Federal Way Book Club: Half the Sky Two Sessions

In a New York Times article, Martha Nussbaum writes:

“Women and girls die every day in large numbers all over the world, some from violence, some from what Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, in “Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide,” call the “diffuse cruelty of indifference”: inadequate medical care and other practices that betray a widespread undervaluation of the worth of female life.

In this passionate yet practical book, the authors argue that the struggle for gender equality is “the paramount moral challenge” of our era. It is also a development challenge: unleashing women’s energy, they argue, is a key to economic success. The authors’ stated aim is to “recruit” the reader to join a worldwide movement to end these abuses."

Let’s talk about it!

Join us for a two-session discussion on this "stirring and sensible" book and become equipped to join the worldwide movement to end slavery as presented by Pulitzer Prize author Sheryl WuDunn in her book Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide.

Who?

Women in the South Puget Sound Area

What?

Session 1 - Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide Chapters 1-7
Session 2 - Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide Chapters 8-14

Where?

Karen Marion's Home 31247 10th Ct. SW Federal Way, WA 98023

When?

Session 1 - June 6, 2011 7:00-8:30 PM

Session 2 - June 20, 2011 7:00-8:30 PM

Why?

To be equipped to be God's Hands extended to poor and marginalized women and children so that they can experience life in all its fullness.

How?

Make it a priority to purchase and read the book, mark your calendar and attend the discussion sessions. Email wovsouthpugetsound@gmail.com or RSVP here to let us know you plan to attend (or just come)!

Want to start another Half the Sky book club in your own area? Let us know and we'll get it advertised!

Bring a friend!

Running for IMPACTS - Team "Women of Vision"

Our own Jamie S. is heading up a Team World Vision Team that is planning to run the Seattle Rock n Roll 1/2 marathon on June 25th, 2011. So far, Annie, Julie and Brenda have all joined the team as well!

How about you?

Our team is running to raise money for IMPACTS, which stands for Improving Management of Programs and Aftercare for Children Trafficked and Sexually Exploited, in Cambodia. Over the past five years, World Vision has been a key player in establishing a network of partnerships that ensures vulnerable girls are receiving quality restorative care as they come out of Cambodia’s sex industry. World Vision and its partners (World Hope International, Hagar) create a case management plan for each child to support her in becoming physically, mentally, and emotionally well - until she can be reintegrated back into family or community life or is otherwise able to leave the residential facility.

Please see this link for more information about how you can get involved by joining the team and/or donating to this effort.

March Devotional

 Audacious Faith

 Bob Pierce’s most famous prayer, “Let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God,” has formed the basis for World Vision’s work alongside the poor and oppressed around the globe.

Bob Pierce's testimony of faith inspires us to step out of our comfort zone and do whatever we can to be God's Hands extended to poor and marginalized women and children to change the world one child at a time. What a privilege and honor we have in our small way to join this vision. Read what Rich Stearns says in his article below.

By Richard Stearns, President, World Vision U.S.

A risky, costly, reckless endeavor
Sixty years after founder Bob Pierce’s bold, audacious idea, World Vision has become a global organization whose presence in nearly 100 countries has helped change the lives of millions of children across multiple generations.

Bob Pierce’s most famous prayer, “Let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God,” has formed the basis for World Vision’s work alongside the poor and oppressed around the globe.

I sometimes wish that Bob Pierce had chosen a name other than World Vision when he founded our organization 60 years ago, in September 1950. If he had chosen a name beginning with an A, we would always be the first charity listed by the media after a natural disaster instead of the last.

But what a name — WORLD Vision. Ironically, Bob Pierce was denied his dream to be an Army chaplain in the 1940s because he had poor vision.

I have often mused over Bob Pierce’s sheer audacity. When he made his first trip to Asia in 1947, he barely had enough money to get to Hawaii, much less all the way to China. And he had to borrow an office from Youth for Christ in Portland, Ore., just to get the ministry started. So you have to love the recklessness of a guy who names his little charity “World Vision.” I think it made God smile.

A foundation that has shaped our identity
For 60 years, World Vision has lived by this risky, costly, and even reckless faith, believing that if we dared to follow Christ by going to the darkest and most dangerous places on earth, God would go before us and “be a lamp unto our feet” as we served the poorest of the poor in His name.

That unwavering conviction has led successive generations at World Vision into the pain of the world. Our courageous staff has faced earthquakes, famines, riots, cyclones, military coups, floods, pandemic diseases, and wars. They have lived among the broken, walked among the homeless, and given comfort to the widow, the orphan, the least, and the lost.

And they have done these things knowing the risk and paying the price but believing that God had called them for the great privilege of serving. Rarely does a year go by that doesn’t cost one or two of our staff their lives — seven have died this year alone.

Because of one man’s vision
That audacious faith of Bob Pierce has always characterized World Vision, and I dare to say it has changed the world for millions of children over the past six decades. That tiny seed planted in Asia in 1950 by one man has now grown into an organization of more than 40,000 men and women on six continents in 97 countries.

More than 3 million children are now assisted by sponsors worldwide, and 100 million people receive help of one kind or another — all because one man had the audacity to believe God and because millions more just like you were willing to join him.

World Vision...I think it still makes God smile.

Service Opportunity - Dinner for 50 for Network Tacoma - Monday March 14

It's that time of month again!
As you may know, each month, families served by Network Tacoma gather for training and learning activities. They bring their children. And the [small] staff at Network Tacoma feeds them ALL dinner. As part of our local service project, our chapter has volunteered to provide and serve this dinner on:

Monday, March 14th

Soma Building, downtown Tacoma

2320 Pacific Avenue

The dinner takes place from 6-7pm,

with prep and cleanup time before and after.

We try to interact with the families as much as possible, during the course of our service, so that we are feeding bodies and spirits!

We will prepare and serve a "Costco-style" lasagna dinner. We still need a few volunteers the night of the event. You do not neccessarily need to stay the whole time--you can volunteer to prep, serve and/or clean up. We also need someone each month to volunteer to do the shopping, and/or pre-cook the lasagna at home and bring it hot (either to the Soma building or to another chapter member who has volunteered to help serve.) Please email wovsouthpugetsound@gmail.com to volunteer.

Shopping Justly: All About Fair Trade - Conference Call March 8th

This call is open to all friends of Women of Vision!

Shopping Justly:  All About Fair Trade

4-5pm PST, on Tuesday March 8th

Call-in information is at this link.