunda, wife of the first Vice President of Burundi, is a childhood friend of Peace Nihorimbere, WOGA's Regional Leader for Rwanda and Burundi. Through this friendship, Marie Claire has come to be a member of WOGA Burundi. She and her husband were in the US attending UN meetings during the week that Global Action held our global staff conference and so was able to join us.

Marie-Claire said that the women of WOGA in Burundi have visited orphans and widows in slums where she has yet to visit. She said, "we love you, WOGA!"

Marie-Claire works with vulnerable families and says she enjoys providing children with things that she missed having as she grew up. She was raised in a poor family of 10 children and had her first pair of shoes in grade 7.

Marie-Claire asked that we pray for her for these things:

1. That God will help her to do the work He has given her to do,

2. That she would not wait, but would move forward in this work with whatever resources she has at hand.

On behalf of our chapter, Marie-Claire was given one of the beautiful little notebooks made by WOGA: LA member, Rhonda Waller-Bautista for our recent event at Descanso Gardens. Let's be sure to pray for her!