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!