Launch of WOGA: Seattle!

WOGA: Seattle launched on Sunday, October 11 with lots of enthusiasm and a desire to connect women who are concerned about justice issues facing women globally.

The meeting began with a showing of "The Girl Effect" video (look for it on You Tube) which demonstrates the beneficial domino effect of dedicating resources to girls.

One of the women in the group is the Mom of a woman in WOGA:LA. The woman from WOGA: LA had come up to us earlier in the year to say she thought her Mom would love WOGA. At that time, there was no WOGA: Seattle. How neat that we were able to reconnect with her and that she joined us at our first meeting!

Welcome to WOGA, WOGA: Seattle - we know great things are ahead for you!

WOGA North America Chapter Leaders Meet in Colorado Springs

Leaders from five of the eight North America Chapters of WOGA met together in gorgeous Colorado Springs (home of Women of Global Action's Executive Office) to cheer each other on and share ideas for the coming year. States represented included: Washington, Colorado, Texas, Florida and California.

Cathy Schmidt, WOGA: Tampa Bay's leader, shared with us how she'd gotten excited about what God is doing through women across the world. Before starting her chapter she had been to a WOGA meeting where WOGA's global leaders were talking about their ministries and Cathy said to herself, "These women are putting their lives on the line - what am I doing?" Then she went back home and started WOGA: Tampa Bay which has been going strong now for almost two years.

Two members of the WOGA: Colorado Springs leadership team had similar stories of returning to the United States after fantastic trips to Africa and wondering how they would keep their newly found global passion alive. They connected with WOGA: Colorado Springs, joined the leadership team and are now inviting other women to join the journey.

We're all looking forward to another good year of connecting with women who are passionate about what God is doing through women globally.

WOGA Chapters Coming in Seattle and Glendora

WOGA North America is soon to welcome two more chapters! WOGA: Seattle will hold their first meeting on October 11 and WOGA: Glendora (35 minutes east of LA) is in the planning stages.

Katey Sherbondy of Seattle went to the Trafficking Forum held by WOGA : Colorado Springs and felt God was putting it on her heart to do something! Namely, to bring WOGA to Seattle If you have any friends there - tell them about this chapter!

Shelley Ulrich in Glendora has been globally connected through her work as Mission Director at Glenkirk Church in Glendora. Although she knew about WOGA, she didn't know we were active in North America as well as around the world. When she went to WOGA's website and discovered that we had local chapter in North America, she thought - I want to start one of those in Glendora!

Welcome Katey and Shelley! We look forward to great things from WOGA : Seattle and WOGA: Glendora!

WOGA: LA Hosts Raven + Lily Travelers

In a whirlwind tour of 3 countries, 2 Raven + Lily designers, 2 WOGA staffers and a film-director-Raven + Lily-spouse met the leaders and artisans of WOGA's East Africa women's coops to begin their fabulous partnership (see blog entry below).

Brandon Dickerson (aka film-directing-spouse) and Lori Fox (Raven + Lily designer) shared from their trip at the recent WOGA: LA meeting.

Ever wonder how men's and women's lives change when their countries are racked by war, genocide and AIDS? Brandon told us that on Sunday in Burundi, the pastor had three points to his sermon: Rape, murder and forgiveness. He encouraged women who had been raped to bring their pain to Christ and challenged any men who had brought knives into the service to turn aside from violence. This is the daily reality of the women in WOGA Burundi's sewing and salon cooperatives.

Lori shared from the heart about how her own faith was strengthened by the faith she saw lived out by the African women artisans.

We had a great time connecting with each other at the meeting as there were women present from the soon-to-be-forming WOGA: Glendora (35 minutes east of LA) as well as our own WOGA: LA members.

Thank you, Brandon and Lori, for sharing your trip and your hearts with us so enthusiastically! Stay tuned for the opening of Raven + Lily's online shop (www.ravenandlily.com) for uniquely creative jewelry, house goods and more crafted by WOGA artisans in East Africa and India as well.