United StatesWOGA National ~ LA

! Raven + Lily Africa

! We had a wonderful meeting with Amy and Tiffany, two of the Raven + Lily designers. Peace brought samples of the materials, purses and other items made by the women in the Burundi sewing cooperative. Amy, who has her experience in the fashion world, was impressed by the ability of the seamstresses. Peace was able to see the items that were made by Raven + Lily. She was impressed by what beautiful items can be made using such tiny bits of scraps. A great connection has begun and we ended the time lifting up the partnership to the Lord and covering the women in prayer.

! Our prayer requests for WOGA USA:

! *for the Lord's provision for WOGA ministries globally given the current economic troubles - may we look to Him in faith and move forward

*for leadership to come alongside of our local chapters

*for the Lord's vision for our chapters

*for God to continue to be at work in the hearts of those who met Peace and learned of the work in Central Africa.

*for Kitty and WOGA: Florence as Kitty returns from the Arab World Conference and begins to work with this newly-formed chapter

Thank you, thank you!! Such a comfort and an encouragement to pray and be prayed for!

Much love,Cheryl

WOGA

‘Jesus said to her, ’I am the resurrection and the life.

Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live,

and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.

Do you believe this?’ She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.’

John 11:25!27

APRIL 2009

Global Prayer Initiative

I am also praying for...

Women of Global Action

www.global-act.org7660 Goddard Street, Suite 200

Colorado Springs, CO 80920

(719) 528-8728

The mission of WOGA is to educate and connect women to impact the world with God's love.

Amy, Tiffany & Peace Raven+Lily Studio

www.global-act.org

S. E. Asia

Islands

Just 3 items only:1. Pray for our new WOGA branch in K. K. that those selected will be willing to serve.

2. Pray for the proposed trip to Manila to meet 2 ladies there in May this year.

3. Pray for funds.

Thanks so much.

Ps. Lily

Praises

! We offer thanksgiving to Him for the

incredible fellowship we enjoyed at the Arab Women’s

Conference. We’re so grateful for our gracious hosts

who made us feel so welcomed. We heard about the

details of our Arab sisters’ ministries, challenges,

personal testimonies, all with similar themes: life is

often extremely hard, but God is good! Through

prayer and praises, teaching sessions and workshops,

we shared our stories, touched hearts and learned so

much from each other.

! We praise the Lord for these incredible

women who through their boldness and perseverence,

have grown the Body. We give thanks to Him for their

humbleness of spirit and passionate faith.

Prayer Requests

! ! open doors and communication, safe

meeting places

! ! more workers to feed the hunger for Him.

! ! protection, encouragement, and provision

Precious sisters indeed! We realize that we can now be

their voice and share their story.

Diane, John Crews & Team

http://eastmeetstex.blogspot.com/

Arab World

CanadaWOGA Calgary

I hesitate to

bring our prayer

requests because we

a r e a l l w e l l i n

C a n a d a b y

comparison to other

areas. Of course that can lead to complacency,

and this is what we struggle against. In an

affluent city one’s career and income earning

potential can become all consuming.

! WOGA group in Calgary has a three

year focus: last year we engaged the group by

informing them of the many local and global

needs of women.

! We had many speakers come and

present their work to us. This year we are

seeking to inspire the ladies with bible study

that is directed at the heart and identifying our

true values and acting upon them in obedience

to the Spirit. We believe the first person to be

transformed should be ourselves!

! This fall we will turn the focus on

involve them with local community needs and

further afield. Planning a trip with a purpose

would be our goal early in 2010.

In the meantime we continue to pray!

So I thank you for keeping the prayer letters

going so we can hear the global needs.

Blessings,

Barb

Southern Africa

Prayer requests:

1. Pray for Madagascar and the change in presidential leadership. Pray for peace and against violence. Over 150 people have lost their lives. Pray for the past president that he will not resort to retaliation and more bloodshed but that both the past and present president will find a way to work together. Pray for the church leadership that they become a strong voice for peace.

2. Prayer for South Africa and our upcoming elections on 22nd April 2009. There is an undercurrent of violence. Please pray for peaceful

elections.

3. Pray for Jabu Mabuza in Swaziland who leads the woman’s movement PACWA and has now been appointed Mayor of Mbabane. The leaders in the city have seen the good work, her character, capacity for leadership and her Godly values and unanimously appointed her.) Pray for strength and wisdom and favor with God and the citizens of the city. (We are negotiating doing a workshop ‘unashamedly ethical” in Swaziland in the near future.)

4. Pray for a new initiative “unashamedly ethical” which is encouraging leaders in Africa to do what is right. These are biblical principles, which we are encouraging leaders from all sectors including government and business to adopt and sign a pledge to change their way of doing business.

BlessingsEsme Bowers

United States

Raven + Lily India

Empowering Women Through Design

It was a joy for us to experience this venture together as friends and designers, and we actually succeeded in developing two beautiful home decor collections with the women. Throughout our time in India we made it a goal to put the people as more important than any product. The beauty of the items they are making is just a reflection of the beauty we see in them.

We had wonderful connections and partnerships with both the powerful and the powerless in India…from top couture Indian designers and fashion agents to disadvantaged women in the slums and remote mountain villages Our hosts in India were incredible; we love these women and consider it a great honor to know them and partner with them to empower impoverished women through design!

We are so excited about the designs our Indian artisan groups are creating. It was awesome to see the women gain confidence and begin to catch the vision of working towards sustainable income for themselves and their families. The collections we are creating are made entirely of hand-woven fabrics from the handicapped and/or repurposed designer scraps….and all the designs are hand-made with love. Each one is a work of art and symbol of hope and dignity.

Again, THANK YOU for praying for us and joining us on this journey! Many blessings,

Kirsten, Sophia & Sarah (Los Angeles, CA)

Established by a group of creative artists with a passion for social justice and the environment, Raven + Lily is a non-profit design house dedicated to creating economic opportunities for impoverished women, locally and globally. Through their partnership with Women of Global Action, they are committed to bringing hope and sustainability to the women’s co-ops and

their families in India and East Africa. (www.ravenandlily.com)

'The sun shines whether we see it or not,

even through our winter's fog,

and yet it has summer brightness.

If we walk with God constantly,

there are special seasons when

He opens the very secret of His heart to us

not only as He does not to the world but

also as He does not at all times to His own

favored ones. Not every day is a banqueting

day, and not all days with God are so clear

and glorious as certain special sabbaths of

the soul in which the Lord unveils His glory.

Happy are we if we have once beheld His

face, but happier still if He comes to us

again in fullness of favor.'

Charles Spurgeon

WOGA Global Prayers for April 20094/1 WOGA International: Ask the Lord that each WOGA chapter would see His vision for them. Pray that the mystery of our Faith would be lived out from day to day by Women of Global Action. 1 Timothy 3:16.!4/2 Middle East: Pray for all of the March conference attendees as they return to life in their own countries, that they would be radiant after their encounter with the Living God. Exodus 34:29-35 and Psalm 34:5.!4/3 Madagascar: Pray for the families of the more than 150 people have lost their loved ones during the recent uprising that lead to a change in president. Pray for the ousted president, that he will not resort to retaliation and more bloodshed, but for a willingness in both past and present presidents to find a way to work together. Pray for the church leadership to be empowered, so that they become a strong voice for peace. !4/4 S. E. Asia Islands: Ask the Lord for His provision for WOGA in this part of the world, for ‘seed to sow’. 2 Corinthians 9:8-11. !4/5 Southern Africa ~ Swaziland: Pray for the newly elected mayor of the capital city, Mbabane - Jabu Mabuza - who leads the woman’s movement PACWA. Ask the Lord to sustain His work in her as a woman of integrity; a hard worker, and someone who has Godly values. Pray that the citizens of Mbabane would wholeheartedly support her. !4/6 Florence, SC, USA: Lift WOGA chapter leader, Kitty, up to the Lord, having returned from the Arab World Conference last month, and as this newly formed chapter is created. Ask the Lord for inspiration, that He would breathe Life into this chapter, so that each thought, discussion and activity of the group would be from Him and for Him. Colossians 1:16 ! 4/7 Burundi: Pray for all of those ministering to the millions who live in this impoverished part of the world. Pray for a miraculous increase in the resources available in ministry, and for all Christian groups to work together in harmony here. Pray for the hand of God to be seen by unbelievers, and for more and more opportunities for Believers to rejoice as they experience God’s goodness to them! ! 4/8 Middle East: Continue to hold up the Believers in this part of the world through prayer. Praise God for the strength He supplies to those who are sharing the Good News. Romans 16:25-27 ! 4/9 India: Praise the Lord for the recent visit of Raven+Lily from Los Angeles! Pray for strong cords of love to bind the hearts and lives of these sisters in Christ around the world. Thank the Lord for the joy of the new found relationships in Him! Pray for protection of those relationships, that they will always please Him and bring Him glory. !4/10 Central America: Pray for the continued recovery and return to complete health for the WOGA affiliated family involved in a road accident in Honduras last December. Ask our Father and Physician to complete their healing. Praise Him because He does more than we ask or imagine. Ephesians 3:20. !

4/11 South Africa: As they wait with the hope of a better future, pray for South Africa ahead of the upcoming elections on 22nd April 2009. Pray against the undercurrent of violence. Please pray for peaceful elections. !4/12 S.E. Asia Islands: Praise the Lord for the new WOGA branch in K. K.! This is a new beginning in Him! Praise Him for what He has planned to do here! Ask God to anoint those selected to serve in this part of His Kingdom! !4/13 Los Angeles, USA: Ask the Lord to continue to be at work in the hearts of those who met Peace last month and learned of the WOGA work being done in Central Africa. Pray that any ‘lamp that was lit’ during times of sharing together would not be ‘put away’, but be ‘set up to give light to many’. Matthew 5:14-16. !4/14 North Africa: Give thanks for God for churches being planted; for the peace and love that is spreading; and for ministry that is reaching more and more of those lost in this part of the world. Ask God to ensure that His Good News continues to reach those who have never heard it. !4/15 Myanmar: Pray that every person involved in WOGA in Myanmar will be encouraged. Ask the Lord to remind them of His promise that He is always with them. Genesis 26:24. Pray that they would remember all of His promises to His children. !4/16 Kenya: Ask the Father to influence the authority figures in each home and in the wider community, so that the practice of female circumcision will cease completely. Pray for the church to clearly communicate God’s word regarding circumcision. Pray for an end to Satan’s power in this destructive, cultural practice. Pray for education to play a greater role in society. Ask God to change peoples’ hearts and minds so that this great trauma to women is stopped. !4/17 Eastern Europe: Pray for those who live and labor in this part of the world. Ask the Lord to keep them unified and working together rather than alone, and to send others to help with this great work. Luke 10:2. ! 4/18 Central America: Pray that the family of God here will both grow and thrive. Pray for sound biblical teaching in all of these countries. Pray against false teaching, the influence of both modern cults and age-old superstitions. Pray for discernment for all followers of Jesus. Pray for the emerging generation to be drawn into a pure and transparent church. !4/19 WOGA International: Pray for the Lord's provision for WOGA ministries globally given the current economic troubles. Ask Him to increase our faith. Ask Him to turn our faces away from obstacles and toward Him. Matthew 14:28-33. !South Pacific: Pray for local ministry and for daughter’s health. Pray for strength, wisdom and encouragement. !4/20 Burundi: Lift Peace to the Lord as she leads WOGA in this Central African nation. Pray that the growing partnerships between women in this part of the world and Believers in the West will be tangible evidence of God love and care for his daughters and that they will be greatly encouraged. !

4/21 Japan: Pray for those representing the Lord through WOGA and the church here. Ask the Lord to use their music ministry powerfully. Psalm 45:1. Pray that Christian melodies would disarm those hostile towards God, and that God’s character would be heard of and learned about through the lyrics. ! 4/22 S. E. Asia Islands: Pray for Lily and Helen’s journey to Manila in the Philippines, in May. Ask the Lord for a fruitful meeting with the two ladies that they will meet there. !4/23 Canada: Pray as this group seeks to inspire ladies in 2009 through bible study that is directed at the heart and identifying ones true values, and acting upon them in obedience to the Spirit. Pray for transformation for each person involved with WOGA in Calgary. !4/24 India: Matthew 24:14. Praise God because this good news of the kingdom will be preached throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. Pray for India. Pray for those working for the Lord in this vast nation. !

4/25 WOGA International: Ask the Lord to bless each of the HIV/AIDS education and outreach programs with success. Pray for an increase in both the quantity and quality of this work particularly amongst the poor and uneducated in developing nations, and also in the neglected communities of large cities in developed nations. ! 4/26 Southern Africa: Pray for the new initiative “Unashamedly Ethical” which is designed to encourage African leaders to do what is right. Pray that leaders from all sectors, including government and business, will believe the biblical principles to be beneficial to all; will be willing to adopt them; and to sign a pledge to change their way of doing business. ! 4/27 Los Angles, CA, USA: Lift the relationship between this WOGA chapter and the Union Rescue Mission Shelter for women and their children to the Lord. Ask the Lord to have His way. Pray for the salvation of these precious women and their children. ! 4/28 Central Africa: Pray for joy for the women of Africa, despite the poverty that surrounds them. Proverbs 15:15. Worship the Lord - just as our African sisters do - as He gives the garment of praise for the spirit of despair. Isaiah 61:3. !4/29 Middle East: Pray for all those involved in representing and championing causes of justice and peace. Pray for acceptance of programs and projects that assist minority groups in this part of the world. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead us to pray for the specific needs of Believers here. ! 4/30 Southern Africa ~ Swaziland: Ask the Lord for strength and wisdom for Jabu Mabuza and the others involved in negotiations so that an ‘Unashamedly Ethical’ workshop can be held in Swaziland. !