Another great opportunity!

 

Another great opportunity to meet Alice,

The President of Ordinary Women - Africa

from Kiminini, Kenya!

_____________

Sunday, October 23, at 3pm

Lifeline Community Fellowship (Kenyan Church)

7037 Orangethorpe Ave

Buena Park, CA 90620

_____________

Great Praise and Worship Team

Speaker: Alice Wanyama Wotia

Fellowship with Kenyan chai, mandazis, samosas … mmm…

Karibu! Welcome!

 

If you would like to be taken off the OWI contact list, please reply to this email with REMOVE as the subject line.

OWI Kenya Update, October, 2011

Hello Family and Friends of Ordinary Women, Inc. (OWI),

I hope this update finds you and your family well during this fall season.  I would like to introduce you to another one of our orphans in our Orphan Program in Kiminini, Kenya.  Her name is Rabecca, and she is eighteen years old.  Rabecca was born in the Mt. Elgon region in Kenya where she lived with her father, mother, two brothers, and one sister.  Her father was a businessman.  He used to buy potatoes from the villages, transport them by bicycle to a bigger town, and sell them there.  One day while riding his bicycle to town on business, he was hit by a vehicle and killed instantly.  This left Rabecca's mother, Emily, a widow with four small children. 

During the 2002 Kenya elections, inter-tribal clashes broke out in Kenya.  Anyone who was not a member of the dominant tribe in the area was run out by violence.  Rabecca's family had to flee for safety, leaving behind their home and their possessions.  They fled to Kiminini, hoping to find security and a place where they could rebuild their lives.  By the time they got to Kiminini, Emily had run out of money.  There is no welfare system in Kenya.  Not knowing anyone in town, she didn't know where to turn. 

At that time, she went to the Deliverance Church in Kiminini.  The church organized a fundraiser to raise enough money to rent a small room for Emily and her children to live.  Then, they did another fundraiser and raised enough money for Emily to start a small grocery business in the Kiminini marketplace.  This kind of a story is repeated over and over again in Kenya.  One or both parents die, and the widow(er) or children have to fend for themselves.  Emily, even with her very small business, was struggling to make ends meet for herself and her four children.  Many times in these situations, mothers have to make the difficult decision of sending the oldest children to live on the street while she continues to raise the youngest children because she cannot afford to feed and clothe them all.  Or the older children have to drop out of school and go to work in the fields or wherever they can find work to help the mother provide for the family. 

But this is not what happened to Rabecca and her siblings.  The OWI Kenya team in Kiminini saw how Emily could not care for her children as a single mother of four, so they offered to include the four children in the OWI Orphan Program.  Emily was so relieved and overjoyed with the help this program provides her.  No longer are Rabecca and her siblings starving, as they receive monthly food provision from the program.  Emily doesn't have to decide which of her children will not be able to attend school this year because the program provides school uniforms and tuition fees.  Emily does not worry what will happen if her children get sick, because the Program also provides de-worming medications, other medications if they become ill, and yearly medical checkups for each of the children and for Emily. 

Rabecca was in 6th grade when she and her siblings were invited into the Orphan Program.  She is now in high school.  Because of you, our generous donors, Rabecca not only dreams of the day she graduates from high school, but she is looking beyond that to a promising and hopeful future.         

If you are interested in supporting one of the orphans in our Orphan Program for just $35 a month, please go to our website at www.ordinarywomen.org where you can choose your orphan from the profiles.  Or you can write to us at:

                                                          Ordinary Women, Inc.
                                                   26861 Trabuco Road, Suite E#146
                                                         Mission Viejo, Ca. 92691
 
Joining Hands for Global Change,
Darla Morfin
Ordinary Women, Inc.
Executive Director-OWI Orphan Program

If you are no longer interested in receiving emails from OWI, please put "Unsubscribe" in the subject line and reply to this email.  Thank you.

An Exciting Event Is Coming!

 

Ordinary Women Inc. presents

 

Breakfast with Alice
The President of Ordinary Women - Africa!

On Saturday, October 22, from 9- 11am at
The Club at Rancho Niguel
24745 Rancho Niguel Road
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677

Come meet Alice and hear the first hand report on the amazing progress and impact that OWI programs have had in the Kiminini area in Kenya. She'll share how God has taken the ordinary people, like you and me, on an extraordinary journey to change lives of the multitudes.

Continental breakfast will be served.

R.S.V.P. to   marjaana@cox.net     by October 15. Thank you!

  
Welcome ! Karibu!

 

If you would like to be taken off the OWI contact list, please reply to this email with REMOVE as the subject line.

An opportunity to help Ordinary Women Inc.

Hi friends of Ordinary Women, Inc.

 

OWI is now participating in Ralphs grocery store Community Contribution Program.  This means that if you will register your Ralphs Rewards card, a small percentage of the amount of your shopping order will be donated to OWI each time you shop at Ralphs and swipe your card (or give them the phone number linked to your card).  There is no cost to you and this does not interfere with your personal award points.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

PROCEDURE TO REGISTER YOUR RALPHS REWARDS CARD ON LINE

 

1) Go to:  www.ralphs.com website

 

2) Hit the red SERVICES tab at the top of the page

 

3) Hit Community Contribution option

 

4) To link your rewards card with Ordinary Women, Inc.:

        Under Participant, Hit the ENROLL button

 

5) Sign in or create an account if you don't have one by clicking on:

        Get Started, Sign up Today in the Create an Account section and follow the step-by-step instructions

 

6) After you create your online account, then link your account with Ordinary Women, Inc. by editing your

    Community Contribution Information . 

 

7) "Find your organization":

    Enter 93234 or Ordinary Women, Inc. then hit SEARCH

 

8) Ordinary Women, Inc. will come up as an option - select it and hit SAVE CHANGES

 

9) That's it!  If you go to My Account and select Community Rewards you should see Ordinary Women, Inc.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

After you link your card to OWI, your purchases will begin counting for OWI within 72 hours.  You will know your Ralphs card is registered successfully because within 7-10 business days you will see on the bottom of your receipt the following blurb:  "At your request, Ralphs is donating to Ordinary Women, Inc."

 

This does not interfere with your individual rewards points. 

 

Do you have a Ralphs Rewards Card but don't remember the number? - call (800) 660-9003.

 

Please read the FAQs for a better understanding of the program and more information on how to register your card on line.

 

If you need any help registering your card please contact Ralphs at 1-800-443-4438

Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

 

Thank you so much for your support, we really appreciate it!  The proceeds will benefit the children in the Orphan Program.

 

ORDINARY WOMEN, INC.

Judy McCoy

 

 

If you would like your name taken off the OWI contact list, please hit REPLY and put REMOVE in the subject line.

OWI Kenya Update, September, 2011

Hello Family and Friends of Ordinary Women, Inc., (OWI)

It has been about a month since my return from Kenya.  I can't believe it, time has gone by so quickly.  We had another great trip to Kenya this year, and I want to share the highlights with you.  Each year I go, the trip is very different.  It is exciting to see what is going to happen every year.

This year, our team of 22 people consisted of nurses, doctors, social workers, therapists, educators, housewives, entrepreneurs, a high school student, and retirees.  We were such a diverse team coming together in unity for the people in Kiminini and the surrounding areas.  Each person that goes, pays his or her own way and/or raises the support needed for the trip.  In these difficult financial times, I know it took a lot of faith just to get to Kenya, even before the trip started.

The medical team partnered with medical staff from Kenya and went to two different slums neighboring Kiminini.  They worked tirelessly for two days, offering a free medical clinic to anyone who walked in.  They saw some extreme cases and saved some lives!  It was exciting hearing from them each day they returned to the house in the evenings.  I think in those two days they saw around 3000 people!  The second day I heard they finally took their lunch around 5pm.  We had a very dedicated team of medical volunteers this year.

While the medical team worked in the slums, I took a social worker and therapist from our team to meet with our Kenyan social workers and Ordinary Women, Inc Kenyan members.  Our US team members told me they loved the enthusiasm of our Kenyan social workers, and their desire to learn more to continue to help our orphans.  We provided trainings for the social workers, and the second day, we discussed some of our orphans who may have learning disabilities.  There is no testing in the Kenyan schools for learning disabilities.  How they handle this issue in Kenya is by the "stick" (this is what I'm told). 

On our team this year were two educators from the US who have their PhD's and their specialties in learning disabilities.  They met with us the second day to educate the social workers on learning disabilities, assist them in the process of talking to the Kenyan teachers about our orphans who may have learning disabilities and to talk about options for our orphans.  I went away from this trip with hope for these identified orphans and a plan to assist them.

Also, we got to go with these two educators to meet their orphans (that they sponsor in our program) for the first time in the orphans' homes.  They got to meet not only their orphans, but the orphans' guardians and families as well.  There was not a dry eye in those houses.  We all cried with joy in these meetings.  Then, we went with the social worker from the US, and her daughter who is a junior in high school in the US, to meet the orphan they sponsor at his boarding high school where he lives.  The high school has about 120 boys that live there.  They were all on the soccer field watching some of them play when we got to the school.  They stopped the game while Paul, the orphan walked from the field to meet his sponsor, Margarita and daughter Jada for the first time.  Again, another very moving and tear filled union of big hugs between Paul and his sponsors.  Each month, these sponsors, just like you, send their sponsorship to support their orphans, and they trust we are doing what we say we do with the money.  And when a sponsor gets to meet their orphan in person that they are sponsoring, it is a very emotional and joyous time!  This was a great afternoon together!

Each year, the ladies in Kiminini ask for a women's conference.  This year, they asked for a conference on how to handle stress in their daily lives.  Some of the nurses and doctors on our team shared some ways to lower stress, and then a lady from our US team who grew up in Kenya shared a message on handling stress in life.  The Kenyan women shared how they were blessed from the day, and I know I was blessed and encouraged by sharing this time with these strong Kenyan women.

The next day, we had the medical clinics for the yearly checkups for our orphans in our Orphan Program and for their guardians and their families.  This was one of the highlights of my trip.  All of our orphans are healthy!  This is the first year that none of our orphans had to go to the hospital.  There were a few who were ill but just needed (and were treated with) antibiotics.  They all look very healthy.  And, the guardians look healthier and younger than I've seen in previous years!  The guardians continue to tell me what a positive difference this Orphan Program has made in their lives, and I saw it in them physically this year.  It was amazing to see with my own eyes!  I praise God for this!

We also got to visit the OWI Cyber Cafe that opened in January, 2011 as a sustainability project for the Orphan Program.  It is up and running with a great staff there to teach internet classes and to assist people in surfing the internet.  All three times I visited the Cafe, it was full of people using the computers.  It is getting to the point where it is self-sustaining, and our hope is that soon it will begin to bring revenue to the Orphan Program.

We ended our time in Kiminini with going to church with our Kenyan partners and friends on Sunday.  In the afternoon, I was invited to an area church to speak in a surrounding village where we drilled one of our deep wells.  They had the official opening ceremony of the well (even though they have been using it since it was drilled) while I was there and gave me a drink of the fresh water.  It tasted so good!  It was a privilege for me to spend the afternoon with the people of Big Tree and to see what a difference in that little community the well has made. 

After seeing the majority of the team off to the US, Marjaana, Debbie, and I (three of the Ordinary Women, Inc. board members) stayed in Kenya to visit other programs that are a step or two ahead of us, so we could catch more of the vision for the direction ahead of us.  It was such a wonderful trip, and we got so much more accomplished than we could have ever imagined!

And this is all thanks to you, because again, without you, our sponsors, none of our programs in Kenya would be possible.  No fresh water wells would be dug, no medical teams would be able to go (the medicines and medical supplies used in the medical clinics are all donated), and we would have no Orphan Program.  So, thank you!

If you are interested in supporting one of the orphans in our Orphan Program for just $35 a month, please go to our website at www.ordinarywomen.org where you can choose your orphan from the profiles.  Or you can write to us at:

                                                          Ordinary Women, Inc.
                                                   26861 Trabuco Road, Suite E#146
                                                         Mission Viejo, Ca. 92691
 
Joining Hands for Global Change,
Darla Morfin
Ordinary Women, Inc.
Executive Director-OWI Orphan Program

If you are no longer interested in receiving emails from OWI, please put "Unsubscribe" in the subject line and reply to this email.  Thank you.

TBN taping - September 29, 2011

Hi friends of Ordinary Women, Inc.

 

Would you like to learn more about good health and how to take care of your body?  The next TBN (Trinity Broadcasting Network) taping is Thursday, September 29^th, and the guests will be talking about taking care of your health.  Come and join us as part of the live audience.  This is an enjoyable way to spend an evening and TBN will make a donation to OWI on your behalf – there is no cost to you! 

 

The proceeds benefit the children in the OWI Orphan Program in Kenya, specifically school uniforms and food.

 

    Thursday, September 29^th – Taking Care of Your Health

            Hosts:      Matt & Laurie Crouch

            Guests:  Dr. Scott Hannon (Chiropractor), Dr. Thomas Barnes, Dr. Jordan Rubin (Nutrition),

                        Dr. Richard Boener (Dentist)

*****Here are some answers to questions you might have*****

 

Yes, I want to come – what do I need to do?

            Reply to this email or directly to Judy at judykmccoy@cox.net to put your name on the list to reserve seats for you and your family/friends.  Feel free to forward this email to your small groups and friends. 

 

How much will this cost me?

            There is no cost to you, this is a freebie!  TBN will pay OWI a $20 stipend for each person in our group. 

 

Where am I supposed to go?

          Trinity Broadcasting Studio, 3150 Bear Street, Costa Mesa, CA  92711 

            The studio is on the second floor of the ornate white building near South Coast Plaza.

            There is ample free parking through the white gates in front of the building.

 

What time should I arrive?

          We need to be seated in the studio by 5:00. 

            The seating in the studio is limited and is assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.  

            Late-comers will be seated in the overflow room.

 

What if I cannot arrive until after 5:00?

            If you will let Judy know you are definitely coming but will be late, she can save you a seat in the studio.  Our telephones must be silent in the studio but you can text Judy at (949) 233-5340.

If you arrive after the studio door is closed, knock softly on the door - a TBN staff member is posted at the door to let you in, just say you are with Ordinary Women.

 

What time does the actual taping begin?

            The actual taping is from 6:00 PM to 8:00PM

 

Can I cut out early?

            Ordinary Women, Inc. will receive from TBN a $20 stipend for each person that stays until the end for a group picture, so we ask that you please stay for the picture.

 

Can I invite my family, friends and small groups?

            Absolutely!  We encourage this - but let Judy know their names as we must provide TBN with a list so they know how many seats in the studio to save for our group.  We must turn in the list by September 22nd.

 

What If I do not have my name on the TBN list and decide to come at the last minute?

            You are welcome to come to the taping even though your name is not on the list.  

            If you arrive by 5:00 you will be seated with the group in the studio.

 

Who do I contact to add or remove names from the TBN list or to ask questions?

            Feel free to contact Judy McCoy at judykmccoy@cox.net or call Judy at (949) 233-5340.

            We really appreciate your support!  Hope to see you there!

 

 

 

If you would like to be taken off the OWI contact list, please reply to this email with REMOVE as the subject line.

Team goes home

The team left a few
days ago except for Darla, Marjaana and I. There were some
organisations here that our friends in Buena Park wanted us to visit.
Steven and Rosemary Mbogo have a home for orphans in Ngong and we had
the opportunity to see their program. We also visited David and
Esther's school outside of the city of Nakuru, about halfway between
Naiobi and Kitale. What a blessing both these programs are to the
children of these areas. Alice, the president of OWI Africa met us at
the latter school and was able to stay with us for two nights. The
first night we met with our friends Greg and Deb Snell in Navasha.
They have been building a home for guests coming to Kenya for the last
few years and it is 99% finished. We were invited to dinner and then
stayed over at a friends cottage. She took us on a tour of the city
the next day and we talked all about her hopes and plans for the
future. Thanks Deb and Greg for your hospitality! After Darla left on
Sunday, Marjaana and I stayed on to wait for another team of three to
arrive . This team is under Marjaana's private tour company; The
Traveling Twiga. We will be returning to Kitale with the three for an
introduction of what OWI does in Kiminini. After four days there, they
will head out for a three day safari resort stay in the Masai Mara.
This is where my trip ends and I fly home. I've enjoyed my time in
Kenya but miss my family and friends very much. In the meantime we are
currently in Mombasa on the east coast of Kenya with our friends from
the US. Mumbi, her mom, Jeri and Lavin, her 9 year old son. We
traveled by overnight bus on Sunday to Mumbasa to see the sights and
get some much needed rest. The weather is warm and breezy with a bit
of humidity. The team left a few days ago except for Darla, Marjaana
and I. There were some organisations here that our friends in Buena
Park wanted us to visit. Steven and Rosemary Mbogo have a home for
orphans in Ngong and we had the opportunity to see their program. We
also visited David and Esther's school outside of the city of Nakuru,
about halfway between Naiobi and Kitale. What a blessing both these
programs are to the children of these areas. Alice, the president of
OWI Africa met us at the latter school and was able to stay with us
for two nights. The first night we met with our friends Greg and Deb
Snell in Navasha. They have been building a home for guests coming to
Kenya for the last few years and it is 99% finished. We were invited
to dinner and then stayed over at a friends cottage. She took us on a
tour of the city the next day and we talked all about her hopes and
plans for the future. Thanks Deb and Greg for your hospitality! After
Darla left on Sunday, Marjaana and I stayed on to wait for another
team of three to arrive . This team is under Marjaana's private tour
company; The Traveling Twiga. We will be returning to Kitale with the
three for an introduction of what OWI does in Kiminini. After four
days there, they will head out for a three day safari resort stay in
the Masai Mara. This is where my trip ends and I fly home. I've
enjoyed my time in Kenya but miss my family and friends very much. In
the meantime we are currently in Mombasa on the east coast of Kenya
with our friends from the US. Mumbi, her mom, Jeri and Lavin, her 9
year old son. We traveled by overnight bus on Sunday to Mumbasa to see
the sights and get some much needed rest. The weather is warm and
breezy with a bit of humidiThe team left a few days ago except for
Darla, Marjaana and I. There were some organisations here that our
friends in Buena Park wanted us to visit. Steven and Rosemary Mbogo
have a home for orphans in Ngong and we had the opportunity to see
their program. We also visited David and Esther's school outside of
the city of Nakuru, about halfway between Naiobi and Kitale. What a
blessing both these programs are to the children of these areas.
Alice, the president of OWI Africa met us at the latter school and was
able to stay with us for two nights. The first night we met with our
friends Greg and Deb Snell in Navasha. They have been building a home
for guests coming to Kenya for the last few years and it is 99%
finished. We were invited to dinner and then stayed over at a friends
cottage. She took us on a tour of the city the next day and we talked
all about her hopes and plans for the future. Thanks Deb and Greg for
your hospitality! After Darla left on Sunday, Marjaana and I stayed on
to wait for another team of three to arrive . This team is under
Marjaana's private tour company; The Traveling Twiga. We will be
returning to Kitale with the three for an introduction of what OWI
does in Kiminini. After four days there, they will head out for a
three day safari resort stay in the Masai Mara. This is where my trip
ends and I fly home. I've enjoyed my time in Kenya but miss my family
and friends very much. In the meantime we are currently in Mombasa on
the east coast of Kenya with our friends from the US. Mumbi, her mom,
Jeri and Lavin, her 9 year old son. We traveled by overnight bus on
Sunday to Mumbasa to see the sights and get some much needed rest. The
weather is warm and breezy with a bit of humidity. ty.

Join OWI for August 18th TBN taping

Hi friends of Ordinary Women, Inc.

 

We hope you are enjoying your summer!  We wanted to let you know that the next TBN (Trinity Broadcasting

Network) taping is Thursday, August 18^th.  Come and join us in the live audience of the studio taping.  This is an

enjoyable way to spend an evening and TBN will make a donation to OWI on your behalf – there is no cost to you.

 

The money donated will be used to purchase food for the children in the Ordinary Women, Inc. Orphan Program.  So

Mark your calendars and come on out – we would love to see you!

 

                                                              *****SCHEDULE*****

 Thursday, August 18th

            Host:     Paul Crouch, Jr.

           Guests: Pastor Raul Ries, Bob Hamer (former FBI), Chaplain Bob Barnett (fire Dept.),Tammy Trent

 Thursday, September 29^th – Taking Care of Your Health

            Host:      Matt & Laurie Crouch

            Guests:  Dr. Scott Hannon (Chiropractor), Dr. Thomas Barnes, Dr. Jordan Rubin (Nutrition),

                        Dr. Richard Boener (Dentist)

 

                                      *****Here are some answers to questions you might have*****

 

Yes, I want to come – what do I need to do?

            Reply to Judy at judykmccoy@cox.net to put your name on the list to reserve seats for you and your

             family/friends.  Feel free to forward this email to your small groups and friends. 

 

How much will this cost me?

            There is no cost to you, this is a freebie!  TBN will pay OWI a $20 stipend for each person in our group. 

 

Where am I supposed to go?

            Trinity Broadcasting Studio, 3150 Bear Street, Costa Mesa, CA  92711 

            The studio is on the second floor of the ornate white building near South Coast Plaza.

            There is ample free parking through the white gates in front of the building.

 

What time should I arrive?

            We must be seated in the studio by 5:00 at the latest.

            The seating in the studio is limited and is assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. 

            Late-comers will be seated in the overflow room.

 

What if I cannot arrive until after 5:00?

            Its okay, come when you can.  If you let Judy know you are definitely coming but will be late, she can save you

           a seat in the studio.

 

What time does the actual taping begin?

            The actual taping is from 6:00 PM to 8:00PM

 

Can I cut out early?

            Ordinary Women, Inc. will receive from TBN a $20 stipend for each person that stays until the end for a

            group picture, so we ask that you please stay for the picture.

 

Can I invite my family, friends and small groups?

            Absolutely!  We encourage this - but let us know their names as we must provide TBN with a list so they

           know how many seats in the studio to save for our group.  We must turn in the list by August 11^th.

 

What If I do not have my name on the TBN list and decide to come at the last minute?

            It is no problem.  You are welcome to come to the taping even though your name is not on the list.  

            If you arrive by 5:00 you will be seated with the group in the studio.

 

Who do I contact to add or remove names from the TBN list or to ask questions?

            Feel free to contact Judy McCoy at judykmccoy@cox.net or call Judy at (949) 233-5340.

            We really appreciate your support!

 

If you would like to be taken off the OWI contact list, please reply to this email with REMOVE as the subject line.

Orphan Day

Since the day we arrived till this day the weather has been good with just a small amount of rain each day but then the night after the medical clinics (which was a blessing) it poured most of the night On Friday it rained in the late afternoon right after the women left for home from the conference lots of them came from far away and this downpour was not the kind that you would keep walking in The pastors wife had to take refuge in the generator room just a few feet away from the office where we all were until the rain stopped With the Orphan Day coming up on Saturday we were praying for a clear day If it rained at all the kids wouldn't be able to play with the new balls and jump ropes we had purchased for them Saturday was start off early as there was to be a medical check up for each orphan before their crafts and party One of our biggest challenges is not having enough hands to finish things on time but with over 20 volunteers we thought we would be organized but nothing goes as planned in Kenya this time our van did not arrive at the time we had set that morning But despite the late start we rushed to get set up the kids were waiting for us and we were able to finish in time for the party Unfortunately it started to rain mid morning and the kids had to be moved inside the church for coloring projects and some crafts The kids didn't seem to mind The party started with the kids singing and reciting poems It's amazing how they can memorize a very long poem! Now came the time to sing happy birthday to them and cut the cake Every orphan got a new backpack along with some personal items school supplies and candy They were so excited to receive these things....they don't just get a new pencil or a bar of soap when they run out They have to wait until there is enough shillings from the sale of some vegetables in the garden or go gather firewood to sell at the market and then only after the daily needs are met is a pencil purchased So when we come with these gifts they are so happy thank you to all sponsors that helped to make it possible for these extra items to be purchased The day ended with an appreciation dinner held by OWI and GHP, an org that we are a part of and who helped support the medical clinics with money for medicine and people to do the work A long but satisfying day!

Sent from my iPhone

Women's conference

First stop this morning was to the OWI Global Cyber Cafe This was started in Jan of this year to help the Orphan Program begin to take care of itself As any new business it is working out the bugs but doing well The cafe has 8 computers 2 printers and soon a scanner Very impressive and promising as it is the only one in the Kiminini Market just across from the OWI base at the church Next stop was the church where the women of the surrounding communities had already arrived drinking tea and having bread and butter sandwiches In Kenya there is always refreshment and a bit of socializing before work When the music started it was like a call to come and many more women filled the church dancing and singing in worship The topic of the seminar was stress an issue in any country for women dealing with family work and life in general Our drs in the group gave helpful ways to reduce stress thru deep breathing which made most laugh but they tried it and agreed that it helped The next dr talked about how to identify tension in the body and how to relax those areas Our dr from Uganda spoke about how you took care of yourself could affect your stress levels along with caring for your body with the proper nutrition Last but not least was the segment on massage This was very interesting to all and almost everyone got to experience how this truly worked by taking turns giving massage to their neighbors For the next portion of the program the guardians of the OP came on stage to welcome us back with song and dancing Kenyans love to dance and sing as you can tell by how many times it is in the programs they put on A testimony from a friend from the US church in Buena Park ended the speakers then the singers gave one last 15 min finish song and dance We don't have to worry about gaining weight here we are always asked to join them up front and they never get tired!! A meal was prepared for the women that attended the conference and they started for home All of a sudden the clouds blew in thunder and lighting started to flash and clap then rain that sounded like it would knock the building down, not that the Kenyans looked worried I thought about the poor women walking home and wondering if they were close enough to some kind of cover to get out of the rain until it stopped Finally we sent the team home and OWI US had a meeting with OWI Kenya It was a long but satisfying day

Sent from my iPhone

Kipsongo and Matisi med clinics

Yesterday and today we have been seriously busy at these two clinics Kipsongo brought over 1500 sick people for our drs and nurses to treat It was an overwhelming sight to see and by the time we were thru we felt the tired thankfulness that we could be used to that extent After a meeting with the team on some of the things we saw and how we could have made it run smoother we jumped into bed only to get up a few hrs later to do it again in Matisi This location was at least an actual medical clinic and it made it easier to set up and we got started rapier We arrived at 730am and already there was along lint of moms with several children each waiting to be seen Our plan was to leave the clinic gates open until 400pm then close them and treat those who had a number but by 230pm we had reached our limit and had to shut the gates early When people hear that a clinic is in the area and hear it is free they spread the word fast bringing even more people than the immediate area Needless to say we saw just as many as the day before if not moreTomorrow there is no clinic but our schedule is none the slower we will be at our women's conference and several of the drs will be speaking at the Kitale District Hospital

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Hospital/school visits

Some have recovered from the jet lag and others are still feeling the effects. Most of the team was up and moving by 6am if not earlier. Our plans for the day was to divide into two groups, one to go visit the district hospital and the other to visit an elementary school. Having already seen the district hospital, I went to the school. We came back together for lunch in Kitale town, sharing our experiences. Of course the team that went to the hospital saw pain and suffering but also faithful Drs. and nurses that cared and did all they could to comfort and heal as best they could. The school team on the other hand saw smiling faces and got lots of "how are you" greetings. But still the standard of the classrooms, amount of kids per class along with the lack of resources.....not to mention the challenges that the teachers faced in trying to teach these precious kids made us wonder how anyone got through it without becoming discouraged. Today eyes were opened to the harsh realities that people face daily here in this country. Today we had three new team members arrive two Drs from Ca and a Dr from Uganda. This evening the team spread out the medicines all over the sitting room and began the job of packaging the pills in individual doses. It was a long night but they got it done. Marjaana and I had the opportunity to meet with the head of the chamber if commerce of the transnzoia area of which Kitale and Kiminini are a part of and the vice mayor of the same area also. Tomorrow the first of our three medical clinics, the first at Kipsongo slum

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Flight and first night in Kenya

Our arrival to the Tom Bradley terminal with 16 travelers and twice as many pieces of luggage could have caused alot of frustration but it went very smoothly! The team breezed thru and we boardedthe airplane for the very long first leg of our trip...15 hrs to Dubai. Then a quick walk to our next flight of 5 hrs to Nairobi. By the time we got thru customs and picked up our bags at 7pm Kenya time, we were ready for a good nights sleep. After breakfast the next morning we headed back to the airport for our final flight to Kitale. As we weaved our way thru the the morning rush hour traffic, the familiar sights and the smell of the cooking fires brought back memories of previous trips. Most of our team has not been to Kenya and it was exciting to see the country from their perspective. Our host for the week has provided a very comfortable place for us and we are looking forward to tomorrow when we will go shopping in Kitale for the medical supplies and other needs so that we can start preparing for the medical clinic that will be on Wednesday.

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Flight out of LA and first night

Our flight began at the Tom Bradley terminal with 16 travelers and double that amount in check in bags! The rest of our team met up with us in Nairobi. The long 15 hr flight to Dubai and then the next considerably shorter one to Nairobi, 5 hrs, went smoothly and the entire team was comfortable. After we collected our bags and boxes the majority of the team headed for the guest house for the night. Marjaana and I along with Gideon our driver and Dr Senessie waited for another traveler from the UK. The jetlag was beginning to hit me and I was glad to finally get to bed at midnight. Breakfast found the team refreshed and ready for the next leg of our trip...to Kitale and our final destination,Kiminini for the week. As we navigated the morning rush hour traffic back to the airport, the familiar sight and smells of the cooking fires welcomed us back. Karibu! Welcome! It's the beginning of lots of good things....to God be the glory!

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First day Nairobi leaving for Kitale

Our arrival to Tom Bradley terminal went smoothly with no mishaps. With 16 flying from LA and double that in check ins, you can imagine how one overweight bag could hold up the team. But that was not the case. The flight to Dubai was a long 15 hrs and then another 5 hrs to Nairobi. Can you believe there was no complaints? Its true, everyone was comfortable, we have a great team and I'm looking forward to the week. Once we got thru customs, the majority of our team went to the guest house while Marjaana and I along with our friend Dr. Senessie from Switzerland waited for our UK team member at the airport. Breakfast this morning told us that all slept well and are ready for the next flight to Kiminini. As we navigate the Nairobi traffic to catch our flight to our final destination, the familiar sights and smells of the cooking fires welcome me back. Today we will go to the church and greet our OWI Kenya counterparts and then settle into our guest house for the week while in Kiminini.

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From the team leader

Here are some more highlights of what we will be doing while in Kenya from our team leader Marjaana:  The annual Women's Conference usually draws 300-400  women, who have been asking about the upcoming conference since February! There will be lots of singing and dancing, laughter and even tears, as we share our life experiences and discuss their requested topic of Coping with Stress - approaching it from the spiritual perspective as well as from the clinical side.
 
The mobile medical clinics have expanded even further. This year we have several doctors and nurses in our team in addition to our partner doctors from Switzerland, U.K., Uganda and from elsewhere in Kenya joining our hosting medical community in Kitale town. It is very exciting to see the collaborative efforts bearing fruit! We will facilitate the clinics in two slums, a church (our orphans and guardians) and a small team will treat a remote village. Many of the people have never seen a doctor before, as they live on less than $2 a day, so there is no money to go seek medical care anywhere. Thousands will be receiving free treatment - and hope in knowing that somebody cares about them. Many have testified that they feel that God has answered their prayer by sending us from the other side of the world to help them.
 
Our doctors will also do a health seminar for the Kenyan health care workers. The social workers will have their own training meetings with their Kenyan counterparts and the teachers will volunteer in a school. I will be meeting with a potential future president of Kenya about the success and expansion of our community development programs, which I am very excited about. Just hoping for his favorable word when our Kenyan chapter is applying for government grants there. At least he is interested enough to discuss it!

OWI upcoming trip

Hi all,
Well this is definitely an exciting time for me and for OWI, as we are busy preparing for the annual trip to Kenya July 23rd.  I have been preparing for so long that I can't believe it's only 2 weeks away!  This year we are traveling with 22!  Its a great team of all sorts of people...doctors, nurses, teachers, and young energetic teens!
As I carefully think through the packing of my bags so as not to exceed the weight limit, I am reminded of how fortunate I am to once again be able to make this trip. God has been gracious to me in allowing me to go once again.

 

As you can see on the itinerary below, we will be doing many things while in Kiminini. There will be a Women's Conference, 2 public medical clinics and one for our orphans along with the Orphan Day especially for them. This is the day that the orphans look forward to all year long and we hope to make it as special as we can. On this day the orphans and their guardian families will come for a fun day of activities, crafts, a healthy lunch and then we will end the day with a huge birthday cake lit with candles to celebrate their birthdays. Birthday gifts of school items, personal items and some treats are given to each orphan along with a personal card from their sponsors.  It's such a sweet sight to see the excitement in their eyes! The orphans themselves have also been planning a special event to present to us, spending lots of hours learning poetry, songs and dances to entertain us. This is a treat we are so looking forward to!

I will be staying a few days after the team leaves with two others from OWI. We will be visiting other organizations around Kenya and looking into how we might be able to join hands with them in helping to support the children in other areas of this precious country.

 

Most of our prayer needs are of course, for safe travel and good health. Also when we are in country, there are many sights and stories that are heart breaking which can make us feel inadequate in how little we can do. By trying to "fix" situations we could cause more harm than good. Please pray that we can be good listeners and act as God would want us to, not how we think we should.

 

I will be blogging as much as I can on what is going on when I can.  Just go to www.ordinarywomen.org and click on the "Visit the OWI Blog" link on the top left side of the site. Become a follower to get updated about the trip.

 

I look forward to sharing with you all.

Debbie

 

 

 

Tentative Itinerary

7/23    Sat              Depart LAX at 9:45AM

7/24    Sun              Arrive in Nairobi at 7:05PM. Overnight at Gracia Guesthouse.

7/25    Mon             Fly to Kitale in AM. Get settled in Guest House.

                             Afternoon/evening visit with hosts and medical team

7/26    Tue              AM - Visit to school  / SW Meeting

PM - Preparation for clinics and OP day

7/27    Wed             Clinic Day at Kipsongo: Health talk + medical, HIV testing

                             SW meeting /Training

7/28    Thu             Clinic Day at Matisi: Health talk + medical, HIV testing

                             SW meeting / Training

7/29    Fri               8 – 10 - Seminar for Health Care workers at Kitale District Hosp.

10 - 4 - Women's Conference : Dealing with Stress

7/30    Sat              AM - Clinic for Orphans / Guardians/ Crafts & Games for kids

                             PM - Orphans' Annual Birthday Party PM

Appreciation Event (evening) for clinic Health Care workers

7/31    Sun              Church

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Debbie
"We are moved by our love for Him!"
_______________
949 280-7987
Ordinary Women, Inc.
Joining Hands for Global Change
26861 Trabuco Rd. Suite E-146
Mission Viejo, Ca  92691-3535
www.ordinarywomen.org

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REMINDER ABOUT TBN TAPING JUNE 16th

Just wanted to remind you that the Ability in Disability TBN taping is next Thursday, June 16, 2011.

 

This should be a pretty inspirational program as we learn about the ministries of these Godly people in spite of tough circumstances.

 

For those of you who have already let us know you are coming – thank you!

 

For those of you who would like to come and have not let us know – please do so now as we need to reserve a seat for you in the studio or you will be seated in the overflow room.

 

For those of you who are not able to come – keep our future TBN dates in mind:

    Thursday, August 18th

            Host:     Paul Crouch, Jr.

           Guests: Bob Hamer, (former FBI), Chaplain Bob Barnett (fire Dept.)

                        Tammy Trent, Pastor Raul Ries

    Thursday, September 15th

            Host:      John Tesh

            Guests:  To be announced

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 *****Here are some answers to questions you might have*****

 

Yes, I want to come – what do I need to do?

            Reply to this email so we can put your name on the list to reserve seats in the studio.  You can come at the last minute, but you will view the taping from the overflow room.  Feel free to invite your small groups and friends. 

 

How much will this cost me?

            There is no cost to you, this is a freebie!  TBN will pay OWI a $20 stipend for each person in our group that stays until the end for a group picture

 

Where am I supposed to go?

            Trinity Broadcasting Studio, 3150 Bear Street, Costa Mesa, CA  92711 

            The studio is on the second floor of the ornate white building near South Coast Plaza.

            There is ample free parking through the white gates in front of the building.

 

What time should I arrive?

            We will start gathering at 4:30 and must be seated in the studio by 5:00.

            The seating in the studio is limited and is assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.

            If you are definitely coming but will arrive after 5:00 then let us know and we can try to save you a seat in the studio.

 

Who do I contact to add or remove names from the TBN list or to ask questions?

            Feel free to email info@ordinarywomen.org or call Judy McCoy at (949) 233-5340.

 

We hope to see you on Thursday – June 16^th!

ORDINARY WOMEN, INC.

Judy McCoy

 

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