The necklaces Not for sale at this time...

So sorry ladies.... I just received an email from Leah (who dreamt up the Freedom Stones project and works for World Concern in Thailand) that she has had a major family emergency and might be moving back home to the states as soon as next week. I do not have any details but she asked for prayer for her family. In the meantime, Freedom Stones is on hold... I am sorry if anyone was wanting to order them! Let's pray. I'll post details as I have them...

Order Freedom Stone Necklaces

Here are some of the examples of what these women can do! The Jewelry averages from $35-$50, believe me, they are worth every penny and then some. Each necklace is so well made. Each piece has meaning. I bought the red thick-stoned one with the silver pieces. It was $50. The women can also make long beaded necklaces that hang down for a bit less cost. I would suggest everyone in our Women of Purpose group order a necklace. It makes you feel so proud when you wear it. If you have questions about this please contact me.

corriewest@yahoo.com (206)349-0734 

Freedom Stones and Girl Power Hour

Sorry it has taken me a week to write about this great event, but here it goes...

I took on the mission to sell Freedom Stone necklaces at this great women's networking event in down town Seattle "Girl Power Hour." This was a great success! I sold all 10 of the necklaces and all of the money went to help continue this project in Thailand. These necklaces are so amazing and special. They are hand made by a missionary and Thai women who have survived and gotten out of the sex trade and prostitution rings in Thailand. The money goes to help continued support in the mission to provide micro loans, training facilities and safe houses for these women. I am very proud to say that I have helped to get the word out about this project to a group who would have otherwise been unknowing. I was able to speak in front of around 75 women about what Women of Purpose is doing and what the Freedom Stone program is all about. 

Women from all walks of life expressed interest in helping out with our cause. A boutique owner offered to sell the necklaces at her shop for no cost during the month of May. Another women offered up her web design services to help build the Freedom Stone website. I am so thankful to the women who helped out with this. I hope to do many more creative things with Freedom Stones and women of purpose. 

If you would like to place your own order for necklaces, please contact me.

corriewest@yahoo.com

Great Book I've Been Reading...

I have been reading this book for the last three months (pathetic since it is only 357 pages) and it has really been challenging a lot of my views, changing my heart in certain areas and helping me to realize what we are all called to... It is called "The Irresistible Revolution" by Shane Claiborne. If you pick it up, prepare yourself to be rocked. I just read this paragraph last night (that is not all I read last night but close :) ) and it really resonated with me. I woke my sleeping husband up to read it to him and I just thought that I would share it.

"Just as "believers" are a dime a dozen in the church, so are "activists" in social justice circles nowadays. But lovers are hard to come by. And I think that's what our world is desperately in need of - lovers, people who are building deep, genuine relationships with fellow strugglers along the way, and who actually know the faces of the people behind the issues they are concerned about. We are trying to raise up an army not simply of street activists but of lovers - a community of people who have fallen desperately in love with God and with suffering people, and who allow those relationships to disturb and transform them."

It only takes 2 seconds...

I've just signed the No Child Soldiers Declaration committing myself to help bring peace and protection to the children of northern Uganda. More than 25,000 children have been captured, tortured, and used as frontline soldiers and sex slaves in a bloody civil war that has raged for 20 years.
The time has come to end this war.
I hope you will make this commitment, too.
Please join with thousands of concerned citizens and parents who believe that all children deserve to have a childhood free from torture and a future free from cruelty.
World Vision will take this petition to the Bush Administration, Congress, and the United Nations to demand action.
World Vision's goal is 1 million signatures--and they need your help to get there.

You can sign the Children Should Never Be Soldiers Declaration by visiting:
http://www.worldvision.org/nochildsoldiers

Make a call today!

Just called my Governor and my State Senators regarding Human Trafficking on National Awareness Day. I was really surprised when a person picked up the phone...wasn't quit ready to give my speech. But after the initial shock, I just let them know that it was important to me that we toughen laws on human trafficking and sex trade, both locally and globally.

It was really easy...you should make the call today too!
Here are the numbers for the Seattle/Washington area:
Govenor Gregoire 260-902-4111
Senator Murray 206-553-5545
Senator Cantwell 206-220-6400

Isabel Allende: Novelist/Feminist

Isabel is one of my favorite writers. Her stories speak of women and their hardships from all over the world. She is the promoter of passion in women. She encourages people to stop and take notice of what is happing in this world. Some stats from her video:

80% of the worlds refugees and displaced people are women and children

2/3 of the world's work is done by women, women own less than 1% of the worlds assets

For every $1 given to women's programs $10 is given to men's programs

Pleas watch this video! It is such a pleasure to be exposed to Isabel,

http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/204

Our Brothers and Sisters in Kenya

Dear Women -

I just received this email from a friend of ours that is a missionary in Kenya. He and his family are currently in the United States and they received the following email from a friend and pastor in Kenya. It is chilling. Please join me in praying for our brothers and sisters in Kenya. Pray for the people that are doing these horrific things and pray for the victims of their crimes. Pass this information on to anyone that you can. Join me in educating myself about their election crisis and what we can do to help!


Dear Brother Gregg Garner,

Greetings to you in the Name of Jesus Christ.
Iam writing to both pass my New Year Greetings
and to place my sincere prayer request not
only for my FAMILY UNIT but for Kenya at large

We are facing aterible post Election Crisis
that has never been witnessed in Kenya. We are
in dire need of your intercessory prayers.Iam
currently in Nairobi where no one is ever sure
of what can befall you in the next moment.I
have witnessed my brothers in the Lord murder
ed in cold blood,Houses burnt down,women and
Girls raped in full sight of their Husbands
and Fathers,young boys sodomised and many ugly
seens.Many people are displaced,prices of
essential comodities sky rocketed,food and
fuel gases are rare to comeby.etc.

Please pray for peace and dialogue to
prevail.We have not slept for anumber of
Days because of the civil unrest,senseless
killings.
GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU REMEMBER US IN PRAYER.

Pastor Walter Odayo.

National Day of Human Trafficking Awareness

We just found out that this Friday, January 11th, is the National Day of Human Trafficking Awareness. We would love for us all to be praying on this day. Since it isn't realistic for all of us to get together, let's do a virtual prayer for the people that are being trafficked and the people that are enslaving them. I think that it would be great if we could all pray at 8pm on Friday. Obviously it might not work for everyone but I would love to know that we were all united in prayer on Friday night. You can also use this day as a spring board for conversations with people - let's let our friends and family know what is going on around the world and here in our country.
Love you guys!

Easy Life

Today I woke up pretty grouchy...my youngest is sick and isn't sleeping well. So, I called the doctor and he said there was nothing he could do but that I should prepare for a few rough nights of sleep.

I was in need of perspective...here's what I found...
For the 1.9 billion children from the developing world, there are:
640 million without adequate shelter (1 in 3)
400 million with no access to safe water (1 in 5)
270 million with no access to health services (1 in 7)

Oh yeah...I woke up and took my kid to a doctor...pretty easy life!

What a wonderful to start the New Year......I am excited to see that God takes what we offer and mulitiplies it. I truly am amazed how the little stirrings and desires in our heart to bring God's hope to the world can be accomplished. One of the ways I hope to work on this coming year is with prayer support: actively hooking up with God and listening to what He wants to do and keeping our heart and ear tuned to Him. I just finished up a study on Daniel and was in awe that even in his 80's - God gave visions and work for him to do because He knew Daniel was available. Daniel had been interceding for Israel all his life. He was involved because he kept seeking understanding. (Dan. 2:20,21) So WOMEN OF PURPOSE, I think part of our journey will be from Proverbs 2:3-5 as we "call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if we look for it as for silver and search for it as hidden treasure, then we will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God" concerning each person suffering under the oppression of human trafficking.....looking forward to seeing all of you again on Jan. 20th and I'm rejoicing with the gift we get to give to our new friends in Thailand....Patti Orrico

OUR TOTAL AS OF JANUARY 3rd IS.......

...a whopping $2,950!!!! Way to go fellow Women of Purpose! I am SO proud of us. And the even better news is that we still have money out. I personally know of $650 in checks waiting to get to Overlake! So - $4000 here we come! If you have money out you can... 

 - Take it to the church front desk (in the back of the building) and leave it for Lynne Ellis with a message that says that it is for Women of Purpose 

 - Put it in the offering on Sunday (please make sure that it says that it is for Women of Purpose)  

 - Find me at church

 - Bring it with you to our Women of Purpose meeting on January 20th

I am so excited by what we have accomplished in a short amount of time. It brings me such a deep satisfaction that we are helping women find their God given value and worth and gain their own independence. Thank you ladies!

See you on the 20th!

Marisa